Sixth in a series.
Re: “Pack a Sidearm When Young White Men Around”
When we left City Councilperson Meghan Sahli-Wells, she was saying that perhaps the perceived phobia against Muslims should also be aimed at “angry young white men” since they have committed a series of mass shootings in recent years.
“Are we going to look at these angry young white men and say all angry young white men are to be suspected?,” she asked. “Will we say they should not be let into the country?
“Will we say we should pack a sidearm when they are around and be ready to shoot in case they make a false move?”
Especially since San Bernardino six weeks ago, reports have emerged nationwide of the most unlikely Americans – housewives, grandmothers, Jews – taking shooting lessons, arming themselves in case of a surprise Muslim assault.
Ms. Sahli-Wells asked if having ordinary Americans take up arms will make us safer.
Yes, I said.
Really? she challenged skeptically.
“In the past,” Ms. Sahli-Wells said, “I have been able to ignore when you have gone off on a rant against our president or against liberals. It is something you do.
“But saying that if non-Muslims visit a mosque, they should pack a sidearm, this really talks directly about my community in a way that makes it impossible for me to accept or ignore.
“It is painful.
“What I am doing right now has a political cost,” she said.
The most intriguing statement Ms. Sahli-Wells made was her repeated generalized allusion to “my community.”
This will be explored in the following installment.
(To be continued)
