The Occasional Observer

Paul Cella is, IMHO, the most perceptive, grounded and interesting political and social writer out there today. Every now and again, when I'm not having a genius inspiration of my own, I like to peruse the links on his blog to some of his older material. In doing so today, I saw a great article on the situation in the Middle East called "Why Be Partial to Israel?"

If you're interested, it's a worthy read. But the main thrust of his article is not the reason for my post: he makes a tangential point in the course of the article that is one I've never been able to express myself. At least not as concisely and powerfully as Paul does here, so I thought I'd share it:

"...I think it interesting to note how quickly commentators -- most of whom have only the most minimal acquaintance with the Middle Ages -- solemnly deplore the efforts of the Crusaders; and implicitly agree with Osama bin Laden that that period in history was among the more dishonorable for the West. Bill Clinton made some remark to that effect, I recall, just after September 11, saying that "those of who come from various European lineages" are "still paying" for the Crusades -- all of us, presumably, having descended from the Franks and all of us, presumably, being orthodox Christians. I confess that I rather feel a strange stirring in my breast when I think of men willing to uproot themselves from home and family and undertake a long journey punctuated by disease and hunger and great discomfort only to engage in ferocious warfare against alien people for the sake of a small strip of land called Holy, where their Savior lived and perished. Most people today call that insanity -- with, perhaps, a certain superficial justice; I hope I will be forgiven for calling it heroism. "

Forgiven? You should be congratulated. It's too bad the crusaders didn't have the military superiority that the West has today. Maybe the world would not have endured the continuing violence wrought by the religion of the sword--a religion that demands infidels convert, appease, or be killed.