It's an article of faith among some cultural warriors that the truth about American Indians, Islam, and, well, nearly everything has fallen to the forces of political correctness. The idea is that back in the good old days, textbooks presented our nation's kids with an unvarnished account of things, but now they distort and propagandize. The concern appears especially great about the depiction of Islam, which critics call a "whitewashing" that downplays Islam's violence.
For a long time, Christians went on pilgrimage when they could to Jerusalem, the city where Christ died. The priests said that this pilgrimage could get them pardon for their sins and guarantee them a place in heaven. But once the Turks, who are Muslims, took the Holy Land (the region that today is called Israel), they attacked the pilgrims, stole from them, and even killed them.
This is when Pope Urban II came to France and preached that a huge expedition should be launched to deliver Jerusalem from the hands of the Muslims. It was in 1095. The public became very enthusiastic. With cries of "God wills it!", crowds of pilgrims left for the long journey to the Holy Land. Among them were some well-equipped members of the nobility, but especially lots of poor people. There were even some children. All of them sewed a cross of red fabric on their shoulder. These were the Crusaders and their expedition was a crusade. Many died along the way of hunger, thirst, illness, or attacks by the people whose countries they passed through. The first wave of crusaders was massacred, but others followed who lived to see the sun glisten on the domes of Jersusalem.
... The Crusaders discovered a new world and an Eastern civilization that was richer and more luxurious than that in their home country. From the Crusades, the crusaders brought back more refined tastes: silk, rich brocades, and tapestries were now among their possessions. They tasted spices like pepper, cinnamon, and cloves, which became some of the most precious commodities of the Middle Ages. Why? Because they tasted good, of course, but also because in a world without refrigeration, they helped conserve foods, especially meats. They discovered new fruits, such as the orange and the apricot, new vegetables like the artichoke. They also brought back the almond tree. They had contact with new ideas, and most of all, they learned the advantages of uniting with neighbors in a shared enterprise.
What a relief to see Holy War depicted accurately for a change!
I'd say a best representation of that passage should be:
"The Lovely Christians of most Sanctified and Perfect Faith went to reclaim the Holy Land in God's Name but got massacred by the EVIL MUSLIMS!!! They were trying to be PEACEABLE [killing of people who aren't white doesn't matter!!! it is right!!! GOD WILLS IT!] but they got KILLED!(Cause who has a right to defend their homeland?)...
OH LOOK AT THESE SPICES, AREN'T THEY AWESOME!?!?!??!"
Yes, abuses are being ignored. The abuses of the white European on EVERY. OTHER. CULTURE. The other way around is always quick to be attacked and denounced. Even when it's self-defense.
Posted by: Naggingtree | July 10, 2010 at 05:10 PM