To the editor:
I disagree with The Times’ belief that President Obama’s refusal to utter the words “radical Islam” is a non-issue. (“Trump isn’t the only Republican to play word games with terrorism,” editorial, June 15)
The president is restrained by a lack of trust in the American people. This became clear early on when he began to lecture us, talk down to us and deride those who regard Islamist killers as more than workplace violence.
This is why he will not call Islamist terror Islamist terror; he does not trust that we can distinguish between murderous jihadists clinging to a medieval interpretation of Islam and normative practitioners of modern Islam. He does not realize how this debases the public square and diminishes confidence in his leadership.
It escapes his notice that this is the soft bigotry of low expectations directed at the very people who chose him to lead.
Paul Bloustein, Cincinnati
Note from KBJ: Bingo. See my post of yesterday.
