A column in the Boston Sunday Globe for February 9 – “Trump’s acquittal could be a dangerous turning point” – by Michael A. Cohen, caught my attention, or rather, its first two paragraphs caught my attention, infuriated me, and I saw no reason to read further.
Here is what Cohen the Globe columnist wrote:
Three years ago, when the Trump administration announced a hastily crafted ban on travel to the United States from seven majority-Muslim countries, thousands of Americans rose up in defiance. Some went to airports and others marched through city streets to fight an executive order clearly motivated by racism and xenophobia.
One week ago, the Trump administration expanded its travel ban to six countries, four of them in Africa—including the region’s largest nation, Nigeria. According to some estimates, nearly a quarter of the 1.2 billion residents of the African continent will now be affected.”
Let’s start with the first sentence. Right off the bat, it introduces a colossal error.
The “travel ban” by the Trump Administration was not placed on “seven majority-Muslim countries.” Has Michael Cohen already forgotten which countries were included? If he has, could he not have taken three-to-four seconds to find out, online, what everyone else knows to be true – that the first “travel ban” includes seven countries, of which five are Muslim-majority, but two others, North Korea and Venezuela, are not. He says that this executive order was “clearly motivated by racism and xenophobia.” There was no “racism” involved. Even had the ban covered only Muslim-majority countries, it would not have been motivated by “racism.” Distrust and dislike of Islam, and of those who take the Qur’anic comments to heart, do not constitute “racism.” The Qur’an instructs Muslims that they are the “best of peoples,” while non-Muslims are “the most vile of created beings.” It further contains more than 100 verses that command Muslims to fight, to kill, to smite at the necks of, to strike terror in the hearts of, Infidels. If we are leery of, and hostile to, those who take those verses to heart, that does not make us “racists.” For Michael Cohen, “racism” is the all-purpose charge, which he is eager to affix to any anti-Islamic sentiment, no matter how reasonable. As for “xenophobia,” if that travel ban was placed on seven countries, that leaves 186 countries whose citizens — foreigners all — are still allowed to come to the U.S. How is that “xenophobia”?
Not only was that ban not placed on “seven majority-Muslim countries,” but two Muslim-majority countries originally considered for the ban – Iraq and Sudan — were in the end not placed on the list, because the information they supplied about their nationals to the American government was deemed sufficient for security purposes.
The reason for the list was never to punish or discriminate against Muslims, but to prevent the arrival of visitors from countries that could not supply enough information to the American government about them; it was a purely security measure, not an expression of “racism” or “xenophobia.”
When the ban was challenged in the courts, it was upheld by the Supreme Court in Hawaii v. Trump. The majority opinion explained the reason for the ban: “The Proclamation placed entry restrictions on the nationals of eight [Iraq was later removed] foreign states whose systems for managing and sharing information about their nationals the President deemed inadequate.”
Later, because of the close cooperation Iraqi authorities offered the Americans, that country was dropped from the list.
The Court found that the travel ban on those seven states was amply justified by reasons of security. Cohen makes no mention of the Supreme Court’s decision in Hawaii v. Trump, for if he did, he would have had to explain what led the Court to uphold the ban, and he wants his readers to think there was no conceivable security justification; the ban was merely an expression of Trump’s “racism” and “xenophobia.”
Cohen also fails to note that while five Muslim-majority countries were affected by the ban, fifty-two other Muslim-majority countries remained entirely unaffected. He could also have found out, from a few minutes of googling, that 95% of the world’s Muslims remain unaffected by the ban. Perhaps he did find that out, but since it didn’t support his claim of a “Muslim ban,” chose to pass over that figure in silence.
In his second paragraph, Cohen denounces the latest ban, which has been placed not on those seeking merely to travel to the U.S., but on those seeking permanent residence in the United States.
He writes:
One week ago, the Trump administration expanded its travel ban to six countries, four of them in Africa—including the region’s largest nation, Nigeria. According to some estimates, nearly a quarter of the 1.2 billion residents of the African continent will now be affected.
Notice that he does not here claim to find any anti-Muslim bias; instead, that charge hangs, unspoken, in the air. What Cohen should have done, had he been in a mood to tell the truth, is list the six countries now added to the ban – Nigeria, Eritrea, Sudan, Myanmar, Kyrgyzstan, and Tanzania. He might then have noted that Nigeria is split 50-50 between its Christians and Muslims, but that since the overwhelming majority of Nigerians who come to the U.S. are Christians, it is they who will be most affected by the ban. He then might have added that Eritrea has, according to the U.S. government, a slight Christian majority of 50%, and a Muslim minority of 48%; Sudan is 97% Muslim; Kyrgyzstan is 85% Muslim; Tanzania is 35% Muslim; Myanmar is only 4% Muslim. Three of the six countries – Eritrea, Myanmar, and Tanzania — have non-Muslim majorities, and while a fourth, Nigeria, is evenly split between Muslims and Christians, the new ban will negatively affect many more Christians. As Cohen cannot say that this ban will predominately affect Muslims, he prefers to remain silent.
