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The Spectacle Blog
In response to the thwarted terrorist attack in the Pacific Northwest, Portland’s Democratic Mayor Sam Adams has gone into politically correct mode concerning Mohamed Osman Mohamud, the man arrested in connection with the attempted bombing. Mohamud was born in Somalia and is a naturalized U.S. citizen. He is also Muslim.
“Bad actions by one member of any group does not and should not be generalized or applied more widely to other members of that same group,” said Adams, “Otherwise, as the biggest racial group in Portland, we European-Americans would be in deep trouble.”
Mayor Adams misses the point. This isn’t about race. For that matter it isn’t about nationality either. This is a global problem. As mentioned earlier, Mohamud is Somali. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab (a.k.a. The Christmas Day Bomber) was born on the other side of Africa in Nigeria; Faisal Shahzad (a.k.a. The Times Square Bomber) is from Pakistan and Nidal Malik Hasan (a.k.a. The Fort Hood Shooter) is an American of Jordanian-Palestinian origin. Let us also not forget that John Walker Lindh and Jose Padilla were also born in this country.
So what do all of these men have in common? They were willing to kill people (mostly civilian) in the name of advancing Islamic jihad. At what point will our political elite stop pretending that Islam has no connection with terrorism? Mayor Adams (and for that matter President Obama) ignore the cries of “Allahu Akbhar” at our peril. This is a problem that is not going away. It has already claimed too many innocent lives and one of these days it is going to claim a large number of innocent lives again. But how can you solve a problem when our political elite insists it doesn’t exist?
President Obama can say to his heart’s content that America isn’t at war with Islam. But that doesn’t mean Islam (or at least a very critical mass of it) isn’t at war with us.
View all comments (43) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Aaron Goldstein
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Intelligent Design| 11.27.10 @ 8:25PM
True religions oppose evil. Islam embodies evil.
But Obama, his comrades in the government, academia, the media, and the PC crowd in general all tell us that Islam is a religion deserving respect, and protected by the First Amendment. I imagine that they don't realize that the the Ayatollah Khomeini once said, "Islam is politics or it is nothing". They also probably don't realize that sharia law (so-called "Holy Law") "deals extensively with the acquisition and exercise of power, the nature of legitimacy and authority, the duties of ruler and subject, in a word, with what we in the West would call constitutional law and political philosophy." (1) Islam does not recognize secular law, such as our own Constitution. The ideal for Islam is to combine or merge the state with "religion" in such a manner that religious freedom and individual rights are denied. It is fundamentally at odds with our Constitution.
Islam is a totalitarian political ideology which teaches hatred, discrimination and barbaric violence against Jews, Gentiles, Infidels, Buddhists, Americans ---- even against other Muslims. There are similarities between Islam and Nazism. Allowing mosques or sharia courts in the United States is similar to tolerating outposts of Hitler's National Socialism during World War II. We often hear about "radical" Islam versus "moderate" Muslims. This is a bogus dichotomy. There is no such thing as "sort of" Muslim. People either adhere to Islam or they don't. We are also told sometimes that Muslims are a race. This is totally wrong; there are Muslims of various races in most countries.
Islam belongs in the 7th century. If Muslims would wake up, reject Islam, and join the 21st century, the world would be far more peaceful.
Congress should identify Islam as a political ideology which is subversive to our Constitution. Mosques and sharia law should be outlawed. Muslim immigration to the U.S. should be halted. Muslims should not serve in our civilian government or the military.
(1) Source: The Crisis of Islam, by Bernard Lewis - a widely recognized expert and scholar, Professor Emeritus at Princeton.
Intelligent Design| 11.27.10 @ 8:33PM
99% of terrorist attacks over the past few decades are the work of Muslims, and they continue on a daily basis around the world. See: www.thereligionofpeace.com for the long bloody list. It is abundantly clear that profiling should be used, but instead the government (TSA, etc.) has spent the last 9 years pretending that 300 million Americans and millions of other travelers are equally suspect. The stupidity of the government is beyond contempt.
