Terrorism as Rorschach Test

[Valin]

Power Line:

John Hinderaker

January 10, 2015

 

Pretty much everyone in the world is opposed to terrorism in principle, or pretends to be, so the interesting part of anyone’s response to a terrorist atrocity is not the initial condemnation, but what follows after. Most such reactions are predictable. Conservatives generally say, so what are we going to do about it? Liberals generally say, but it has nothing to do with Islam! But some people can’t help themselves: their obsessions are so strong that every event, even a terrorist attack, is an occasion to air them.

 

A grotesque example is this piece in Salon by one Elias Isquith, titled “Ted Cruz & the new McCarthyism: Inside a dangerous response to the atrocity in Paris.” There is hardly a conservative anywhere in the Paris story: not the cartoonists at Charlie Hebdo, not the terrorists, not France’s socialist government. Only an obsessive could look at these Islamic attacks and think that somehow, the story is all about Ted Cruz.

 

(Snip)

 

So, that’s it? Ted Cruz said that the Paris murders are “a reminder of the global threat we face,” and are “an attack on us all?” How is that different from anything that was said by Barack Obama, John Kerry, Hillary Clinton or anyone else? And what on God’s green Earth does it have to do with Joe McCarthy? Nothing, obviously. But liberals apparently had a meeting a year or two ago and decided that they would try to neutralize Ted Cruz by constantly comparing him to McCarthy–not for any particular reason, just as a smear. So this is out of that playbook. Still, you have to be far gone in obsession to think that the great significance of the Paris terrorist attacks is that they reflect badly on Ted Cruz.

[RandyM]

If ISIS tried to violently take over the city that Elias Isquith lives in, whatever city that is, I'm guessing he would be one of the first ones slaughtered.... while screaming, "But, but, but, I picked on Ted Cruz for you!!"

[Valin]

If ISIS tried to violently take over the city that Elias Isquith lives in, whatever city that is, I'm guessing he would be one of the first ones slaughtered.... while screaming, "But, but, but, I picked on Ted Cruz for you!!"

 

On a larger note when an attack like the Paris attack takes place here many of those screaming about the NSA will be shouting that something has to done.

 

As for Elias Isquith a quick google search reveals some interesting posts. There is a good reason he said this...hard core lefty.