Despite the Trump Administration’s sober presentation of its reasons for instituting the ban (which was not, pace Michael Cohen, a “hastily-crafted ban,” but took many months for the Administration to compile), Cohen never offers readers a chance to consider those reasons, that a majority of the Supreme Court found so compelling.
Let’s repeat, to clear up any lingering effects of Cohen’s desinformatsiya, what we know about the Trump Administration’s two bans:
Seven states, five of them Muslim-majority, were included in the initial ban. The countries listed were unable to provide sufficient information about their nationals to the American government, information deemed necessary to our security. The ban is not total. Individuals affected may apply for a waiver.
Only five of 57 Muslim-majority states were affected. 95% of the world’s Muslims remained unaffected by this first ban.
The second ban affected an additional six countries, only three of which were Muslim-majority, while one, Nigeria, is split equally between Muslims and Christians, but it is Christians who, because they make up most of those Nigerians seeking residence in the United States, are most affected.
These two paragraphs by Cohen offer one more attempt — there have been so many – by journalists to misrepresent the Trump administration’s travel bans as anti-Islam “racism.” These scribblers and pontificators ignore the justification for the ban that the Administration has provided, and that the Supreme Court found convincing. Our task – yours and mine — is to keep sweeping back the tide of misinformation, hoping the other side, those stout Defenders of the Faith and People of Islam, will eventually tire of being held up for critical inspection, as Michael A. Cohen of the Boston Globe has been here and, just possibly, go on to some other subject, assuming one can be found, where they are likely to do less harm.
Or Else! says
The first seven countries under the travel ban were all proposed by Obama. The Left has a warehouse of identity politics labels ready to apply anytime, anywhere. Today’s mainstream “journalists” are anything BUT journalists. They’re trained in the neo-Marxist worldview that the West (and Western whitey) was and still is the the biggest criminal element on the planet. Everybody else is a “victim”.
The truth has been–and continues to be–buried….and anybody with a shovel who finds it is covered in the aforementioned labels–vilified, marginalized, dismissed. And the truth remains hidden.
Who are the “victims” again?
mortimer says
OrElse writes that Obama proposed 7 of the countries on the list. So … it isn’t ‘discriminatory’ or ‘racist’ when DEMOCRATS do it.
Double standards and SELECTIVE OUTRAGE.
Dishonest, Mr. Cohen. Very dishonest.
carpediadem says
If it were just him he’d be a lone loony.
It’s not just him – It’s the entire sea of MSM plus lefty publications and media.
James Lincoln says
Or Else! says,
“Today’s mainstream “journalists” are anything BUT journalists.”
Absolutely true.
As far as I can tell, a large percentage of them are leftist / Marxist / globalist political activists – who adore everything islam.
libertyORdeath says
I’d actually be ok with these journalists having their own private political views, (we all have them of course) but KEEP IT OUT of your journalism.
Demsci says
“Today’s mainstream “journalists” are anything BUT journalists.”
Although we could nuance this, and mainstream journalists arguably are still good professionals on strictly non-political issues, I confirm this sentiment.
My information is that approx. 80 % of mainstream journalists are pro Democratic Party and leftists. With among them quite a few with Islamic sounding names by the way. A clue about the so-called “Red-Green alliance”, between Leftists and Muslims.
Then I read it was estimated that 91 % of the coverage of pres. Trump, his government and his supporters, be they politicians or ordinary citizens who show this support, for example with MAGA hats, is NEGATIVE. Replete with double standards when one compares judgements of Trump and co. With, say, Obama and co.
By now it is absurd that mainstream media claim they are unbiased journalists, bringing the facts in the neutral way. More often than not they really offer “opinions”. It would behoove them to admit that they are activists, if not propagandists, for the Democratic Party, the left.
This information was provided by, among others, Lara Logan, on Fox News. She is the unfortunate woman trapped and assaulted on the Big Egyptian square in 2011.
Rufolino says
“Activists, if not propagandists, for the Left.”.
This now defines even the BBC, the state broadcaster.
carpediadem says
“Now”?
The BBC has always acted as a reflection of the British Foreign Office, hence their virulent, pitiless antisemitism and Arabist addiction.
Since early last century.
Naildriver says
I do hope Trump, or someone who has his trust, reads your response to this typical liberals false and idiotic article.
It is imperative if Trump is elected that he focus more upon Islam’s imperatives and its devotees dangerous priorities to inflict irreparable damage upon our society and government.
Much more has to be done to fight Islam besides the all too ineffective restrictions of immigration now in place.
