Over the weekend the following July 21st, 2010 statement by former US House of Representatives Speaker, Newt Gingrich (who is a professional historian by training) was brought to my attention twice.
The statement is so important that I will link and cite it, highlighting key parts, then comment briefly:
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July 21, 2010 6pm
There should be no mosque near Ground Zero in New York so long as there are no churches or synagogues in Saudi Arabia. The time for double standards that allow Islamists to behave aggressively toward us while they demand our weakness and submission is over.
The proposed "Cordoba House" overlooking the World Trade Center site – where a group of jihadists killed over 3000 Americans and destroyed one of our most famous landmarks - is a test of the timidity, passivity and historic ignorance of American elites. For example, most of them don’t understand that “Cordoba House” is a deliberately insulting term. It refers to Cordoba, Spain – the capital of Muslim conquerors who symbolized their victory over the Christian Spaniards by transforming a church there into the world’s third-largest mosque complex.
Today, some of the Mosque’s backers insist this term is being used to "symbolize interfaith cooperation" when, in fact, every Islamist in the world recognizes Cordoba as a symbol of Islamic conquest. It is a sign of their contempt for Americans and their confidence in our historic ignorance that they would deliberately insult us this way.
Those Islamists and their apologists who argue for "religious toleration" are arrogantly dishonest. They ignore the fact that more than 100 mosques already exist in New York City. Meanwhile, there are no churches or synagogues in all of Saudi Arabia. In fact no Christian or Jew can even enter Mecca.
And they lecture us about tolerance.
If the people behind the Cordoba House were serious about religious toleration, they would be imploring the Saudis, as fellow Muslims, to immediately open up Mecca to all and immediately announce their intention to allow non-Muslim houses of worship in the Kingdom. They should be asked by the news media if they would be willing to lead such a campaign.
We have not been able to rebuild the World Trade Center in nine years. Now we are being told a 13 story, $100 million megamosque will be built within a year overlooking the site of the most devastating surprise attack in American history.
Finally where is the money coming from? The people behind the Cordoba House refuse to reveal all their funding sources.
America is experiencing an Islamist cultural-political offensive designed to undermine and destroy our civilization. Sadly, too many of our elites are the willing apologists for those who would destroy them if they could.
No mosque.
No self deception.
No surrender.
The time to take a stand is now - at this site on this issue. >>
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This superb statement exposes the many inconsistencies, hypocrisies and patent absurdities in the commonly promoted politically correct stance on IslamISM, its roots in foundational Islamic history and theology, and the challenge it poses for not only the wider world but also us here in the Caribbean.
We would do well to ponder on it carefully, even if we are disinclined to agree.
(Ask yourself why you find it disagreeable, and then take time to explore the Quran, Surah 9 -- look closely at verses 5 and 29 ff -- and also this survey of foundational Islamic history here, noting remarks here and the declaration here on Islam the gospel and the Caribbean. A glance at the details at Answering-Islam.org, especially the Nehls-Eric Book/course here (cf. their primer on controversies here), will provide references and background. Mr Gingrich, sadly, has his key facts correct. And, he quite justifiably skewers the many gaping inconsistencies in the commonly promoted views on the issue.)
It is sad that, nine years after the 9/11 attacks, many of us still struggle to get basic information on Islamism, Islam, the gospel, our region and the world straight. Not to mention, on a due and balanced response as individuals, as members of the Christian Faith tradition, and as citizens or -- most challengingly -- leaders of nations responsible to establish and protect the civil peace of justice.
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