Two of the more repugnant Americans today are the moral narcissist judges from Maryland (Theodore Chuang) and Hawaii (Derrick Watson) who tried to upend Donald Trump's travel ban. They have metaphorical blood on their robes, whether they know it or not.
The fact is the travel ban is insufficient, not illegal. It's only a meager beginning in dealing with a situation that has not changed in any real sense since 9/11, as the events in New York Tuesday testify. If we do not move even more seriously to prevent them, they will indeed become the "new normal." Globally, they already have.
The ISIS-loving psycho killer who murdered eight and crippled more, Sayfullo Saipov, is from Uzbekistan, which is not on the banned list. Not only that, he was admitted to the U.S. via something called the Diversity (yes, that word again) Visa Program, a blind lottery system that seems more like Russian roulette for existing citizens. Spin the wheel and admit a mass murderer for Allah.
Trump, none too soon, evidently wants to do away with this insanity, but what about the travel ban? If you were realistic, you would have to include places like France and Belgium, even the UK, that are presently loaded with Islamists chomping at the bit to serve their deranged cause. (Yes, I know, these countries supposedly vet their travelers, but events within their own borders give little confidence.)
All politics may be local, but New York is far from alone. According toTheReligionofPeace website, there were 34 jihadist attacks in 13 countries over just six days this past week (Oct. 21-27), resulting in 444 killed and 114 injured. That doesn't include the horrific suicide bombing in Somalia on October 28 that took over two dozen lives -- "including three children and a beheaded woman."
What most of us know -- those who are even faintly honest anyway -- is that Islam has a gigantic problem, the basis of which is that the so-called "radical" Islamists are actually practicing the fundamental version of their religion. What they do is approved, even required, by their holy texts. Many of our liberals and progressives don't know this -- or don't want to -- but it's the reality. It is also the reason Muslim protest is so tepid and often focused on non-existent Islamophobia.
And it is finally those beliefs that explain why people like ex-Uber driver Saipov can, as was reported, seem so friendly and pleasant, and then turn around and mow down as many people as he can in a jihadist orgy. He may be psychologically disturbed in our terms, but in his own, he's a believer. And his belief system can ultimately be a more powerful and enduring adversary than communism or Nazism, because it promises eternal life. (This is why I have always thought calling jihadists "cowards," as so many of our politicians do, silly. They are more than willing to die. Indeed, they crave it.)
Egypt's president al-Sisi has admitted and confronted this ghastly problem, calling for reform of Islam, but our own politicians -- either ignorant or pathetically politically correct -- dare not say a word. We would, they say, be interfering with Muslim nations.
That is, until Trump. The president was far more bold than his predecessors when he spoke to the leaders of Islamic nations in Saudi Arabia. But for the most part he spoke of working together to counter violence. The violence, however, will never be squelched until the ideology is defeated and reformed. We must focus on that now like the proverbial laser. So should he. Use the bully-pulpit, even Twitter.
Centuries of jihad will only end when this reformation happens. Until then, incidents like New York and others far worse will continue to occur whether ISIS is defeated or not. A new ISIS will rise up. It probably has already..
Even the most extreme vetting imaginable cannot stop this by itself. We must all now be obnoxious, politically incorrect busybodies and get in Islam's face, demanding reform in every way possible, economically, socially, theologically and, yes, militarily. If we don't, our children and their children and grandchildren will be dealing with the exact same madness and violence in the years to come.
Roger L. Simon is an award-winning novelist, Academy Award-nominated screenwriter and co-founder of PJ Media. His latest book is I Know Best: How Moral Narcissism Is Destroying Our Republic, If It Hasn't Already.
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