President Obama has continually asserted that Islam was “woven into the fabric” of the United States since its founding. Obama claims that Muslims have made significant contributions to building of this nation. The claim is laughable to anyone who has studied US history. Historian David Barton spoke to Glenn Beck and tore the president’s claims apart.
Barton found the first real contribution any Muslim made was in 1856 (80 years after the founding) when then Secretary of War Jefferson Davis hired one Muslim to help train camels in Arizona. Not exactly a resounding contribution, since the plan to fight Native Americans via camelback was soon dismissed.
But Muslims did have an influence on early America, and that influence was one of a foe. After winning its independence from England, American vessels no longer enjoyed British protection. France, dismayed that the US would not aid it in its war against England, also ceased protection of American ships. The result led to American vessels being raided and plundered by Muslim pirates from the Barbary Coast.
After agreeing to pay 10% of the new nations dismal GDP in exchange for passage, attacks continued. Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin were sent as representatives to mediate the problem. It was there that they discovered that the Islamic law the pirates followed made it their duty to attack non-Muslims.
“The ambassador answered us that [the right] was founded on the Laws of the Prophet, that it was written in their Koran, that all nations who should not have answered their authority were sinners, that it was their right and duty to make war upon them wherever they could be found, and to make slaves of all they could take as prisoners, and that every Mussulman who should be slain in battle was sure to go to Paradise,” Jefferson wrote to Secretary of State John Jay, explaining peace was not possible.
Ben Franklin wrote of his experience: “Nor can the Plundering of Infidels be in that sacred Book (the Qur’an) forbidden, since it is well known from it, that God has given the World, and all that it contains, to his faithful Mussulmen, who are to enjoy it of Right as fast as they conquer it.”
John Adams, in his report to Jay, wrote of the Muslim prophet Muhammad, and called him a “military fanatic” who “denies that laws were made for him; he arrogates everything to himself by force of arms.”
By the time Jefferson became president the Barbary coast was extorting 25% of US GDP and attacks were still occurring. Jefferson wasted no time in signing a war powers request which launched the US’s entire naval fleet to wage war on the Barbary pirates. The US Marines were born. Jefferson saw the fleet off, ordering the US sailors to chase the pirates all the way to Tripoli, giving rise to the famed verse from the US Marines’ anthem.
http://www.thefederalistpapers.org/...eres-what-our-founders-wrote-about-mussellmen
Obama Claims Islam Part Of Founding; Here’s The Truth In The Founders Own Words
Discussion in 'News & Current Events' started by Revmitchell, May 5, 2015.
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Revmitchell Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
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As most of our history books attest, white historians like David Barton, have a bad habit of erasing those who don't look and think like them as of any "significance" to American History.
So why should we trust him when so many of the other white historians have written an incomplete version of America's history? -
church mouse guy Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
What Obama means is that one of our first wars was with Islam. The notion that there were Islamists in the colonies is absurd. Europe had just turned back the Islamic hordes at the time of the Protestant Reformation and the knowledge of Islamic barbarism was widespread in Europe.
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Crabtownboy Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
It is true one of our first wars, well it was more of a successful blockade, was with the pirates on the North African coast.
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Squire Robertsson AdministratorAdministrator
As for Davis Camel Corps, the camels were supposed to be used in a logistics role. At the time, the alternative were ox\horse\mule drawn wagons and pack mules\horses. Camels were thought to be a better fit for the deserts of New Mexico and Arizona. It was a nice bit of outside the box thinking. Jeff Davis was a decent Secretary of War. To bad, he tried to be the same when was POTCSA.
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BTW David Barton is not a "historian," supposing that was your implication in reference to him among "other white historians." -
Revmitchell Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
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However, I am glad to see that you didn't let an opportunity to take a shot at "white" people go to waste. -
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church mouse guy Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
Islam is violently opposed to almost everything that the "Great Satan" stands for so how could Islam at the same time contributed? It defies logic and lacks historical evidence, not that such matters concern the pompous Obama.
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church mouse guy Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
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Crabtownboy Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
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Revmitchell Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
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There were Muslims here when the Europeans came because they brought them. There had already been Muslim expeditions to this country before the first settlers. There were Muslims who fought in wars with us, who took care of the kids, etc.
I think people try to write off their contributions if they weren't in positions of great authority. But they were here and contributing to the foundation of the country as were Blacks and Native Americans. -
It was not taking a shot at anyone. You guys want to be real, then let's be real. And the statement has historically been true about who writes history.
But when last I checked, there were no "wars", per se of Whites vs Blacks or Muslims in this country, unless white people have de facto considered themselves at war with those groups.
So why is the history of this country so overwhelmingly whitewashed? Why are the contributions of Whites traditionally highlighted while everyone else is virtually removed?
I mean folks have a problem with the President saying that Islam is woven into the fabric of the nation. It is. The majority may not want to admit the contributions of some of those others. But they were historically there. -
church mouse guy Well-Known MemberSite Supporter
Well, Islam would not have had a problem with slavery because Islam still practices slavery today. Islam would not have baked a cake for sodomites because Islam executes them. Islam would not have considered women as equals because Islamic women are systematically mutilated to de-feminize them.