First off, let me state for the record, I have not chosen a candidate to support. I am a cynic, I don’t believe any of them right now; however, if I were forced to pick today, I would support Ted Cruz.
Several have noted Carly Fiorina’s 2001 speech that supposedly praises Islam. I simply do not read it that way – I see where she accentuates the highlights of a civilization, not a religion. The points she made about law, mathematics, science and philosophy are historically accurate. I see no where in here where she specifically celebrates Islam
If this is prima facie evidence of Fiorina being a sympathizer with Islam, it is pretty weak tea. Her greatest crime seems to have been using loose phraseology so close to the 9/11 tragedy, phraseology that would be subject to inerpretation based on current context. Also note that this speech was given on September 26th and it was the next day, September 27th when the FBI went public with official confirmation that al Qaeda was responsible.
Here’s the official transcript of what Carly Fiorina said about Islam on September 26, 2001:
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.
The Rio Norte Line 
All this lady did was prove — beyond any doubt — that she does not understand Islam, nor does she know history. Islam does not “incorporate” anything. It tramples the old and substitutes the new. Whatever survives does so in spite of Islam.
This is not my ‘opinion:’ it is mandated by Muhammad and attested to by history. To call a culture that forbids much of what Fiorina trumpets as ‘technology’ a ‘great civilization’ reveals a profoundly dangerous ignorance that simple cannot be allowed into the White House if we want this nation 9or the West) to survive.
Unless people understand that Islam is a religion in name only; unless they accept that we are dealing with a Fascist political ideology draped in the cloak of religion — and unless we start treating it accordingly — the U.S. and the Western world will not survive.
You can dismiss this warning, and you are free to do so. Just understand that you are inviting your own conversion to Islam…or death! And supporting Fiorina is to do the same.
100 % spot on !
Just understand, please, that Trump is not the answer, either. I happen to agree with Utah: Cruz is the best candidate we have right now. And by best, I mean he has proven — by his words and actions — that he understands liberty and the Constitution and he is willing to stand up to and take the arrows from the establishment to fight for what he believes. Now, he may prove to be another disappointment, but for now, all who claim to believe in liberty of the original intent of our founders should be rallying to Cruz (at least until he proves he does not deserve our support).
Ben Carson was /is correct about muslims being incompatible with being president. Cruz admonished him for it. Cruz is stacking up some questionable positions Re : Immigrants ! Just sayin’ By his words and actions.
Trump is the Strongest Candidate with respect to Illegals.
Trump / Cruz…. or … Trump/ Carson……. 2016 !!!!!
Crap! I had not heard that. Don, hard as this is for me to say, if Cruz is going to be as ignorant as Fiorina, we may have to throw in with Carson and hope for the best 😦
I think the Triad is our best hope. As I do with Steve King, Mike Lee, Gohmert….. there is a constellation forming. I don’t quite have a feel for how it will all met itself out.
Carson to day told Congress they needed to exercise their their authority :
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/10/18/ben-carson-to-congress-exercise-your-authority-or-be-run-over/
Maybe — just MAYBE — Carson might be starting to learn. All I know is this: if we do not get someone who understands the threat of Islam and acts accordingly, the next President may well be our last.
As you know. It is more than just one person.
I am well aware of that, but we need someone who will stop the executive tyranny, refuse to sign garbage bills and hold the line against the real threats to this nation long enough to allow the rest to catch up and form a defensive position from which to launch a counter-offensive.
And here you have it AGAIN!!!!!!
Ted Cruz, at a Christian event, goes along with the Jeb Bush line about Amnesty. Basically Cruz stays silent on immigration, certainly doesn’t challenge him when Bush said : ” Jeb Bush mentioned the importance of lifting everyone up. This was perhaps a wink and nod to his amnesty plans for millions of people who are currently in illegal alien status.”
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/10/19/absent-trump-republican-candidates-ignore-illegal-immigration-border-texas-forum/
THIS is why I am still looking hard at Trump and even Carson. Without their Outspoken stance it appears even our “Conservative” choices follow the AMNESTY Chamber of Commerce line !
OK, I’ll give you that Cruz now sounds as bad as the other establishment candidates. HOWEVER, Trump has already told us he plans to rule EXACTLY like Obama — by decree! Don, neither of us can claim to be moral or principled people if we vote for someone who is telling us he will do exactly the same things we complained about Obama doing just because we think we will agree with the things he says he will do. We will be the flip side of the same coin.
