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EDITOR: My doctor remained silent for a long time. I can still see his hands in his white color coat pockets, shaking his head as if puzzled, and finally saying: “There may be something to what you say … indeed, there may be, although I am not in a position to judge your ‘theory’ off hand. But in any case, I am shocked by the amount of knowledge that you have. Who are you Richie? Could you not perhaps share your knowledge and experiences with Americans? Most of them don’t know. I am sure it would make fascinating reading.”
My chat with the doctor lasted one hour and 20 minutes.
As I previously mentioned, the traumatic experience of the Crusades gave Europe it’s cultural awarness and it’s unity, but this same experience was destined henceforth also to provide the false color in which Islam was to appear to western eyes. Not simply because the Crusades meant war and bloodshed. So many wars have been waged between nations and subsequently forgotten, and so many hatred which in their time seemed inercadicable have later turned into friendships.The damage caused by the Crusades was not restricted to clash of weapons. It was an intellectual damage, the poisoning of the Westerner mind agaist the Muslim world through a delibrate misrepresentaion of the teachings and ideal of Islam.
Today I ask my fellow Americans, “Why?” Why their openion about Islam based merely on the handful of cliches and distorted notions that had been handed down to them from previous generation?
Naturally, such a narrowed angle of vision is bound to produce a distorted perspective. Accustomed as he is to writings which depict the culture or discusses of his own civizelation in great details and in vivid color, with little more side glances here and there at the rest of the world, the average American easily succumbs to the illusion that the cultural experiences of the West are not merely suporior but out of all proportion to those of the rest of the world, and thus, that every intellectual concept, social institution or ethical valuation that disagreed to the Western “norm” belongs to a lower grade of existence; and to answer your question, doctor, I am a proud American, proud Muslim, and in my stolen moments,”a writer.”
RICHIE MISHAL
El Dorado Hills
The Mountain Democrat does not necessarily condone the comments here, nor does it review every post. Read our full policy
Paddy O'furnitureNovember 21, 2012 - 10:22 am
Sorry to be one to inform you of this fact, Richie, but the "Crusades" were not an offensive campaign, they were defensive. Islam has murdered over 250 million people in the last 1400 years in an offensive effort to either convert or eliminate Christians. "Religion of peace", it is most certainly not. An excellent history in a 45 minute video is right here: http://www.mrctv.org/videos/bill-warner-islam-1400-years-fear-english-titles/
hair on fireNovember 21, 2012 - 10:36 am
patio you're playing with an incomplete set
Ken SteersNovember 21, 2012 - 3:31 pm
Richie, FYI the United States was never involved in the Crusades. The United States is in North America. Our students are not taught about the crusades in a venue of right and wrong, good and evil. The "West" as you call it, is Europe. Not the US, Canada or Mexico. We weren't around to fight in the Middle East. Americans fled Europe and all points around the world to pursue a new life liberty and happiness. Your belief that the US is the same as Europe and a monochromatic society points to your deep ingrained bigoted ideology. Obviously you are an example of someone who is American who isn't from Western Europe. I would like remind you that we are at war with a group of Muslim zealots hell bent on destroying our society. Remember 3000 of your fellow Americans died at the hands of such people. I'll pray for you sir and ask my savior Jesus Christ to grant you wisdom and understanding. I'm glad you are a proud American. Go spread the word that we are good people.
Shingle SeniorNovember 21, 2012 - 4:22 pm
Richie...thank you for your post. We need more posts like yours in the red county of El Dorado. My son-in-law is a devout Muslim and I have never met or known a more honest, loving and hard working father, husband and family member. My daughter was very lucky to have found him and they reside in EDH. I ask you to ignore the ignorant haters who have posted here....they obviously only see the world through Faux Nooze, Bill-O and Limbo. They lost the election and our country has loudly stated that we want inclusion and diversity and it will never be run by angry old white men to thrive on hate. Happy Thanksgiving from a local resident.
billzzNovember 21, 2012 - 5:11 pm
As my Ancient History professor on the work gang used to say, "What we have here is a failure to communicate." A Google search on "Crusades" will give the history. It is long, so I spare you. One of the factors, little mentioned is that the European feudal system gave inheritance only to the oldest male. So second sons (also daughters, but they were expected to marry) were dependent upon the good will of the elder or they had to make their own way. Which is why you have "knights" going to "liberate" the holy lands. They were in search of their own property. Anyway, America was not founded on any of those principles, and we do not follow any of them. So how America got into this, is as if the Eskimos had something to do with the middle east. By-the-by I have been to the middle east several times, and my wife and I know Jewish-Israeli families, in Jerusalem, and Muslim-Egyptian families in Cairo. She has stayed with them when I was away. We have had no problem with anyone, and most people do not. But there are bad guys everywhere. Reading the morning newspaper, anywhere in the world will tell us that. In Dallas there is a Christian church across the street from a Muslim mosque. When the mosque has services, on Friday, they can park overflow cars in the church parking lot. When the church has services, on Sunday, they can park in the mosque parking lot. As the Rabbi says, "Only in America!"