David W| 11.28.10 @ 7:21PM
There are two types of Muslims - purists and radicals. Purists believe that the religious part and the political part go hand in hand. Only a small portion of them (though 1% of a billion is still a large number) may believe violence is the way, all of them believe that all countries must be under Sharia. The majority prefer the "democratic" way - slow, bit by bit, until it's too late.
The radicals are the ones who believe politics and religion are to be separate. That they can be friends with non-Muslims. That women really are to be respected and treated equally. Blah blah and blah. However, it appears that either the radicals are very few in number, or they are unwilling or afraid to speak out (afraid because they will be killed by their fellow, purist Muslims.
Linda| 11.27.10 @ 9:16PM
"Bad actions by one member of any group does not and should not be generalized or applied more widely to other members of that same group,"
=========
But Mr Mayor, of late, attempted bombings have been by Muslims, so it's more one member of a group. And let's not forget that the 9/11 attackers were Muslim.
OBL and his ilk, who love trying to inflict terror are Muslim.
So, what is the average American supposed to think about Muslims.
Deborah D| 11.29.10 @ 6:09AM
Michelle Malkin has an amazing array of pictures of those who have perpetrated, attempted to perpetrate or have been imprisoned for terrorist acts in the past years since 9/11. This is astounding -- wake up, mayor of Portland!
http://michellemalkin.com/2010.....ahu-akbar/
Rich Rostrom| 11.27.10 @ 9:36PM
A segment of Islam is at war with us. They are also at war with many other Moslems. Jihadi terrorists have killed thousands of Americans; they have killed tens of thousands of Iraqis, Afghans, and Pakistanis.
The reluctance to label Moslem terrorists as Moslem is partly "political correctness". It is also reluctance to validate the jihadist claim to be acting for Islam - which claim is not accepted by most Moslems, nor by most Moslem-controlled governments.
There are problems with Islam, but jumping up and declaring that "Islam is evil" is not going to solve them.
mad libertarian guy | 11.27.10 @ 10:08PM
Good observation.
Were these terrorists only interested in killing non-Muslims, the "all Muslims are bad" argument would work. But terrorists/jihadists/taliban have killed far more Muslims in their zeal for power than they have anyone else.
Cromulent| 11.28.10 @ 1:41AM
"There are problems with Islam, but jumping up and declaring that "Islam is evil" is not going to solve them."
Ignoring the problem isn't going to solve them, that's for sure. Most Muslims may not be evil, but their faith is. And since faith is the driving factor for these terrorists wouldn't it be important to examine that faith? Or do you think this can be solved without ever mentioning the word "Islam"?
John| 11.28.10 @ 6:37PM
Cromulent-one question then - why so far have we been attacked by MUSLIMS - In Israel they do not do the body scans - pat downs etc... what they do is PROFILE - they do a very good job.
Paul Clare| 11.28.10 @ 6:18AM
Yes, it is only a small segment of Islam, BUT those other Muslims who stand by are actually supporting this evil activity, albeit silently. In fact, it is the duty of every Muslim to bring the rest of mankind into submission to Islam OR ELSE! That is a pillar of their faith.
Can you imagine the outcry if the Pope claimed that it is the duty of Christians everywhere to convert all non-Christians by force if necessary? All these PC apologists need to wake up to reality. The mindset of Islam is NOT like ours and does not intend to become like ours thinking everyonecan live life the way they please !
John Navratil| 11.28.10 @ 8:58AM
Mr. Clare,
Quite so! Imagine yourself a "moderate" Muslim; a religion which calls for death to the apostate. What's in it for you to condemn jihad? You're damned if you do and damned if you don't and you can't even get out of the game. Can you blame them for keeping their head down?
Unfortunately, the longer this continues, the longer impressionable young people are freely radicalized. This religion is indeed a problem.
