The Stream “If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it’s probably a duck.” This is wise counsel whenever the media and “experts” insist that you not believe your lying eyes. Take this ongoing issue where men who perfectly fit the profile of “radical Muslims,” engage in the usual acts of Islamic terrorism, only for the “authorities” to tell us … [Read more...]
Did the Crusaders Spoil ‘Five Centuries of Peaceful Coexistence’ with Islam?
The Stream If Fake News is a “threat to democracy,” what about Fake History? Although more subtle — Fake History is certainly much harder to expose than Fake News — the former is every bit as dangerous, if not more so. Unlike the “news,” which is ephemeral, the presumed lessons of history are much more concrete and long-lasting. Take the historical writings of John Esposito, … [Read more...]
Video: Which Christian Group First ‘Demonized’ Muhammad?
A response to Karen Armstrong's claim that the Crusaders were the first Christian group in history to demonize Muhammad as a way to justify the First Crusade. (My original, nearly 20 year-old, written response here). … [Read more...]
But Why Saladin? The West’s Low Standard Bar for Islam
The Stream We recently discussed the concept of Fake History in the context of Saladin (1137-1193), the Muslim hero who conquered Jerusalem from the Crusaders. We saw how, on the one hand, Westerners have long presented him as a paragon of virtue, moderation, and magnanimity; on the other — and in reality — he was the quintessential “Muslim extremist”: Saladin oppressed and … [Read more...]
Islamophobia vs. History
The Stream On December 12, the White House announced its release of “the first-ever U.S. National Strategy to Counter Islamophobia and Anti-Arab Hate.” This document asserts that “Islamophobia” in America is a byproduct of “hate” for and “racism” against Muslims. Thus, the first of the document’s four strategies to counter Islamophobia, is to: Increase awareness of hatred … [Read more...]