VICTOR JOECKS: Stop tolerating people who want to murder you

The world is full of people who want you dead. It’s an unpleasant and sometimes unavoidable truth.

Early on New Year’s Day, a terrorist drove a white pickup through a celebratory crowd in New Orleans. Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar murdered at least 14 people and injured 35. After he crashed, police officers heroically returned fire and killed him.

FBI special agent Alethea Duncan initially said, “This is not a terrorist event.” That claim didn’t last long. Shortly afterward, the FBI said in a statement that it was investigating the rampage “as an act of terrorism.”

That shouldn’t have been hard to figure out. Jabbar had a rolled-up ISIS flag on the back of his truck.

“He was 100 percent inspired by ISIS,” FBI Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Raia said Thursday.

Before the attack, Jabbar posted videos on his Facebook page. In one of them, the scumbag said he “originally planned to harm his family and friends, but was concerned the news headlines would not focus on the ‘war between the believers and the disbelievers,’ ” Raia told the press.

What “war” is he talking about? Most Americans just want to live their lives in peace and don’t mind if their neighbors do the same. But Islamic terrorists, such as ISIS and Iranian leaders, don’t hold to Western values.

When they chant “death to America” and “death to Israel,” they mean it literally. Just look at the Oct. 7 terrorist attack in Israel.

The New Orleans attack shows that this “war” isn’t just a problem in other countries or brought in by illegal immigrants. Jabbar was a U.S. citizen and served in the Army. He was radicalized here.

But many of the country’s Chicken Little elites don’t want to decisively win this “war.” They would rather spend their energy attacking America as “systemically racist.” Their attitude was satirized perfectly by an old Norm Macdonald tweet: “What terrifies me is if ISIS were to detonate a nuclear device and kill 50 million Americans. Imagine the backlash against peaceful Muslims?”

In the leftist worldview, even pointing out the existence of Islamic extremism makes you racist or xenophobic. Look at the massive gang rape scandal coming to light in England. For years, local officials covered up the grooming and rape of thousands of girls because the perpetrators were predominantly Muslim Pakistanis.

The officials feared being accused of racism and inflaming racial tensions.

America doesn’t have to follow suit. The first step is to acknowledge the problem. The iterations of Islam that prompt the murder of Westerners and seek to destroy our civilization are unacceptable. It isn’t Islamophobic to say this, nor is it a blanket condemnation of all Muslims.

Next, seek to stomp this out. After the New Orleans attack, protesters in New York City called for “intifada revolution.” Deport any immigrants who participated. If a U.S. citizen breaks the law during such an event, prosecute them fully. Defund universities that teach anti-American propaganda. If they don’t stop, remove their accreditation. The FBI should infiltrate and take down pro-terrorist groups and mosques, not pro-lifers. Stop allowing people who hate America to immigrate here.

It doesn’t make you intolerant to have no tolerance for those who wish to murder you.

Contact him at vjoecks@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4698. Follow @victorjoecks on X.