Eyes, Ears, and Mouths

Although the boos that came from Bernie Sanders supporters whenever Hillary Clinton's name was mentioned were the media story of the first day of the DNC, something else that was far more important was going on. Reacting to what progressives perceived as the "dark," "angry," and "dystopian" outlook of Donald Trump, the Dems decided to take a political route bordered by unicorns and rainbows. Free college tuition for all, universal health care, quasi-open borders, heavy criticism of "big corporations" and the "rich," shrill comments about income inequality and now the latest leftist trend, "wealth inequality," and of course, veiled accusations of racism targeted at the population as a whole—all characterized as a celebration of fairness, tolerance, and multiculturalism.

There was one topic that was noticeably absent, given no mention whatsoever by the majority of speakers—the domestic and worldwide threat of radical Islamic terror. Although the frequency of Islamic terror attacks has increased dramatically in the West over the past year, the Democrats seem to be taking the path symbolized by the three monkeys—hear, speak, and see no evil. Then again, "evil" is such a judgemental term that the majority of progressives feel mildly uncomfortable using it (unless of course, it directed at the GOP). In fact, it seems as if the participants at the DNC hope that by not acknowledging Islamic terror, it will simply peter out—you know, the old, what it they held a war and no one came scenario. Unfortunately, the Jihadists have come and will continue to come, even as the Dems put hands over their eyes, their ears and the mouths.

Bret Stevens discusses the Jihadist threat in Europe when he writes:

Let’s stipulate that a van barreling down a seaside promenade isn’t a Panzer division, and that a few thousand ISIS fighters scattered from Mosul to Marseilles aren’t another Wehrmacht. But as in France in 1940, Europe today displays the same combination of doctrinal rigidity and loss of will that allowed an Allied army of 144 divisions to be routed by the Germans in six weeks. The Maginot Line of “European values” won’t prevail over people who recognize none of those values.

So much was made clear by French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, who remarked after the Nice attack that “France is going to have to live with terrorism.” [*] This may have been intended as a statement of fact but it came across as an admission that his government isn’t about to rally the public to a campaign of blood, toil, tears and sweat against ISIS—another premature capitulation in a country that has known them before.

It seems that the Dems, like Manuel Valls, would like to say "The United States is going to have to live with terrorism" if that were a politically viable thing to say in this election year. It isn't, so instead, it's all about covering their eyes, ears, and mouths.

An Aside
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I do expect that sometime on the remaining days of the convention, the Dems will at least mention Islamic terror, although it's questionable that that term will be used. I would guess that it will be juxtaposed with warning against "Islamophobia" and with special mention of the fact that Islam is the "Religion of Peace." Maybe they should give that part of the address in French.

Footnote:
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*  As I write this, the New York Times reports of still another Islamic terror attack in France. Today, two Jihadis invaded a church and murdered a 86 year old priest (other sources indicate that they nearly beheaded him). Kinda hard to "live with" events like that, but it appears that progressives are sure going to try.