Chuckie| 11.28.10 @ 10:19AM
If they are unwilling to stand up and denounce the violent Muslims, then they have nobody but themselves to blame if we profile Muslims. We all need to do hard things to deal with this worldwide problem. Non-violent members of the Muslim faith need to differentiate themselves.
John Navratil| 11.28.10 @ 2:48PM
Agreed! The bargain appears to be that I may get profiled, but I won't have someone issuing a fatwah with my name on it.
But, as Mr. Clare observes and I, having lived in Saudi Arabia, agree the Muslim (Arab, at least) does not think like a Westerner. It's not smarts, or education, it is that everything is the will of God. Free will is not nearly so present in their thought.
ggoblue| 11.27.10 @ 9:37PM
"Bad actions by one member of any group does not and should not be generalized or applied more widely to other members of that same group,"
i guess this means all democrats aren't as stupid as sam adams. i wish one or two would jump up and prove it.
johne| 11.27.10 @ 10:11PM
Nothing will change until the koran, quran is outlawed under hate speech laws. A few kind hearted or modern muslins try to see only good in this book, but the facts are very clear. Their holy? Book pushes hate and violence upon non muslims
mad libertarian guy | 11.27.10 @ 10:13PM
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech . . ."
Chew on that for a bit.
Warrior | 11.27.10 @ 11:00PM
You can't simplify it to this extent. If someone practices a religion that allows human sacrifice, you are going to allow this using the Constitution? Sharia law allows for the stoning of women and the beheading of infidels. Chew on that.
Glorfindel| 11.28.10 @ 12:26AM
Don't forget the beheading of homosexuals (and without an equivalent Islamic New Testament theology of God's Grace to give pause to the militant). Chew on that as well.
Bob K.| 11.28.10 @ 1:32AM
MLG,
Re your quote:
It didn't help the Latter Day Saints in the 19th century here in the USA. Or the Branch Davidians either for that matter. Or the Pastor who set up a Radio Transmitter off the Jersey Shore in the 70's. There are more but you get the point.
beebop| 11.28.10 @ 7:39AM
Quoting the bits that support your position is the worst part of intellectual laziness imho.
Removing the christian symbols from public buildings and then clinging to this passage is cute but not very relevant to the discussion. Thanks all the same.
mad libertarian guy | 11.27.10 @ 10:11PM
"But how can you solve a problem when our political elite insists it doesn't exist?"
That you seem to think we can solve this problem at all is what should be the question of the hour. Our War on Terror(TM) will be no more successful than our wars on poverty or drugs. We may be able to mitigate some of the effects of terrorism, but anyone who thinks we can eradicate it is an idiot of epic proportions.
William Mundy| 11.28.10 @ 12:28AM
Everytime I hear that idiot of a president Obama try to tell the American people that we have nothing to fear from islam; it proves that stupidity can get anywhere. The real tragedy is that we have to live with his mistakes ( at least for now - I won't believe his cr** again).
Glorfindel| 11.28.10 @ 12:33AM
Mad libertarian, we've lived with terrorism since the Black Powder Plot and Guy Fawkes. It isn't that any expects to eradicate it. Rather, we'd like to see some acknowledgment that the muslim terrorists are, you know, evil. Out to kill us. Bent on global domination. That sort of thing. Once we've agreed on that we can begin fighting them as if we wanted good to triumph. Our lives to continue in peace. People around the world to be free. Until we stop equivocating and identify an enemy, we're going to keep acting as if "enhanced pat downs" are going to eradicate the problem... which is indeed idiocy of epic proportions.
You can't Coexist with someone who's determined to kill you. Sooner or later one of you isn't going to exist.
Bob K.| 11.28.10 @ 1:55AM
It would be nice if once in a while one of these politically correct politicians would drag along a Muslim Leader to defend the Muslim faith in more or less the same words that Mayor Sam Adams used. (I hope for the original Sam Adams sake that this wimp is not one of his descendants!)
