Decently scared

It's quite funny that the weblog cranks clamoring the loudest over the Horrible Islamic Threat; going on about "Islamo-fascists"; saying you have to denounce, denounce denounce; saying you cannot explain or "excuse" what is just pure evil; mutter darkly about the intrinsic properties of Islam and the general instances of violence from its followers; constantly putting this threat over any other consideration...
...are the one who are the most scared of terrorists!

What they call a "strong, resolute stand" is often just an aimless expression of fear-fuelled hatred. Any cool, rational analysis is perceived as weakness, simply because it doesn't reiterate meaningless revenge fantasies.

It is of the major aim of terrorists attacks to cause this fear and insecurity, increasing divisions, and prompting stupid responses. Hence the actions of the US since 9/11, falling right into UBL's Middle-Eastern trap.

Case in effing point!

But look, to be against terror you first have to acknowledge that it exists.

How funny, exactly my point... Brendan in comments actually brings up a great text from Vaclav Havel, right to the point:

Let us take note: if the greengrocer had been instructed to display the slogan, ‘I am afraid and therefore unquestioningly obedient’, he would not be nearly as indifferent to its semantics, even though the statement would reflect the truth. … To overcome this complication, his expression of loyalty must take the form of a sign which, at least on its textual surface, indicates a level of disinterested conviction. It must allow the greengrocer to say, ‘What’s wrong with the workers of the world uniting?’

There is a also a clear racist element which fuels these reactions; on this more later.

Added: they get pre-verbal now! Fantastic piece from Andrew... But it fails to really explain the central irrationality and fear at the centre of all this behaviour, it just circles around it... Mushy Americans, they don't want to offend their fellow nut-cases.