Muslims with hurt feelings.
One phrase and why I’m sorry I quoted it
It was a barbaric attack carried out in broad daylight on the streets of London. A man hacked to death. The attackers had been shot by the police. An extraordinary and horrific story but not one, you might think, for the Political Editor of the BBC.
However, the fact that the victim was wearing a “Help for Heroes” T-shirt and was walking near an army barracks raised the possibility that it was something else as well – an act of terrorism with implications for the country as a whole…
With minutes to go before the BBC News at Six I was told by a senior Whitehall source that the incident was being treated as a suspected terrorist incident and being taken very seriously indeed. This information changed the news from a crime story to something of more significance. The police had, I was told, described the attackers as being “of Muslim appearance” and shouting “Allahu Akbar”. On air I directly quoted a senior Whitehall source saying that the police had used that description.
That phrase “of Muslim appearance” clearly offended some who demanded to know what it could possibly mean. Others were concerned that it was a racist generalisation…
The reports of eye witnesses and the video of the attacker demonstrated that the attack had been carried out by those claiming to be retaliating because “Muslims are dying daily by British soldiers”.
Despite this and the fact that I was directly quoting a source I’m sorry for using a phrase that, on reflection, was both liable to be misinterpreted and to cause offence.
A guy got his head chopped off by jihadis in the streets of London, and a BBC reporter is apologizing for “causing offence” by relaying the facts of the matter.
No wonder liberals are so eager to defend Muslims. They’re both cultures of victimization. I wonder how they’d enjoy living under Muslim rule? Not very much, I think.
Imagine if, say, a Tea Partier chopped off a man’s head in the middle of a city street. Imagine Tea Partiers complaining about the truth being told about it (as opposed to being blamed for a crime they had nothing to do with, which is the norm). Imagine them trying to paint themselves as the victims. Imagine a member of the press apologizing for telling the truth, because it hurt their feelings.
You can’t, can you? Because that would be absolutely insane.
So is this.
Update: By the way, there’s been rioting in Stockholm for the past week. By “immigrant” “youths.” As a journalist, it’s important to use euphemisms to shield the truth, or else you might be forced to apologize for doing your job.
Update: Two more men have been arrested in connection with the London jihadi attack. For tweeting things that hurt some Muslims’ feelings. Or that the cops thought might hurt some Muslims’ feelings. Better safe than sorry.
If you flipped off Hitler, and 70 years later you’re arresting people for offending Muslims after a jihadi beheading, #YouMightBeBritain.
— Jim Treacher (@jtLOL) May 24, 2013