End of Day Report: Orlando Updates, Trump Doubles Down, Obama Responds, Does Love Defeat Hate?

by Gary Bauer, Contributing Author: Orlando Updates - The Orlando terrorist attack continues to dominate the news. Here is an update on some of the latest headlines.

• NBC News reports that Noor Zahi Salman, Mateen's wife, may be facing criminal charges as an accomplice. Salman told investigators that Mateen had recently been "scouting Downtown Disney and Pulse [nightclub] for attacks," but she claims she tried to talk him out of it. Downtown Disney is a popular open air venue with numerous shops and restaurants.
• We have focused on how the shooter's Islamic theology might have fostered a hateful mindset against homosexuals. In addition to that, did his Islamic faith cause him to experience self-loathing that contributed to the violence?

There are multiple reports today that Mateen was a regular at the gay nightclub he attacked. He used a gay social media app and was sending messages to another man "back and forth over a year's time." A former classmate at the police academy said that he, Mateen and other friends went to gay bars together and that Mateen even asked him out.

Here's more: Mateen's ex-wife, Sitora Yusufiy, has told foreign media outlets that she believed he had "gay tendencies." Oddly, her fiancee, Marco Dias, claims that "the FBI asked her not to tell this to the American media." Now, why would that be?

I suspect it is because the left is desperate to avoid having a serious debate about the dangers of radical Islamism and would prefer to blame guns and conservative Christians.

Trump Demands That Debate; Clinton Dodges - Yesterday, both presidential candidates gave speeches addressing the Orlando attack. Hillary Clinton blamed "inflammatory rhetoric" and, like Obama, she mostly blamed guns. She used the occasion to revive one of her husband's initiatives, the ban on so-called "assault weapons."

In contrast, Republican 2016 presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump delivered a very strong speech about terrorism and national security. He went straight to the root cause. Trump forcefully attacked Obama's incompetence and boldly declared, "The days of deadly ignorance will end, and they will end soon, if I'm elected."
Trump said that he wanted to make America safe again, meaning that everyone -- regardless of ethnicity or background -- would be safe. But he quickly added that Muslims in America needed to speak up against the danger that is festering within their communities, and that those who did not would pay a price. As noted above, it appears that the Orlando shooter's wife may have known what was going to happen and failed to call the police.

Trump doubled-down on serious immigration reform, warning that we are importing terrorism. "I will suspend immigration from areas of the world where there is a proven history of terrorism against the United States, Europe or our allies, until we understand how to end these threats. . . We have no choice," Trump said. (Unbelievably, Speaker Paul Ryan is still siding with Barack Obama against the Republican nominee over this issue.)

By the way, new research suggests that the children of immigrants, like Omar Mateen, are highly susceptible to radicalization. That raises a lot of disturbing questions including: What are they learning at home? What are they learning in their mosques? What clues are they picking up from the left in popular culture, which routinely trashes America as an oppressive nation?

I recognize Trump's shortcomings, but I have to say this for him: He is very good at political jujitsu. He knows how to take an opponent's strength and turn it against him or, in the case of Hillary, her.

Trump challenged Clinton's support for increased Muslim immigration, given the danger radical Islam presents to women and other minorities. He also asked why Hillary and the left want to spend so much money on refugees instead of inner city children. Trump asked, "Wouldn't this money be better spent on rebuilding America for our current population, including the many poor people already living here?"

Trump knows how to aggressively challenge the Democratic coalition in ways that far too many Republicans appear unwilling to do. We need more fight and passion on our side.

Obama Responds - Shortly after lunchtime, Obama held another nationally televised press conference on the Orlando shootings. His comments were cringeworthy, but I struggled through it. Once again, he displayed more anger at Republicans than he did toward the shooter who murdered 49 Americans.

One thing he chose to zero in on was the criticism he has received for refusing to call the jihadists "radical Islamic terrorists." Obama said, "What exactly would using this label accomplish? What exactly would it change?"

Well, Mr. President, could we have defeated the Nazis if we refused to call them fascists and refused to explain what that meant? Could we have won the Cold War if we had been unwilling to call the Soviets communists and an "evil empire"? And if it doesn't make any difference, then why do you so adamantly refuse to call the radical Islamists what they are?

Rush Limbaugh made an interesting observation today. He said that every time Obama speaks after a radical Islamic attack, Obama sounds like an attorney representing the jihadists -- constantly objecting to any suggestion that Islam had anything to do with the attack.

Of course, Obama again called for tougher laws to make it harder on the 99.9% of gun owners buying guns to defend themselves. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee noted that when a Muslim kills people, Obama and the left insists that we don't hold all Muslims responsible for the attack. But the same liberals say that all gun owners should pay a price for the attack.

Democrats Walk Out - Speaking of fight and passion, Democrats are launching a full-court press to resurrect their radical anti-Second Amendment agenda. Yes, they are trying to exploit the Orlando shootings, but I believe they are also doing this to distract the American people from the fact that they do not have an anti-radical Islam agenda.

The action is a full-court press. This morning, Jeh Johnson, secretary of Homeland Security, declared that "gun control is part and parcel of homeland security."

Last night, House Democrats protested a moment of silence for the victims of the Orlando attack. As Speaker Paul Ryan requested the moment of silence, three Democrats walked off the House floor.

Protesting a moment of silence? Who does that? Evidently, Democrats who are upset that they haven't succeeded yet in taking your guns away.

As the proceedings resumed, Speaker Ryan called for a vote on pending legislation. But Democrats began yelling, "Where's the bill?" House Democrats attempted to hijack the proceedings to call up three anti-Second Amendment bills. Ryan ruled them out of order and Democrats continued with their unbelievable disruptions.

The protest was disgusting. But it is also a reminder that the left fights for its agenda with brass knuckles. Democrats went into that moment of silence intent on using it to advance their agenda. This is why they routinely run circles around us. While Republicans play by the rules, Democrats play hardball and they play to win.

These kinds of events are not lost on the American people. When voters see passion on only one side of the political aisle and see what often comes across as apathy or indifference on the other, it energizes liberals and demoralizes conservatives.

Does Love Defeat Hate? I understand the impulse for people to mourn and make public displays of their grief. What is troubling, however, is the frequent expression of platitudes indicating that millions of Americans still remain in a dangerous state of denial.

One of the most frequently expressed sentiments right now is "Love defeats hate."

As a Christian, I certainly believe that was demonstrated by Christ's sacrifice on the cross. But in a fallen world, hate can inflict incredible damage with violence and force. Nazism was not stopped by an outpouring of positive feelings.

Signs and slogans are not enough. We need strong men and women willing to bleed, willing to sacrifice in order to protect our civilization. That kind of love -- love of God, love of family, love of country -- backed by the righteous use of force, can defeat hate.
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Gary Bauer is a conservative family values advocate and serves as president of American Values and chairman of the Campaign for Working Families

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