History Warp ( 1/16-1/22): Shah & Pshaw

Jumping right in today. No superfluous drab gab. Right to the heart of the matter. Just the facts, ma’am, just the facts. Why waste time? Let’s get to it.

On my mark, get set, go.

Given the metamorphosis of international politics, there’s little doubt that John and Jane Q. Globalcitizen are way more interested in the ways of Islam these days than, say, a score of years ago. (That’s 20 years for you non-Lincoln scholars.)

Of note is that January 16 provided two events of Islam that should be recognized. So they are herewith.

On that date in 1956, the government of Egypt declared Islam to be the official state religion.

And, on the same date in 1979, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran, finally realized this sham shahdom was kaput, that the jig was up, that the gravy train was over, that Khomeni was The Man. Therefore, for reasons of personal safety, he felt it wise to skidaddle “his” country.

* * * * *

Not to get overly philosophical here, but what happened on January 18, 1778, brings up an interesting consideration.

James Cook, a British explorer, on his 3d journey to the Pacific Ocean, discovered the Hawaiian Islands on that date.

But I must ask, shouldn’t that read “discovered” the Hawaiian Islands?

It’s a matter of perspective, right? There were already people living there, right? Natives. And they came years before — centuries perhaps — from somewhere else, right? So, Cook wasn’t really the first to “discover” the islands, just as Columbus wasn’t the first to “discover” America and Tasman wasn’t the first to “discover” New Zealand.

So, to make my point, allow me to rephrase my historical fact: On January 18, 1778, James Cook became the first westerner to discover Hawaii.