Islam is this country’s enemy, and those Americans who assist Islam should be considered traitors. We are way past any other state of affairs.
James Lincoln says
Naildriver,
Pres. Trump, during his second term, needs to “pull out all the stops” and FULLY confront the insidious islamization of the United States.
Naildriver says
The seriousness of the problem is sounded by the screaming silence regarding what it will mean to capitalism and free societies, with Islam’s meteoric rise in power and influence.
Since colonialism’s end and the injection of oil wealth, that has given this scourge new life to fulfill its imperitives — as Saudi funding the correctly purposed jihad initiatives that always was Islam’s healthy manifestation, the pretention it’s a non issue is a glaring testimony to the power of terrorism coupled with cynical greed — the elephant in the room.
No one besides a handful of leaders like Wilders ( who is ignored and smothered with negative press that dismisses his true observations and warnings) ever brings up the facts of what Islam’s potential victories might mean for the the future of mankind and of life itself.
If Trump doesn’t turn up the volume of the need to curb Islam’s progress and show it to be the enemy it is, Islam will eventually destroy mankind’s ability to build a better world free of corruption. Like a cancer a chain smoker denies is growing, such is the current attitude of about all the West’s representatives.
mortimer says
A clear and detailed article by Robert Spencer that should be forwarded to all our acquaintances.
Michael Cohen is an amoral slanderist. Slander is an evil sin and libellous slander is a crime. The Left has run out of arguments, since they generally ALWAYS play the race card FIRST.
American communist Saul Alinsky wrote: “If you push a negative hard and deep enough it will break through into its counterside.”
The ‘negative’ the Dems are pushing in this case is a slanderous libel.
The Left can provide no evidence whatsoever that Pres. Trump has uttered one racist statement or discriminated on that basis.
FYI says
The article is by Hugh Fitzgerald.
mortimer says
Robert Spencer penned a fine summary:
“The Qur’an instructs Muslims that they are the “best of peoples,” while non-Muslims are “the most vile of created beings.”
This DISCRIMINATION is clearly coming from the MUSLIM SIDE. Thus, discrimination against DISBELIEVING KAFIRS is inherently normative Islam, rather than an aberration.
Are KAFIRS now to be classified as ‘A RACE’?
Is this Islamic discrimination against KAFIRS now to be considered ‘RACIST’ ???
Do Leftists not condemn DISCRIMINATION when MUSLIMS DO IT?? Do Muslims get a free pass when they hate KAFIRS ‘for the sake of Allah’ ??
Globalist-Leftists like Michael Cohen have SELECTIVE OUTRAGE.
It isn’t HATE SPEECH against the president when LEFTARDS DO IT.
FYI says
Mr Cohen should read the most antisemitic book in the World{the koran}and then look up SAHIH MUSLIM 6985.
Perhaps naive Lefty Jews think Sahih Muslim 6985 doesn’t apply to them.
Lefty Jews who don’t get Irony are useful idiots for muslims.
As for “xenophobia and racism”,what would Mr Cohen say about the depiction of the Jews in koran 2:65 “Be ye apes,despised and hated” or being defined in koran 98:6 along with Christians as “the WORST of created beings” ?
This is mainstream islam,it comes straight from the koran and hadith:allowing increased mass islamic immigration will increase the likelihood of antisemitism.
islam absolutely despises the Jews and Israel.The xenophobia and racism comes from the islamic side.
Lefty Jews who facilitate this lunacy are creating a nightmare for themselves:see what has happened in Europe already with Jews leaving.
Wellington says
Well, it’s not called the Boston Glob by many (including yours truly) for nothing.
gravenimage says
Here’s more enabling of Jihad from Michael A. Cohen at the Boston Globe:
“The phantom threat of terrorism”
https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2017/02/02/the-phantom-threat-terrorism/nMrmWiKrnNGXpzVCabHOgL/story.html
Wellington says
Thanks, gravenimage.
Walter Sieruk says
Concerning the security and safety of America people as well as peaceful visitors this nation and this topic of a travel ban from terrorist hotspot countries in important. This subject had been, somewhat, explained in the book, by Robert Spencer which his entitled THE COMPLETE INFIDEL’S GUIDE TO THE KORAN. For on page 230 it informs the reader “Immigration. Since there is no completely reliable way to tell any given Muslim believer takes the Koran’s dictates about warfare against Infidels literally, immigration of Muslims into the United States should be halted.”
In addition, on page 232 of the same book read “The willful blindness of Western leaders threatens us all, and the very survival of free societies.” Therefore, First, it should not be forgotten that most of the jihadist al Qaeda operatives who were the hijackers and mass murderers came from Saudi Arabia .
