Alana Goodman updates us on a scandal that Rick Perry has elided, for now – his tenuous connections to sharia law. Or as Pam Geller would have it, sharia law! It began with Justin Elliott, the Upton Sinclair of the sharia beat, explaining Perry’s connection to a Muslim leader that, in another time, would have been completely scandal-less.
Perry met the Aga Khan during a 2000 family trip to Paris (the Aga Khan owns a large estate, Aiglemont, north of the city), the Austin American-Statesman reported in 2008. Two years later, Perry spoke warmly at a dinner in Houston hosted by the Aga Khan. Over the years the governor attended other Ismaili events in Texas, culminating in a pair of formal agreements.
One, in 2009, provides for cooperation between Texas and the Aga Khan’s organizations in the “fields of education, health sciences, natural disaster preparedness and recovery, culture and the environment.” Perry was quoted at the official Ismaili website as saying at the signing ceremony that “traditional Western education speaks little of the influence of Muslim scientists, scholars, throughout history, and for that matter the cultural treasures that stand today in testament to their wisdom.”
Pam Geller, who sees Muslim terrorists hiding under her morning bowl of wheaties, actually took the bait.
Perry has concluded at least two cooperation agreements between the state of Texas and the Ismailis, including a comprehensive program to feed children in Texas public schools and taqiyya nonsense about how Islam is a religion of peace. Another agreement stipulates that Texas officials will work with the Ismailis in the “fields of education, health sciences, natural disaster preparedness and recovery, culture and the environment.” Perry let on that this was all about whitewashing Islam’s bloody historical and modern-day record: “traditional Western education speaks little of the influence of Muslim scientists, scholars, throughout history, and for that matter the cultural treasures that stand today in testament to their wisdom.”
It gets worse. Last March, Perry gave a speech in Dallas in the company of Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform.
A speech! In the company of Norquist! Gentlemen, to your fainting couches!
The news here isn’t that Geller will believe anything, but that David Reaboi, who works for Frank Gaffney, is absolving Perry of the charges – whatever the charges actually are. That’s as good as an FDA stamp of approval to a yogurt maker.
