Mr. President, Part 2

Dear Mr. President,

"As a student of history, I also know civilization's debt to Islam. It was Islam – at places like Al-Azhar University – that carried the light of learning through so many centuries, paving the way for Europe's Renaissance and Enlightenment. It was innovation in Muslim communities that developed the order of algebra; our magnetic compass and tools of navigation; our mastery of pens and printing; our understanding of how disease spreads and how it can be healed. Islamic culture has given us majestic arches and soaring spires; timeless poetry and cherished music; elegant calligraphy and places of peaceful contemplation. And throughout history, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality." President Obama, June 4, 2009

Mr. President, yesterday I wrote to you concerning your statements in the Cairo speech relative to "government redistribution" (all governments are equal) and requested clarification. Today, I finally had the opportunity to read your entire speech. Not only am I still unclear on the portion of your speech I referenced yesterday, I now read the above paragraph and am appalled that you would make such ridiculous statements.

Islam paved the way for European Enlightenment? How? By threatening all of Europe with invasion?

Muslim communities developed Algebra? Mr. President, Algebra existed long before Mohammed even lived. Most likely it originated with the Babylonians but certainly it was fully developed by the Greeks centuries before Islam existed.

Muslims created the compass? Its origin is not certain though many credit the Chinese. But, once again, the compass was around long before Islam.

Must I continue, Mr. President? Almost everything you say in this paragraph is historically false. And then you conclude this section of your speech with "Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality " I challenge you to make that claim to a Muslim woman or to the thousands if not millions of people throughout history who have been killed because of Islamic religious INtolerance.

Mr. President, I do not understand why you seem bent on belittling our great nation while elevating a RELIGION. Would you be kind enough to explain this to me and to the American people?

Sincerely,
Bruce D. Walker
St. Charles, MO.

Sent to President Barack Obama at The White House on June 5, 2009.