Second, don’t let them fool you, the many apologists for Islam is will endeavor to set up a smokescreen to hide the reality of the truth about the violence and deadly essence of Islam by making the bogus claim that the al Qaeda operatives mass murderer on 9/11 were not real Muslims and that they were breaking the laws of the Qu ‘ran by their violence and deadly actions.” The apologists for Islam will further make the totally false claim that “Those terrorists on 9/11 were only criminals who hijacked the peaceful religion of Islam for Politics.”
Those outrageously false claims are weak attempt of damage control for the image of Islam to the West. For the “holy book” of Islam the Qu ‘ran. For the Qu ‘ran instruct in Sura 9:111. Muslims who are engaging the jihad that “The believer’s fight in Allah’s Cause, they slay and are slain ,they kill and are killed “ That’s just what happened on September 11, 2001 the jihadists of al Qaeda “killed and were killed” in those 9/11 jihad attacks against both humankind and America. The Quran also teaches in Sura 9:123 to that jihad –minded Muslims behavior towards non-Muslims “let them find harshness in you…” Those Islamic attacks on 9/11 were indeed very “harsh.” As Sura 2:191 instructs “kill the disbeliever wherever you find them.” That’s a very strange kind of “peaceful religion” if there ever was one. Just to site one more out on many from the Qu ‘ran about the instruction of deadly violence is Sura 47:4. Which instructs “Whenever you encounter unbelievers strike off their heads until you make a great slaughter among them …”
Let’s face it, using jet planes a missiles as those jihadist/ Muslims did of September 11, sure made a greater “slaughter among them” then sword can. Wake up West to the actual nature of Islam before it’s too late.
Walter Sieruk says
The need for a national travel ban concerning all those unvetted Muslim migrants who desire to enter the United States of America is very important.
This may be yet better explained by one of the fables of Aesop which is entitled THE FARMER AND THE VIPER. So here it is “Once in ancient Greece there was a farmer outside on a very cold winter day walking in if field to make sure that everything is in order and as it should be. The farmer came upon a half-froze viper about to die from the bitter cold. The kind yet foolish farmer took pity on the viper and in an action of kindness put it his is vest jacket to warms and up and thus save its life. The viper warned up revived and then bit farmer through the vest jacket. So the kind but foolish farmer died a slow painful death in awful agony because he felt sorry of the viper and saved it life.” The point to this fable is the no amount of kindness will chance an evil and dangerous nature.
So it may be with those many Muslim immigrants who want to enter the USA. It only takes of few jihadist/vipers inflect jihad terrorism of awful murderous disaster on different cities of this nation.
Steve says
You can look at that guy and see soy boy instantly, remember America is being colonized by Muslims through political and population jihad
eduardo odraude says
In addition to all the points Hugh Fitzgerald makes, there is the additional point that the 7 nations on the initial list were apparently 7 nations flagged by the Obama admin as security risks.
Hugh Fitzgerald says
Thank you, Mr. Odraude. I hadn’t been aware of this, and am glad to now have that information. And I just scrolled up and find mention of Obama’s administration flagging those original seven countries by “Or Else!”– to whom I am also grateful.
gravenimage says
Very true, Eduardo.
James Lincoln says
We should not admit one more muslim into the USA. Period.
I remember President Trump’s original “ban all muslims”speech – when he was running for office. It sounded a little draconian to me at the time, but now I think that he was essentially correct. Probably better something like “ban all Muslims – with very rare, very limited, highly monitored exceptions for very short periods of time”.
Also, the US should deport as many muslims as legally possible – and ban sharia law at the federal level as well as in all 50 individual states.
That’s for starters…
gravenimage says
That “Trump Muslim Ban” Is Still With Us
………………..
And I’m damn glad that it is. Muslim immigration into the US under Trump is down 90%, and may drop even further with new nations being added to the “Muslim ban”. Not perfect, but an excellent start!
TKF says
Muslims and Jihadis are the symptom….Islam is the disease.
Demsci says
Cohen strikes me as a Jewish name. Leftist Jewish person?
And the name Michael Cohen reminded me of that former lawyer of Trump who so turned against him. Not that I see any connection.
Giacomo Latta says
Any country that has even only one Jew or Christian should declare war on Islam, for reasons obvious to anyone who has ever read the koran, and any country that defends it.
NITZAKHON says
This is why, more and more, I despise the JINO / Plopping Jew contingent. They are giving direct aid and comfort to the Islamic invasion, and giving fuel to the “alt Right” justifying their hatred of us.
Jewicidal Yidiots: Completing What Haman And Hitler Started (Part 1 of 3)
http://redpilljew.blogspot.com/2019/12/jewicidal-yidiots-completing-what-haman.html
ralph g says
“Cohen” is a Jewish name. Does Mr. Cohen pay any attention to the events shown in Jihad Watch? Has he any clue what Muslims think of Jews? No? I suspected not.