Posted in History, foreign policy, liberty, war, tagged History, Patrick Henry, war on January 26, 2008 | No Comments »
My daughter and I were reading Patrick Henry’s famous March 25, 1775 speech that concludes, “Give me liberty or give me death!” We were both struck by the contemporary relevance of his second paragraph:
Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes [...]
Posted in History, Religion, foreign policy, war, tagged History, Islam, Kosovo, Serbia, war on January 2, 2008 | 3 Comments »
Shlomo Avineri writes a letter to a Serbian friend, advising Serbia to acquiesce in Kosovo independence. He points out that 90% of the population of Kosovo is ethnically Albanian, and says:
Yet one cannot draw 21st century borders according to historical links which overlook the wishes of the present population. The question is not territory, [...]
Posted in Equality, History, liberty, tagged slavery on January 1, 2008 | 3 Comments »
Two hundred years ago today, the United States banned the importation of slaves. And, 145 years ago today, the Emancipation Proclamation took effect. (HT: Instapundit.) It’s worth remembering not only all those who suffered under the unjust and “peculiar” institution of slavery, but also all those who had the moral vision, courage, and [...]
Posted in History, Religion, liberty, tagged History, Islam, Spain, tolerance on December 26, 2007 | No Comments »
Andrew Bostom gives a detailed account of why Maimonides fled Spain, to settle ultimately in Cairo, despite the supposed harmony of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity in medieval Spain. It’s a helpful correction to the impression left by Maria Rosa Menocal’s book, The Ornament of the World: How Muslims, Jews, and Christians Created a Culture [...]
