Sit Down and Shut Up!

By William L. Garvin

The “never let a crisis go to waste” leftist playbook was employed instantaneously in San Bernardino.  The terrorist carnage was barely contained before progressive politicos began shilling for more gun control and more speech control.  CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) ignored its own terrorist connections and blamed USA foreign policies for the incident.  Leftists large and small began speaking not of the dangers of radical Islam, homegrown terrorists and jihad but of an anticipated anti-Muslim backlash.

One can easily recall the president solemnly intoning that “The future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam.”  But to him, Benghazi was “a bump in the road”; Paris was a “setback”; the targeting of Jews in a kosher deli was “random”; and the Fort Hood slaughter was “workplace violence.”  He even fantasizes that going to an unrelated meeting is a “powerful rebuke” to terrorists!  Following suit, his Attorney General Loretta Lynch goes to the Muslim Advocates to commiserate and share her greatest fear: that anti-Muslim sentiment will lead to attacks on Muslims.  In light of beheadings, murders, 9/11, Ft. Hood, etc., one could easily postulate that America has been remarkably restrained and tolerant in its response.  Has there been a single Muslim beheaded or a single mosque burned or bombed in this country?  No there hasn’t but the AG fired a preemptive nuke declaring that “anti-Muslim rhetoric” that “edges toward violence” and “actions predicated on violent talk” will be prosecuted.”  This is just another patented pandering ploy that is lockstep with the president’s inability to recognize or oppose the danger of radical Islam.

The president said that the radical element in Islam is only a “tiny fraction” of the Muslim population as a whole.  How does he know that?  There is nothing new in radical Islam.  Aggression, terror, and conquest have been part of the Islamic history for 1400 years.  While he was quick to change the focus to the crusades, he conveniently ignored the 400 years of Muslim jihad and savagery that precipitated the retaliation.  If one is to criticize jihad, dhimmitude, or Sharia law, if one is to criticize the violent history of Islam or violent sections of the Koran, is that “anti-Muslim rhetoric” that “edges toward violence”?  We already know that cartoons will push some radical Muslims over the edge?  Some leftists have said the male terrorist in San Bernardino was justified because someone made fun of his beard.  An Al-Jazeera America producer said it was disrespectful for the face of the female terrorist to be shown without her burqa.  Given the proliferation of micro-aggressions, trigger warnings, “safe space” needs, and the hypersensitivity with which many greet each day, everyone gets to be a victim.  On some campuses black students feel “oppressed’ by even having to share the same class or space with “white privilege.”  Offensive language is quickly becoming anything anyone says that does not fit the leftist model.  Is that where Ms. Lynch is going?  We already know that Lois Lerner and her IRS cohorts will bring the full force of government to bear on those who hold opposing political views. 

In light of all this, what will the AG choose to ignore and what will she choose to prosecute?  Will she prosecute those who shout “What do we want?  DEAD COPS!  When do we want it?  NOW!”? Will she prosecute “Pigs in a blanket, fry ‘em like bacon!”  Will she show equal zeal for Louis Farrakhan saying that Judaism is a “gutter religion” and that “white people are potential humans--they haven’t evolved yet” and says that his greatest enemy is the white man?  Eric Holder didn’t prosecute the New Black Panther Party when they put out a bounty on George Zimmerman; would she?  If she continues the partisan prosecution preferred by her predecessor, she might soon hear cries of “no justice, no peace” from an entirely different American constituency.  We will continue to proudly (not bitterly!) cling to our God, our country, and our guns.  We won’t be giving up our first and second amendment rights.  We won’t be sitting down and we won’t be shutting up.