I suggest that the local Muslim leader say something like this: "Bad actions by the small minority of zealots in the Muslim faith should not be used to condemn all Muslims otherwise all Muslims would be in the same trouble that I am now in from those few zealots for speaking out against them!"
Otherwise we can only conclude that the majority of Muslims agree with this small minority of terrorist zealots or are too cowardly to control them.
martin j smith| 11.28.10 @ 8:03AM
Its time to get on the offensive with the LEFT, their supporters and the fools that mimic them. That means attack in every way possible the actions,statements etc that are made not only because they are wrong but put us in danger.
Reporting on some nut boobs rediculous and stupid not to mention dangerous remarks is not enough. That person must be cited for dangerous conduct by misleading the public about threats. And,suppose the attack were successful What then ? _People should be clear that they were lucky to be alive and be told explicity who this guy was,who he represented and his goals. And finally, he is one of many.
Mr White| 11.28.10 @ 9:05AM
Awwwwwwwwwww poor poor African Muslim. Its such a shame that the white devil just doesn't surrender to those animal scum!
Heywood| 11.28.10 @ 9:18AM
A Democrat mayor playing the race card--*gee imagine that!*. Only problem is last time I checked, Muslim isn't a race.
Zilla | 11.28.10 @ 9:50AM
Before the news broke about the attemtpted JIHAD attack in Portland yesterday, I put together a blog post showcasing islamic supremacism in America and American dhimmitude - in addition to our idiot gooberment's overreach into our lives to avoid offending the people WHO WANT TO KILL US. If you're interested, you can read it here:
http://politizilla.blogspot.co.....reach.html
I'll probably have a new related post adding the latest acts of insanity later today, including that of the Arkansas jihadi who was just arrested with a truck full of explosives - he was pulled over after throwing missiles out his window.
Atlas has that one, here;
http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.....siles.html
Dale Cord| 11.28.10 @ 10:50AM
I see the history of the German holocaust of the 1930s and 1940s under the rule of Hitler, repeating it’s vile self here again in the United States of America under the Muslim ruler Obama. Those who died to kill this abomination of the past should haunt this nation of cowards to their soon awaiting grave, for allowing this atrocity upon humanity to repeat again here in the 21st century
Oldefarte| 11.28.10 @ 1:53PM
Great editorial and responding comments. A huge problem is our government's president, who now proclaims himself as [per his recent proclaimation] to be a Christian and to pray daily, but who previously used his bully-pulpit to claim the constitutionaly right of the NY mosque to be built at ground zero. Additionally he/they use the power of the government to protect those responsible for domestic terrorism. The one and only solution for this internal problem of ours is through the vote of taxpayers in elections, similar to that of 11/2/10. We must purge through our elective process those politicians who verbally support and protect these Muslim terrorists through political positions on immigration, legal rights, definitions used,etc. Our governmental law enforcement agencies and military are no doubt infected with this political correctness, and are therefore in some respects working against our best interests as citizens. As long as these potential domestic terrorists are allowed/permitted to raom free unhindered/unrestricted, we are potentially at risk of grave personal harm from their possible actions. The fact that terrorist-bombers have to date been twarted/prevented from successfully carrying out their actions is no reason to feel safe in this country. What if the next one is the second coming of 9/11/01? We all must vote in each and every election for those candidates that profess the most advantageous solutions toward eliminating this potential threat from our country!!!!
Deborah D| 11.29.10 @ 6:26AM
Political correctness and multiculturalism have, and will continue, to erode our freedoms. It's time to speak the Truth and stop tip-toeing around it. We have allowed a Trojan horse inside our country -- our first step should be to close down any more immigrants from Muslim countries.
