Multicultural Thanksgiving

First, I give thanks for all that old boring, traditional stuff that simple minds value. For my family’s health, for our ability to enjoy a nice meal together, for our freedoms and friends, and for the good fortune we have to live in this wonderful country. I am also thankful for the Internet, as I think it will become an increasingly important vehicle for free speech.
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Now, in an attempt to broaden my horizons and become a bigger and more understanding person, I would like to give thanks to the texts of Islam.

America took possession of the Philippines after the Spanish-American War of 1898. The American service pistol of the period was the 38 long Colt M1900, a rather underpowered weapon.
The Islamic group, the Moros, after surrendering, decided to take up arms against the US in a series of ambushes. They would dope up their fighting men and send them, inspired by the texts of Islam and their drugs, against American forces. Google ‘etymology’ and ‘assassin’. Thank you Islam for the word assassin.
Well, anyway, the 38 Long Colt cartridge was not powerful enough to knock down these drugged-up Muslims and the army chose to pursue a new, more powerful weapon. So thank you Islam for being the inspiration for the Model 1911 Automatic Colt Pistol. It really is a great weapon, and without Islam, it might never have been introduced.

Thank you also to the Moros who continue the fight today under the name Moros Islamic Liberation Front, or the MILFs. That has provided me with some entertainment.

Beyond the 1911 ACP and the MILFs, the 1913 defeat of the Moros provides us with a game plan if we hope to defeat a life force that applies itself in the form of a bunch of men who enter hotels and shoot civilians with automatic weapons. The American forces in the Philippines simply rounded up the ‘innocent civilians’ from the villages from which the guerilla forces came.

We did not build these villagers schools, or movie theaters, or give them weapons and training. We imprisoned them, threatened them, and in many cases killed them. And then the resistance ended, at least for a while.

So thank you Islam for providing us with this datapoint of how to successfully engage Muslim fighting forces that hide behind their families. There need to be consequences when honorable methods of warfare are abandoned. Tito, the Shah, Saddam, and Ataturk understood this. We will come to understand this once again.

Wikipedia seems to be good on the subject. There are strong parallels between the Philippines and what is happening today. Thoughts with those killed and being held hostage tonight in India.

p.s. Islam, in large part, also served to inspire this 1899 poem about the Philippines. Thanks.

p.p.s. I would also like to thank Islam for giving me hope that maybe, just maybe, Jimmy was wrong after all. Aaargh.