Ted Cruz Gets Schooled On Using ‘Radical Islam’

[applegrove]

Ted Cruz Gets Schooled On Using ‘Radical Islam’

BY JUSTIN SALHANI at Think Progress

http://thinkprogress.org/world/2016/06/29/3793983/cruz-radical-islam/

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Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) chaired a hearing for the subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday in which he accused the Obama administration of willful ignorance for failing to use the words “radical Islam.” The hearing was criticized by Democrats in the subcommittee who said the hearing was simply an argument over semantics.

“We cannot fight radicalization with further radicalization,” Sen. Christopher Coons (D-DE) said during the hearing. “We can and must defeat terrorism without sacrificing our constitutional principles and to sacrifice these principles and blame over a billion Muslims … only serves to divide Americans, to alienate the Muslim world and legitimate the murderous groups.”

A few of the experts agreed with Coons and argued that the rhetoric surrounding the battle to get the administration to use ‘radical Islam’ would not fortify the country’s national security.

Michael German, a fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice and a former undercover FBI agent, said that using terms like “radical Islam” actually “puts us on a path to perpetual war.” He added, “[this language] only serves to stoke public fear, xenophobia and anti-Muslim bigotry.”

The semantic debate over “radical Islam” is not a new one. While President Obama doesn’t use the term, neither did George W. Bush. “Americans understand we fight not a religion,” Bush said weeks after the 9/11 attacks. “Ours is not a campaign against the Muslim faith. Ours is a campaign against evil.”


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[struggle4progress]

1. we've certainly failed to use "fascist republican fuckwit" as often as needed

[Ilsa]

2. Hahaha. I like that. That's excellent!. NT