The latest fantasy from the fanciful imagination of Barack Obama:
We hear a lot about the United States’ Judeo-Christian heritage, but according to President Obama, “Islam has been woven into the fabric of our country since its founding.”
That’s what the president told a White House conference on “countering violent extremism” on Wednesday.
Obama has said similar things in the past:
“I also know that Islam has always been a part of America’s story,” Obama said in a June 2009 speech in Cairo, Egypt. “Islam has always been part of America,” he said in a 2010 statement marking the start of Ramadan. And in a 2014 statement marking Eid, Obama said the holiday “also reminds us of the many achievements and contributions of Muslim Americans to building the very fabric of our nation and strengthening the core of our democracy.”
What the hell is he talking about? Then again, maybe he has a point. Islam did touch the United States of America early on in its history- in the form of piracy.
Over two centuries ago, the United States was dragged into the affairs of the Islamic world by an escalating series of unprovoked attacks on Americans by Muslim pirates, the terrorists of the era. These pirates preyed on unsuspecting trade ships. The hulking merchant vessels of the period were no match for the Muslim pirate ships, which were built for speed and lightning strikes. It was simply a fact of life that- over the centuries-took its toll on countless merchant ships and their crews.
Contemporary scholars estimate that over 1 million white Christians from France and Italy to Spain, Holland, Great Britain, the Americas, and even Iceland were captured between 1500 and 1800. The bloodcurdling tales of brutality and horror that awaited Christians unlucky enough to fall victim to the Barbary Pirates were widely known, although sometimes wildly exaggerated.
Muslims were pioneers in the slave trade:
The reality was often much more prosaic, although no less cruel. After seizing the cargo and scuttling the vessel, the pirates would strip the crew of anything deemed remotely valuable. The shaken, naked, terrified crewmen would then be dragged back to North Africa. There, they would be imprisoned and enslaved or, if they were lucky, ransomed back to their sovereign or their family or the company they worked for.
Often enough, however, the victims of these maritime hijackings would languish in fetid prisons, unsure of when, or even if, they would ever be redeemed. Many perished or simply disappeared in the White Slave trade. The only other escape was conversion. Embracing Islam-“turning Turk”-instantly changed one’s status and prospects. Indeed, from time to time, some of these victims would prove rather able-bodied adventurers and mercenaries, considering their national identity, their religion, and their foreskins a small price to pay as compared with life as a Muslim pirate in North Africa.
Please do read the while thing.
Then Obama fired off another salvo:
“Generations of Muslim immigrants came here and went to work as farmers and merchants and factory workers, helped to lay railroads and to build up America.”
Because you know how important railroads were during the Revolutionary War. He wasn’t done yet:
“The first Islamic center in New York City was founded in the 1890s. America’s first mosque, this was an interesting fact, was in North Dakota.”
Uh, no. It was 1929.
Let’s review the Obama version of the birth of our nation with some images. You remember the writing of the Declaration of Independence:
The signing of the Declaration of Independence:
And there was Washington at Valley Forge
And, of course, the surrender of Cornwallis:
Barack Obama always plays fast and loose with facts. in other words, he lies incessantly. He is arguably most dangerous at times like this- when he assumes the role of lecturer at the Michael Moore/ Oliver Stone School of American History. Besieging other to believe things are so simply because you say them might be fine for a community organizer but it is a poor character trait for the President of the United States. Does he really believe this crap?
Islam has been part of this country since its founding like you can keep your doctor and your plan. And we are at war with radical Islam. When even Vox sees it, Obama has a problem. And so do we.
DrJohn has been a health care professional for more than 30 years. In addition to clinical practice he has done extensive research and has published widely with over 70 original articles and abstracts in the peer-reviewed literature. DrJohn is well known in his field and has lectured on every continent except for Antarctica. He has been married to the same wonderful lady for over 30 years and has three kids- two sons, both of whom are attorneys and one daughter on her way into the field of education.
DrJohn was brought up with the concept that one can do well if one is prepared to work hard but nothing in life is guaranteed.
Except for liberals being foolish.