Quote of the Day:
How stupid and vicious do they think we are? That's a question that I think explains a lot of things about politics and society today — and about this year's unpredictable presidential race.
–Michael Barone in the Washington Examiner
In the Examiner column (headlined "Americans Tired of Elites Who Consider Them Stupid and Vicious,") Michael Barone explains that by "we" he means average citizens, and by "they" the political elite who hold regular, everyday people in contempt.
The column continues:
Barack Obama, who refuses to use phrases akin to "Islamist terrorism," is a prime offender, but far from the only one. His predecessor George W. Bush, after the attacks of September 11, made a point of visiting mosques and calling Islam a religion of peace.
Barack Obama, who refuses to use phrases akin to "Islamist terrorism," is a prime offender, but far from the only one. His predecessor George W. Bush, after the attacks of September 11, made a point of visiting mosques and calling Islam a religion of peace.
Undoubtedly he then feared that many Americans would attack and assault Muslims, real or perceived, and a very few such attacks occurred. But government statistics count far fewer "hate crimes" against Muslims than against Jews.
Nonetheless Obama still behaves as if any suggestion that terrorists shouting "Allahu akbar!" has something to do with Islam will spark massacres and persecution across the country. The American people are seen as a great beast, incapable of reason or cool judgment. Stupid and vicious.
So they must be reminded that they are not morally superior to terrorists. At a national prayer breakfast, Obama felt obliged to remind Americans that Christians attacked Muslims — in the Crusades, 800 years ago.
As Barone observes, it is not really as hard for regular Americans to grasp that most Muslims are not terrorists and most terrorists are Muslims. But the elites don't think ordinary folks can do that so we have all this offensive use of PC language.
I have a Georgetown liberal friend who makes little clucking sounds of disapproval whenever guns, which she deplores, are mentioned. In essence, she thinks that the citizenry is too vicious and ignorant to be trusted with guns (and living in a secure building with round-the-clock doormen, she doesn't need a gun herself).
Partly because our elites see ordinary citizens as ready to turn into a vicious mob, there are attempts to hide the full details of the Cologne attacks on women.
More than our elites, however, Barone argues, ordinary people are capable of appreciating that the West has developed values with regard to women that other parts of the world simply haven't.
Western societies now face difficult questions and the knee-jerk elite is not equipped to lead.
PS. I often think that the Donald Trump campaign for the presidency is, whatever else it is, partly a primal scream against these elites.