Culture Makes All the Difference

The SL is disappointed that Mitt Romney, the last conservative standard bearer has withdrawn from the 2008 presidential race. Yet, SL salutes his outstanding message to CPAC yesterday as he sets his sights on 2012. Interestingly, his theme which is introduced in the excerpt below provides a stark contrast to recent comments from across the pond.

"Over the years, my business has taken me to many countries. I have been struck by the enormous differences in the wealth and well-being of people of different nations. I have read a number of scholarly explanations for the disparities. I found the most convincing was that written by David Landes, a professor emeritus from Harvard University. I presume he's a liberal–I guess that's redundant. His work traces the coming and going of great civilizations throughout history. After hundreds of pages of analysis, he concludes with this: If we learn anything from the history of economic development, it is that culture makes all the difference. Culture makes all the difference."

Juxtapose this against recent comments from David Rowan, Archbiship of Canterbury of all people. Inexplicably, Rowan, argued that Islamic Sharia and Parliamentary law should be given equal legal status. Thankfully, this raised a firestorm of criticism across Britian. Yet, most of the arguments against Rowan's hair brained idea settled on the fact that it would be difficult to live under two competing legal systems. Not that the Sharia is oppressive and barbaric, and that Judeo-Christian Western culture has proven its vast superiority in promoting human progress and dignity over the past 500 years.