If you haven’t been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard about the Islamist terrorist attacks in Paris.  Even though our own country’s administration refuses to use the words “Muslim” when referring to terrorist attacks perpetuated by radical Muslims, I have no problem with that.

I also have no problem attributing last week’s terrorist attacks on a satirical newspaper and a Kosher grocery store within a three day period to radical Islam.

In fact, I’m not the only one.  The entire world has finally woken up to the realization that every civilized nation is at war with radical Islam.

It’s only taken thirteen years and four months to catch up, but I got my first clue on September 11, 2001.

CBS News reported on Saturday in 3 days of terror: Key events in Paris shootings and hostage-takings, “For three days, two al-Qaida-linked brothers and an associate who seized a kosher grocery, terrorized France and shook the world.”  The article went on to state, “Masked gunmen shouting “Allahu akbar!” storm the Paris offices of Charlie Hebdo at noon during an editorial meeting.”

Two days after the terrorists killed twelve people at the newspaper, Charlie Hebdo, they seized hostages in a Kosher grocery store.  According to the article, a French newspaper quoted a local lawmaker as saying, “They said they want to die as martyrs.”  Four Jews were killed during this siege.

I don’t know about you, but I have yet to hear about a Jew, a Christian, a Hindu, a Buddhist, or even an atheist, being linked to al-Qaida, while shouting allahu akbar, and expressing a desire to die as a martyr.

Just saying.

Despite the fact that even the French Prime Minister Manuel Valls gave a speech stating that France “is at war against terrorism and radical Islam,” as reported by the Huffington Post, neither President Obama, Secretary of State Kerry, nor Attorney General Holder have condemned these Islamist terrorist attacks by pointing a finger at radical Islam.

John Kerry managed to capitulate, “Today, tomorrow, in Paris, in France, or across the world, the freedom of expression that this magazine, no matter what your feelings were about it, the freedom of expression that it represented is not able to be killed by this kind of act of terror.”

Hey, John.  Exactly which kind of terror?

As they say on Twitter … #Crickets.

As Steven Emerson wrote in a Fox News OpEd,

The first comments came from Josh Earnest, the White House spokesman, who refused to even call the massacre an act of terrorism, but made sure to add the now typical non-sequitor  which now routinely follows Islamic terrorist attacks,  that “Islam is a religion of peace” and therefore no should associate with the “extremists” in Paris with Islam.

Then President Obama issued his own statement, but in keeping with his administration’s 6 year old prohibition on using the term “Islamic terrorism,” he simply referred to the attack as “terrorism” — a vanilla term conspicuously devoid of any descriptive term explaining the motivation behind the attack.

The targets of these attacks prove two things about radical Islam.

For one thing, there is no such thing as freedom of expression when it comes to their religion.

It’s okay to call a crucifix in a glass of urine “art.”

Or to “joke” about Jewish hook noses.

It’s even okay to poke fun at Buddha.

But dare to publish something like this:

And it just might get you killed.

Think about that for a second.  Is there anything more insane?

As a blogger, I believe there is nothing more sacred than the freedom of expression.  As much as I find it detestable that garbage such as the Piss Christ photograph is considered “art,” I would vehemently fight for the right of the “artist” to portray his work.

Furthermore, I take issue with President Obama’s continual appeasement of Islamic terrorism by giving them a license to suppress our free speech.  In a statement before the UN General Assembly on September 25, 2012, the president said, “The future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam.”

I say that the future must not belong to those who give in to threats of jihad, fatwas, beheadings, “honor” killings, and other barbarism, for daring to speak our minds and tell the truth.

In Saudi Arabia, blogger Raif Badawi had the audacity to “insult Islam” by writing, “”My commitment is… to reject any repression in the name of religion… a goal that we will reach in a peaceful, law-abiding way.”

For his egregious “crime,” he was sentenced to 1,000 lashes, ten years in prison, and a fine of $266,000.

Fortunately, we do not live in Saudi Arabia.  Here in the United States of America we have the right to express our opinions, even if they offend – or insult – Islam.  Or Judaism.  Or Christianity.  Or any other religion!

Feel free to offend – or insult – me if you want.  I can take it.

Why can’t Islam?

The second thing I learned about radical Islam is that its goal is to wipe out every Jew from the face of the earth.  Christians, Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims who have their own opinions are all fair game.  Islamists also vilify women and homosexuals, but its number one enemy is the Jew.

