Rick Perry has made a name for himself in the last few weeks by palling around with evangelical Christian figures who are openly hostile to Islam, and have even, in one notable case, called for a ban on Muslim immigration to the U.S. But it turns out that the Texas governor has had surprisingly warm, constructive relations with at least one group of Muslims over the years.
Perry is a friend of the Aga Khan, the religious leader of the Ismailis, a sect of Shia Islam that claims a reported 15 to 20 million adherents worldwide. Sprouting from that friendship are at least two cooperation agreements between the state of Texas and Ismaili institutions, including a far-reaching program to educate Texas schoolchildren about Islam.
That’s a partnership that has already prompted a bit of grumbling in far-right corners of the blogosphere and could conceivably become a primary issue if, as expected, Perry enters the presidential race.
The Aga Khan, who claims a direct lineage to the Prophet Mohammed, controls a vast international network of business and philanthropic ventures; he is not a reclusive spiritual thinker, but rather a fabulously rich jet-setter. 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.”
That sort of rhetoric presents a stark contrast to some other members of the GOP presidential field, who have variously called for resistance to Islamic cultural conquest and outright restrictions on Muslims in public life.
Perry also brokered a 2008 partnership between the University of Texas and Aga Khan University in Pakistan to expand cooperation on programs including the Muslim Histories and Culture Project, which trains high school teachers on Muslim history and culture curricula. “I have supported this program from the very beginning, because we must bridge the gap of understanding between East and West if we ever hope to experience a future of peace and prosperity,” Perry said at the signing ceremony.
Governor Rick Perry of Texas addressing the media prior to the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the University of Texas and the Aga Khan University, as Mawlana Hazar Imam looks on
A taste of what is offered by the program — which has trained scores of teachers who have taught thousands of Texas students — is here; it seems to be a sensible introduction to the Islamic world (and one session even quotes the likes of pro-Hamas Edward Said!).
It’s not beyond the realm of possibility that right-wing bomb-throwers will use this as a line of attack against Perry. In fact, the program has already been the source of political controversy in Texas. Back in 2008, Republican State Board of Education member David Bradley distributed fliers revealing that his Democratic opponent, a social studies educator, had traveled abroad as part of the program to study Islamic culture. “I think Islamic curriculum is about the furthest thing that we need to be introducing into Texas classrooms,” he told Houston Chronicle columnist Lisa Falkenberg. “I think people are real sensitive about Islamic studies, given recent events in the United States.”
During the 78th Regular Legislative Session of the Texas House and Senate, the Texas Muslim community drafted, had introduced and lobbied for the passage of a Texas Halal Law to protect Halal food consumers from intentional mislabeling of these products by producers. On Tuesday August 12, 2003 Muslim leaders from around the Lone Star State met in our Governor's Capitol Office for the Ceremonial signing session of HB-470 (TX Halal Law).
Perry’s relationship with the Aga Khan has already generated skepticism from commenters on a couple of far-right websites. “Scratch him off my Presidential list,” wrote one. “We have already seen what a Muslim enabler in the White House can do.”
Perry spokesman Catherine Frazier affirmed that Perry “has a good relationship with the Muslim community in Texas.” Asked about his views on Shariah, she wrote: “Gov. Perry took an oath to uphold the U.S. and Texas constitutions, and the principles enumerated in those documents are what guide his leadership.”
Texas Governor Rick Perry requested the Texas A&M Aggie Corps Of Cadets Ross Volunteer Company to do a sabre arch salute at a special ceremony for the arrival of the Aga Khan, the spiritual leader of 16 million Ismaili Muslims worldwide.
And if this isn’t enough, Terrorist Front Group CAIR and the liberal media are praising Perry to the hilt for his pandering to Muslims.
Kate Shellnutt, Houston Chronicle, 8/11/2011
While some other presidential candidates bring up concerns about American Muslims’ loyalty and decry Islamic law in the U.S., here’s a Christian, Republican politician who initiated a teacher-training program on Islamic history and has been friends for years with the Aga Khan, head of an Islamic sect called Ismailis, Salon points out. Perry even laid the first brick at the groundbreaking ceremony for an Ismaili worship center in Plano in 2005….
“The Muslim community has a significant number of political conservatives, and they do support Perry,” said Mustafaa Carroll, executive director of the Council on American Islamic Relations in Houston, a group that took a position against Perry’s recent Christian-only prayer rally. Carroll notes that Muslims donated to President George Bush’s campaign and have given to Perry’s gubernatorial campaigns.
Gov. Rick Perry’s relationship with Muslims may set him apart
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