Brown has told his government ministers to strike several words from their official vocabulary. Among the words are “Muslim,” “Islam,” and “the war on terror.” There is to be no mention of the wider context in which al Qaeda and other Islamic terrorists operate. The new Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, said, “Terrorists are criminals who come from all religious backgrounds.” Right. Watch out for those extremist Mormons.
Are they kidding? Unfortunately, they are not. Brown and his government have fallen into the trap that believes what we in the West do determines what the fanatics do. Maybe in the sense that by showing weakness, it emboldens them to demonstrate strength.
Brown isn’t alone. The so-called conservative leader, David Cameron, has expunged “Islamist” from his political vocabulary. And he’s promoted a member of his shadow cabinet to the title of “Community Cohesion Secretary.” The woman, Sayeeda Warsi, is now the most senior Muslim in British politics. Madness!
Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C.