The liberal/prog failure on terrorism

Like a lot of liberals, Hillary is in a muddle about defining who we are fighting. Why she can't just say "radical Islam" is mystifying, as if it's not obvious to everyone that not all Muslims are terrorists. 

But she is willing to say "radical jihadists." Since radical jihadists are all Muslims, it's a distinction without a difference. Maybe she's still in a cautious mode about terminology that being Secretary of State required when dealing with the Middle East. In spite of her semantic muddle in last night's debate, Hillary will surely be good on opposing terrorism when she's president.

Not all Muslims are terrorists, but almost all terrorists are now Muslims. Why should that be a controversial thing to say? Because to many liberals and progressives Muslims are part of their great rainbow, multicultural political coalition and any criticism of Islam must be muted or even feared, as if some great pogrom is likely to be launched against everyone of that faith. The FBI reports that hasn't happened in the US; black people, Jews, and gays are by a wide margin still the leading targets of haters. [Later: The FBI also reports that it has 900 open investigations of ISIS-type activities in the US.]

As I've pointed out before, many American liberals and progressives seem to assume that all the bad things happening in the world can be traced back to the United States. Somehow the massacre in Paris the other day is our fault and somehow Muslims in France are now victims!

Closer to home, look at the reaction to the Paris massacre on local blogs and websites as of 5:00 p.m. Sunday afternoon: 48 Hills, nothing. Beyond Chron, silence. Fog City Journal: more nothing. Hoodline, nothing. San Francisco Citizen, nada. SF Weekly, a story about Uber boosting rates in Paris during the slaughter. SF1st at least has a notice about a vigil in support of the people of Paris.

Recall the shameful silence in the local print media during the Danish cartoon crisis, the Boston Marathon bombing, and the silly kerfuffle over the anti-jihad ads on Muni buses. Dumb and clueless about the most important conflict in the world today.

See also this, this, this, and this.