I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence
And so the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're goin' through

Monday, August 9, 2010

So far under, daylight is just a tease

So two quickies while I pretend I'm not blogging.

On history, Cordoba, and leaving the ruminations that Mr. Gingrich actually teaches history in college up to the reader. (Grokked from Jay Lake).

Hmmm, well, there goes another myth we tell ourselves. This one is about how unregulated industry is better than regulated industry and how the moratorium on deep water drilling is costing jobs. (also via Jay Lake)

2 comments:

Eric said...

Steve, many thanks for posting the link to Got Medieval. I was unfamiliar with the history of Cordoba and when it was mentioned in a comment over at Giant Midgets, I have to admit I merely skimmed Wikipedia before accepting the premises of the comment on its own terms (which I disagreed with, but still).

I haz been edumacated. Thank you!

Steve Buchheit said...

No worries, Eric. Glad to provide.

Now, this is not to say that churches weren't immediately converted to mosques all over the middle east, but I think the history of Cordoba was pretty much mirrored elsewhere.

One of the most interesting re-uses is the Hagia Sophia (probably more famous than the Cordoba Mosque). But, of course, during the time in question many religions performed such acts. The Christians razed and build over pagan sites. The various branches of Christianity build over each others churches. Churches were converted to mosques, mosques to churches, temples to churches, etc. This was a part of normal business in the day.

For Gringrich's argument to hold, we would have to veto every single mosque everywhere in the US. I'm sure there are those who wish that would happen. I wonder how they'll feel to know there are buddhist monasteries, shinto temples, temples to Vishnu (and the various Indian gods/goddesses), and many other holy places of worship that aren't Christian in this country.

I wonder when they'll actually get what the former president had to be drug to kicking and screaming, that we're not at war with Islam. We at war with a bunch of fanatics who like to cloak themselves in religious garb and words to mask that they're just nut cases.

And just how many times does the Muslim community in America need to denounce the acts of that radical few before these people actually hear their words? Well, those people that haven't heard the muslims of the US reject terrorism have been sticking their fingers in the ears and shouting "LALALALALA" for so long, I doubt they'll stop anytime soon.