Ignoring the reality of terrorism doesn't make it go away

Attorney General Loretta Lynch and the Justice Department have become so politically correct that it’s nearly impossible for them to recognize the true enemy of America, much less protect us from it.

Let’s start with Exhibit A: The doctored transcripts of the Orlando terrorist’s 911 conversations with police. At first they redacted any reference to ISIS or its leader. Their excuse was they didn’t want to encourage others of like mind. Everybody knows the attack was on behalf of ISIS, but Obama and the left are trying to recast it as a gun problem.

When the full transcript was finally released there was one glaring error. The terrorist was quoted as saying “Praise be to God” and “In the name of God the merciful.” It is impossible to believe that he used the word “God.” All of his Facebook posts used the word “Allah,” but printing “Allah” would inextricably link his terrorist act to his Muslim faith. That’s something the Obama administration has avoided at all costs.

In the wake of Orlando, the FBI claims threats have been made against Muslims. I certainly don’t doubt that nor do I condone it, but it was the FBI’s response that was so troubling. An FBI spokesman and assistant special agent told reporters, “Civil rights violations are a priority for the FBI.” Really? Civil rights violations are a priority? How about stopping terrorists?

Of course, Obama himself refuses to use the term “radical Islamic terrorists.” He acts as though it’s merely a matter of semantics. It’s not. If you cannot clearly define the enemy you cannot effectively defeat it. This PC president is so opposed to profiling that he goes out of his way to ignore the obvious. Trying to act as though the Orlando terrorist had nothing to do with Islam removes one of the most powerful tools in police work. Profiling is a weapon in the defensive arsenal of law enforcement that’s been repeatedly proven useful. Countries around the world — notably Israel — have employed it with great success and it’s kept them relatively safe.

Obama says people who kill in the name of Islam are not Muslims. If he really believes that, why does he accommodate the terrorists at Gitmo with prayer rugs, Korans, and sharia-compliant diets? 

Understand, not all Muslims are bad people, but most of the terrorists these days are Muslim. To ignore that salient fact places us all in peril.

Former Obama advisor Van Jones said on CNN that if we’re going to profile we need to be looking for young white males because they’re the ones who shoot up schools. As far as schools go, he’s exactly right, but the Orlando killing was not a school shooting. It was a terrorist act. The terrorist made it perfectly clear that he acted in the name of Islam, clear for everyone except the liberal left.

If the consequences weren’t so grave this avoidance of Islam would seem silly. Political correctness has been getting us killed since at least 9/11 when then-Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta forbade profiling at airports. It’s exactly how Mohamed Atta got on the plane. Had the ticket agent been allowed to act on his instincts he would’ve flagged Atta before he boarded. In one phone call he would’ve learned that Atta’s visa had expired and he wouldn’t have been allowed on the plane. Without the ring leader, it’s doubtful the attack would’ve gone forward.

The same mistake was repeated at Ft. Hood, the Boston Marathon bombing, San Bernardino, and several others. Those who will not learn from history are bound to repeat it.

Phil Valentine is the host of the award-winning, nationally syndicated talk radio show, The Phil Valentine Show.