Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Donald Trump, terrorist tool





     Donald Trump has been called a lot of things: real estate developer, short-fingered vulgarian, bigot, demagogue.
     All deserved.
     To that list, I'd like to add one more well-earned moniker: terrorist tool.
      Because really, after the Brussels bombing, short of wrapping himself in explosives and setting himself off in some crowded public place, nobody could do the terrorist's bidding with such alacrity as Donald Trump, running from station to station to spread the ISIS gospel.
     “Frankly, we’re having problems with the Muslims,” he told Fox News. “These attacks are not done by Swedish people. That I can tell you. We have to be smart. We have to look at the mosques and study what’s going on. There is a sick problem going on.”
     In other words, “Muslim = Terrorist.”
     Which is exactly the reaction terrorists are looking for when they commit these atrocities. Like Donald Trump, they are uncomfortable with the idea of a tolerant Western society that welcomes all faiths. Like Donald Trump, they don’t think it’s wise for the West to include Muslims either. Like Donald Trump, they’d prefer the cultures remain separate and apart.

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15 comments:

  1. Once again your words reflect the sentiment of rational Americans. I still can't believe two presidential candidates are spewing hate by the truckloads.

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  2. neil. while your argument is logical and underpinned by facts, it just doesn't make people feel better to see things that way. and people want and need to feel better about things beyond their control. being frightened and wanting to feel secure doesn't make you a bad person. or stupid or mean. there are reasons people commit these horrendous acts of terrorism. do we consider that? it seems to me its overly simplified. just as peoples reactions to these acts are. it takes a lot of effort to understand why this is all happening and most people don't want to take the time. there are many victims of these geopolitical machinations not the least the most recent ones. got any ideas how to unravel it all? yeah , me neither

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    1. That's a cop-out. You think these things don't frighten me too? I put my son on a plane to LA yesterday morning as news of this was unfolding. But it didn't make me suggest patrolling Muslim neighborhoods, like Ted Cruz did, or indict the whole faith, as Trump does whenever he opens his mouth. And I would debate the "stupid or mean" aspect of your comments. Giving into your fears by implicating an innocent party is both.

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    2. while your post clearly addresses the statements of the GOP presidential candidates . i wanted to suggest that their supporters are not necessarily bad, mean , or stupid . more likely they don't have a clear understanding of how to cope with their fears and so they gravitate to the tough talkers. while statistically many of our mundane everyday activities are more of a threat to our safety than terrorism. many in the media focus on this issue more than say the danger of falls or drowning etc. and few with the forum provided write about how to come to terms with bigotry and its companion , ignorance beyond saying in effect not all muslims are bad or other violent actions are perpetrated by people who aren't muslim. while true, simplistic. what action can people take to demonstrate tolerance? how do we not support the policy of our democrat president that promotes others around the world to resent , yes even hate us? and what good does being mean spirited towards the candidates and their followers do to promote dialogue? no cop out here Neil just an appeal to not join in the vitriol

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    3. Based on 50 emails today, I would divide his supporters into those who are thoughtless and vindictive, and those who are unthinking and mean. I didn't hear from any who strayed outside of those two categories.

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  3. The Ted Cruz quote is almost straight from the Onion article when GWB took office: "we must find an enemy and defeat it."

    http://www.theonion.com/article/bush-our-long-national-nightmare-of-peace-and-pros-464

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  4. R.Simon also has a good article on this in today's paper.

    While one would like to agree with this column/blog, the argument weakens when compared to the McVeighs or the Norwegian bomber examples. The large scale, across the board, planned and more frequent attacks are from Radical Islamists. It is okay to say that word. Those are the statistical facts.

    That does not mean though, that having said that, one automatically thinks it is okay to troll Muslim neighborhoods.

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  5. "We have to look at the Mosques and study what's going on." A wonderful recommendation. I wonder why the FBI, MI 5, Le Surete and every other coounter terrosism outfit in the planet haven't thought of it?

    It seems to me, the only way to learn about what's going on in the Muslim world in order to turn that knowlege to our mutual advantage is to ask Muslims. That's hard to do if you proclaim them all your enemy.

    Tom Evans

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    1. Of course Tom is right. And I'm pretty sure we have FBI and other agencies working in cooperation with Muslims to gather information. The Muslims who live in American are our allies, which is why Trump is so dangerous with his divisive hatred and fear-mongering.

      SandyK

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    2. Not all the Muslims who live in America are our allies, the California couple, being just one example and some others who were caught in time. Most are fine though. No use going from one extreme to another of hiding head in sand either. The happy medium is the key.

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    3. @woodman2 -- Well, I guess you could pick any group of people -- "not all (pick your choice) are our allies" -- but I'm sure you and others get my general idea.

      SandyK

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    4. Tom, the Israeli security service is pretty good too.

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    5. But the FBI wouldn't be allowed in mosques, Tom.

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  6. For anyone doubting the ubiquitous distribution of human kindness, here is the feel good story of the day.

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