So — for m — this only leaves Carson. To his credit, he has back-peddled on the 2nd Amendment, but most importantly, he gets Islam. His stance on Islam is better than ANY other candidate in the race — period! For me, we need to deal with Islam first. It is the respiratory arrest whereas the other things may be arterial bleeding, but if you don’t start the breathing NOW, the blood loss won’t matter.
Trump gets the muslims too. And Trump has back-peddled as well. Plus a review of his positions and statements from the 1980s forward is more consistently Conservative ( with Progressive aspects for sure) than purely Progressive. Just saying Carson-Trump share some of those same traits except that Trump has a more consistent and long-term record, whereas Carson’s transformation is a year-old at best.
For What it’s worth…. Carson was at this Meeting TOO !!
Cruz also has un-comfortable connections to Corker’s bill which allowed the Iran Deal, helped Ryan push TPA for ObamaTrade and voted FOR Cloture on TPA….basically a yes vote.
This is all VERY disappointing !!!!
Don,
I think that Carson is off my list for the same reasons I would not vote for a Mormon:
https://carm.org/seventh-day-adventism
The Donald agrees with you .
http://www.breitbart.com/video/2015/10/25/trump-on-carsons-religion-i-dont-know-about-seventh-day-adventists/
I have to disagree with your assessment. She was speaking of a romanticized view of history. She was speaking about it, at a time when the vast majority of Americans, myself included, knew little of Islam.
She took her information from an Islamic site.
Since then, she has been involved in foreign affairs and I would say that she is probably one of the most knowledgeable candidates on the current status of Islam and the Islamic states of the Middle East.
Having said that, while she is not my 1st choice for president, she is high up on my list, top two, as a matter of fact.
My dilemma is that my 1st choice, I think is more important to be somewhere else.
My 1st choice, at this moment is Cruz. However, I think it is much more important to get him on the Supreme court.
While you might be correct about Fiorina’s position when she first made this statement (and I stress might, as I have doubts) she has made much more recent statements expressing a similar opinion. So, from what I have been able to determine, we have no reason to believe her opinion has changed, nor has she shown that she actually does understand Islam. And while I like Cruz as my ONLY Republican choice, even he has shown he does not understand there is and can be no such thing as a ‘radical’ vs ‘moderate’ Islam. There is ONLY Islam as Muhammad described it, and ISIS is the very model of Islam that Muhammad created and lead while he was still alive.
She was factually inaccurate. For someone in a leadership position she was either woefully misinformed or pushing a particular agenda ( GW’s “peaceful islam” narrative).
Your words : “The points she made about law, mathematics, science and philosophy are historically accurate. “.
OK. Prove it.
She makes generalized statements . And how in the world does looking and namimg stars “pave the way for space travel and exploration as she claims. ? Any more than the Greeks and Dogan of west Africa.
Her words ” There was once a civilization that was the greatest in the world……..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….. ”
To emphasize….. The GREATEST Civilization in the World… was the islamic world from the year 800 to 1600″ ie, the Caliphate….. She says very specifically “the ISLAMIC WORLD…… NOT the Arabic world.
I agree you believe her words mean one thing. But “belief” is different than the actual words them selves.
If it comes down to her or Hillary……………….. I will be moving to Costa Rica.
I have not made an extensive study but several years ago I did try to verify what Islam really contributed to the world and came to the conclusion most of it is myth.
Myths about Islamic Science
http://fjordman.blogspot.com/2005/05/myths-about-islamic-science.html
http://indiafacts.co.in/the-myth-of-islamic-science/
Regardless, Islam offers only death and enslavement to the world.
I did graduate work partly on this topic. You are correct, it is myth.
Don,
Like locust. They devour any civilization that allows them access. The left loves them for the destruction they bring about to aid in their quest for world domination.
When I look at Europe today your looking at a warning to the rest of the world. There will be carnage maximus if they decide to fight to save their western civilization. Regardless, Europe sans a few countries, is already toast. Hard left progressive or Islam. What a poor choice as both are enslavement of the masses.
http://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/260495/frustrated-muslims-cant-stop-killing-jews…-and-daniel-greenfield