Fiorina says that Islamic Civilization was the "Greatest in the World"

Eagle Rising ^ | 16 June 2015 | Onan Coca

[Paul46360]

"Though Fiorina did acknowledge Christianity and Judaism in culture, she did not call them "a civilization that was the greatest in the world." She failed to recognize the long track record of Islam and its culture in the Middle East. In fact, understanding that we are a Christian nation, one would think that she would reference the rich heritage of Europe or even our early founding, but instead, two weeks after Islamists attacked America, she decided to praise the culture that spawned them."

[NormsRevenge]

Ol’ Red Eyes!!

[Flag_This]

Islam scavenged from the cultures it overran.

[magna carta]

I keep hearing this but want to learn more about it. Any suggestions?

[VerySadAmerican]

It’s pandering 101 and everyone can see it. I remember Trent Lott getting in trouble for praising Strom Thurmond. He went on BET and said he was for affirmative action. Sickening.

[MUDDOG]

Kareem Alcind-Jabbar thought so.

[Lakeshark]

You're posting something that she mentioned in a speech about fifteen years ago? Something that was never saying that they were the best civilization ever, something that simply mentions they once had a decent civilization?

It's not hard to notice how many won't know what she actually said, or meant, or what she would say today.

Watching so many on FR freak out over not eve half truths is an amazing thing. Very discouraging what suckers we can be...........

[pepsi_junkie]

Islam at one time (until I think the 12th or 13th century) was open minded about scholarship. They translated the works of Aristotle into arabic and this is the only reason most of them survived the dark ages and went on to form the kernel of western intellectual heritage of the middle ages. They also worked in mathematics and astronomy and welcomed scholars from different cultures. Of course at the same time they were conquering and subjugating others but that sort of dichotomy isn't so rare (consider ancient Rome).

However the zealots took over Islam and purged all that tolerance and scientific inquiry. They decreed that everything you need to know was in the Koran and if you learned anything that disputed the Koran through science, it was wrong and devilish. So no science allowed.

So yeah, they had their moment in the sun but it's been a force for backwardness for around 700 years now so maybe we can stop talking about Islam as this great intellectual heritage at some point.

[Lakeshark]

not even half truths

[SgtHooper]

Bingo!

[katana]

During the period of time when they did have a real series of empires and a civilization worthy of the name, roughly the eighth through seventeenth centuries, Chinese civilization would have a much stronger claim for the title “Greatest”. And theirs was home grown. Islamic “civilization” was built on the bones of the North African Roman, Byzantine, and Persian empires. It was a “flowering” rooted in soil others had planted and tilled. Islam itself created nothing.

[Bratch]

Perspective is everything.

CARLY FIORINA
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA
SEPTEMBER 26, 2001
"TECHNOLOGY, BUSINESS AND OUR WAY OF LIFE: WHAT'S NEXT"

---

[...]

I think in the last two weeks, we have witnessed acts of courage on a grand scale and at a very human scale. As 46 year-old New Yorker Jim Pesomen said, "The toughest part was watching firemen and the courageous go back into that building as it was coming down. Those individuals, I tell you, have courage–knowing what they know."

And it was acts of courage we saw over and over again in the named heroes, like Mark Bingham and Tom Burnett on flight 93, but also those who were heroes like a woman who guided Eduardo Rivera down 70 flights of stairs. Omar’s blind, and will never see the woman who saved his life, but will be forever thankful.

As business leaders, as we are faced with questions of life and death rather than how much our stock is worth, the significance of our business contribution to the world may be increased. And that is a good thing.

I’ll end by telling a story.

There was once a civilization that was the greatest in the world.

It was able to create a continental super-state that stretched from ocean to ocean, and from northern climes to tropics and deserts. Within its dominion lived hundreds of millions of people, of different creeds and ethnic origins.

One of its languages became the universal language of much of the world, the bridge between the peoples of a hundred lands. Its armies were made up of people of many nationalities, and its military protection allowed a degree of peace and prosperity that had never been known. The reach of this civilization’s commerce extended from Latin America to China, and everywhere in between.

And this civilization was driven more than anything, by invention. Its architects designed buildings that defied gravity. Its mathematicians created the algebra and algorithms that would enable the building of computers, and the creation of encryption. Its doctors examined the human body, and found new cures for disease. Its astronomers looked into the heavens, named the stars, and paved the way for space travel and exploration.

Its writers created thousands of stories. Stories of courage, romance and magic. Its poets wrote of love, when others before them were too steeped in fear to think of such things.

When other nations were afraid of ideas, this civilization thrived on them, and kept them alive. When censors threatened to wipe out knowledge from past civilizations, this civilization kept the knowledge alive, and passed it on to others.

While modern Western civilization shares many of these traits, the civilization I’m talking about was the Islamic world from the year 800 to 1600, which included the Ottoman Empire and the courts of Baghdad, Damascus and Cairo, and enlightened rulers like Suleiman the Magnificent.

Although we are often unaware of our indebtedness to this other civilization, its gifts are very much a part of our heritage. The technology industry would not exist without the contributions of Arab mathematicians. Sufi poet-philosophers like Rumi challenged our notions of self and truth. Leaders like Suleiman contributed to our notions of tolerance and civic leadership.

And perhaps we can learn a lesson from his example: It was leadership based on meritocracy, not inheritance. It was leadership that harnessed the full capabilities of a very diverse population–that included Christianity, Islamic, and Jewish traditions.

This kind of enlightened leadership — leadership that nurtured culture, sustainability, diversity and courage — led to 800 years of invention and prosperity.

In dark and serious times like this, we must affirm our commitment to building societies and institutions that aspire to this kind of greatness. More than ever, we must focus on the importance of leadership– bold acts of leadership and decidedly personal acts of leadership.

With that, I’d like to open up the conversation and see what we, collectively, believe about the role of leadership.

---

Transcript of entire speech is here.

[x]

Look at the date: SEPTEMBER 26, 2001.

And read the whole speech.

It's not so different from what President Bush was saying at the time -- or at least, beneath the poetic veneer and exaggeration, they were both saying something similar in an effort not to spark a wider war of civilizations.

[Benito Cereno]

Thanks for posting. We’ll see how many actually read it.

[Poser]

Just another hit piece trying to garner knee jerk reactions from people who don’t bother to learn the facts. Oh wait! It worked.

[entropy12]

Your post makes lot of sense!

[Secret Agent Man]

Yeah why isnt the world emigrating to the places where this culture is allowed to operate at 100% of its real potential?

[Mr. Jeeves]

No, Arabs had a somewhat modern civilization before Islam arrived and destroyed it.

[Rebel_Ace]

To: Paul46360
“OK, I’ll admit I like the numerals. I’m glad my baseball jersey was 44 and not XLXL...”

Actually, 44 would be XLIV.

(10 from 50 plus 1 from 5)

Just a nit to pick, I take your point. ;-)

[entropy12]

You got that exactly right! The Pyramids for example were build before Islam arrived, and are certainly an achievement before it’s time. How did they move heavy material to high altitudes without cranes?

[PhiloBedo]

XLIV