"Both men have proved in the past that they have a lot to offer the country. And given the perilous times in which we live, we could use whatever wit and wisdom they could contribute to public life in America."
Your conclusion points out the saddest indictment of this election year. A damaging outcome which weakens our nation during sush critical times.
United we stand, divided we fall
Comment Posted By Ragnell On 30.10.2006 @ 00:47
POPE TRIES AGAIN TO APPEASE THE UNAPPEASEABLE
The Pope may have had another purpose in focusing attention on the Byzantine Empire, a highly cultured, Christian- Roman civilization that pre-existed in the areas conquered by the Islamic Empires that replaced it. Not for Byzantine’s record for religious toleration, but rather by the consideration that several modern Islamic claims are contradicted by the historic evidence found from Byzantine’s very existence and final bloody ending. For example, that Islam has a legal and historical claim to enforce its religious control over certain regions.
The Byzantine emperor expressed fear and abhorrence of Islamic violence for valid historical reasons. His civilization was under brutal assault by the Islamic armies. He was not an ignorant, irrational bigot. Yet, I find few people know or remember the significant details of Byzantine's existence and final bloody ending.Islamic leaders have a tradition of ignoring the prior claims of other religions and civilizations that pre-existed Islamic dominance. Part of the Imams' anger may have also been provoked by their consternation that Byzantine's long buried historical lessons has been brought to world attention.
If you are interested, I posted a more complete version of this argument:
Comment Posted By Ragnell On 18.09.2006 @ 17:26
Islam Attempts to Silence an Historic Warning
http://loathlylady.blogspot.com/2006/09/imams-attempt-to-silence-historical.html