They teach their children to hate Jews.  One of the most well known and outspoken experts on Islam, Ayaan Hirsi Ali wrote in Why Middle East Muslims are taught to hate Jews, “As a child growing up in a Muslim family, I constantly heard my mother, other relatives, and neighbors wish for the death of Jews, who were considered our darkest enemy. Our religious tutors and the preachers in our mosques set aside extra time to pray for the destruction of Jews.”

Why we got so “lucky” is anyone’s guess, but I’m pretty sure it had to do with that whole Isaac and Ishmael sibling rivalry thing during biblical times.  Apparently some Muslims still can’t get past that.

In any event, the Jews of France are leaving in unprecedented numbers.  More than 100,000 have left since 2013 and even more are expected to get out this year.  According to The Jewish Press, “France is bleeding Jews. The onslaught of radical Islamic terror combined with growing anti-Semitism has finally persuaded the country’s most loyal immigrants that it’s time to leave.”

If that was the goal of the Islamists who have taken over much of France, terrorism has won.

Even more revealing, France has the strictest gun laws in the world, rendering citizens helpless to defend themselves against terrorist attacks, and forcing the Washington Post to stupidly ask, “Why didn’t that save Charlie Hebdo victims?”  The WaPo continued lamenting that gun control failed by asking, “How did the attackers get the guns?” and then answering its own stupid question with, “Almost certainly illegally.”

YA THINK?

This column, however, is not about the lunacy of the rabid gun control crowd, except for the observation that if the victims of the terrorist attacks in France had been legally allowed to carry a weapon, they would have had a greater chance of defending themselves against those who were carrying illegally.

Just saying.

Aside from the fact that France’s national tragedy might have been prevented by any number of ways – including stricter immigration policies, for one – if nothing else, the world has finally woken up to the very real threat of radical Islam.

Leaders from almost every nation gathered in Paris yesterday, joining almost four million people, to honor the dead and stand with France against Islamic terrorism.  As CNN reported, “World leaders joined French President Francois Hollande, including British Prime Minister David Cameron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy. The day also brought together an unlikely duo at the rally: Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.”

What spoke volumes, however, is that the one person who is supposed to be the “leader of the free world” was noticeably – and embarrassingly – absent.

Yesterday’s New York Daily News editorial said it all in Our flag was not there:  Obama and America shamefully skip Paris march against terror.

Mind you, this is NOT Fox News.  This is NOT the New York Post.  This is NOT the Washington Times, or any of the other so-called right-wing news organizations.

This is the NEW YORK DAILY NEWS that FINALLY (and shockingly!) criticized Obama.  For something.  For anything!

And not only did the editor smack the president, but here is the cover of today’s print edition:

OUCH!

I can’t add anything to that stunning indictment of the Obama Administration’s failure not only to take radical Islam seriously, but to uphold our standing on the world stage.

If you’re not ashamed of this American president, you are truly asleep at the wheel.

I do realize that most of my regular readers won’t bother reading this blog since it has nothing to do with our local political problems.  Some of you might even be annoyed with me for speaking my mind.

C’est la vie.

Regardless, I felt compelled to write this story.  As a blogger and as a Jew, the Islamist terrorist attacks in Paris this past week are very personal to me.  The blanket assault on our freedom of expression, which rightfully belongs to every single human being, should make it personal to each and every one of you.

As Americans, we have the right to criticize our government, to bear arms, and to worship (or not worship) any god of our choosing.

Regardless of our race, religion, ethnic background, gender, age and sexual orientation, we are guaranteed freedom from oppression and discrimination.

We have so many individual freedoms, they are simply too numerous to list here.

Try exercising any of your individual freedoms in a Muslim country and see what happens.

Suffice it to say, I am truly grateful to be an American.

Unlike Obama and his team of empty chairs, I am not afraid to stand up to radical Islam.  I am not afraid to be politically incorrect.

I have just as much right to speak out against Islamic terrorism as I do about corrupt politicians and incompetent police chiefs.

Just saying.

This blog would have ended here if it weren’t for some late breaking news.

To add insult to injury, if Obama’s Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day wasn’t horrific enough, as I was writing this blog earlier today, the story broke that U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) was hacked by ISIS at the very moment that Obama was giving his “cybersecurity” speech.

Um, yeah.  That was embarrassing!

Dear @BarackObama – Don’t look now, but that JV team is stealing your playbook. #Centcom

— Chris Barnhart (@ChrisBarnhart) January 12, 2015

Just saying.

Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”