PattyMor| 11.28.10 @ 3:36PM
It isn't just the PC on the left, remember George Bush running arround calling Islam a "religion of peace". If he bothered to read about Muslim conquest, he would have discovered a religion/social system/political system spread by extreme violence; then the subjucation of their minority populations.
We will be at risk as long as we keep electing "ruling class" members to our local/state/federal offices. Long live the "Tea Party". Its the only antidote to the distruction of the United States.
greghawk| 11.29.10 @ 3:12AM
GWB said that because the US military requires basing in Islamic nations. Impossible to 'smite the heathen with the jawbone of an ass' without acknowledging geographical realities.
marti j smith| 11.28.10 @ 6:12PM
GWB mored into a RINO. And you correctly note his behavior as not espeically enlightened when i comes to the truth. Regardless of his reasoning--he was wrong In my view. Now it is time to exp[ose those wether RINO or Democrat who are LIARS and are endangering our national security.
Qurans Comin' To Roost| 11.28.10 @ 8:32PM
We should bomb their cities, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity. And kill them afterwards because you never know with these people. Once a raghead, always a raghead.
greghawk| 11.29.10 @ 3:13AM
There's a job waiting for you in Rangoon.
dc| 11.29.10 @ 9:56AM
The Burmese are small-time thugs. The American response to a concerted effort by Islamic governments to destroy the "Christian" West needs to be far more violent, but more targeted. While the Romans salting the Carthaginian earth approach is appealing, the nugget of wise strategy in the post above is "kill their leaders". Decapitate the regimes in (1) Syria; (2) Iran; (3) Saudi Arabia...in that order. Annex the oil fields and garrison them with a Marine regiment (no more would be required, as long as the rules of engagement were very clear). Then let's see where the various Al-Whatever terrorist groups of the world stand. Their patrons would be gone, replaced by who-cares-what species of opposing camel jockey. Such replacement jockeys would only need to understand that any further terrorist attacks against the U.S. would result in their decapitation, and things would fall into line rather quickly. Needless to say, an Islamic facist president's removal is a prerequisite for any/all of this.
dc| 11.29.10 @ 9:58AM
Sorry, FASCIST. Which is, undisputably, what Obama is and how he has governed. He won't change and therefore America's ability to stop other Islamic totalitarians will be handicapped until he is removed from office, electorally or through a bloody civil war. Whatever it takes.
JimH| 11.29.10 @ 6:46AM
When I first saw the story I though it was a plot by radical secular humanists to keep Christmas out of the public sector.
Purple Lips| 11.29.10 @ 7:51AM
I imagine Janet Napalitano and Homeland Security are figuring out how not to let this crisis go to waste. Perhaps new rules will come out later next year that stipulate that all civic events that number 50 or more people will require "pat-downs" and scanners performed by TSA agents.
Oregonian| 11.29.10 @ 11:03AM
A few Loons in Portland now join the Jihadi's to accuse FBI of being the "terrorists". This helps explain how someone like Sam Adams could become Mayor in Portland. Adams is the self appointed "police commissioner" for Portland. Another telling piece of the puzzle, eh?
This "blame the FBI" is an expected from both the loons in Portland and the Jihadi supporters. Such response is essentially codified into Islam..
http://www.islam-watch.org/War.....-Allah.htm
Naddy Bumpco| 11.29.10 @ 7:15PM
I heard on the news that this Somali-American teen actually shouted Allahu Akabar (whatever) right after he activated the cell phone that fortunately was rigged not to explode the phony explosives. Now I suppose you can make the argument that not all Muslims are terrorists. But how many terrorists, at least in say the last 10 years or so, have not either shouted or written those words when committing their act of terrorism. No, not all Muslims are terrorists. But it sure seems like all the terrorists have been Muslim. This foolish mayor and other like him can live in their fantasy world if they want. And they will, right up until the moment that a terrorist is actually successful in killing hundreds or thousands of citizens. Then they'll be among the first to scream about the lack of government assistance in identifying, finding and killing the terrorists.