For an observer of history, Cordoba (Spain) is an important city in Western culture. It was a place where many Arabic, Ancient Greek and Roman, and Jewish texts were preserved in a collective peaceful quest for knowledge.
Cordoba has been in the news lately. Not the city but the Cordoba Mosque that plans to build its community center in NYC not too far off Groundzero proper. It's elicited quite the reaction from conservatives who see it as a slap in the face to the dead. Many have chimed in with their thoughts on the matter including Monica Crowley - grrrowl, whistle, whistle, pant, pant, pant - who asserted on the McLoughlin Group the name "Cordoba" conjures up Moorish rule over Spain in Andalusia.
Yeah. And? It was a rather narrow view on Cordoba. It shortchanges the hsitory of that city. Aside from what I mentioned in the first paragraph, it was also ruled by the Romans. It was the birth place of the great Roman philosopher/writer Seneca and poet Lucan as well as the Arab and Jewish philosophers Averroes and Maimonides.
There are a bunch of Muslim loons running around in caves who want to reconquer Spain. I get that. Mussolini, mind you, wanted to revive the Roman Empire. Dreams of grandeur are not restricted to any one race or persons. I also get it may be tasteless to some but it's not a sign of disrespect. Over the centuries, I'm sure a lot of stuff has been controversially built.
When the Moores ruled Cordoba, Arab science and civilization were more advanced than that of most European countries. Their scholars saved much of what we now call our Greco-Roman heritage since the Christians had destroyed much of it.
ReplyDelete