The Patriot Post® · Easter Horror

With the world still reeling from the Brussels attacks, radical Islamists demonstrated their ability to strike anywhere, anytime and without any mercy whatsoever. A Taliban faction that pledged its support to the Islamic State carried out a horrific attack in Lahore, Pakistan.

A suicide bomber targeting Christians celebrating Easter Sunday blew himself up in a crowded park. Seventy-two people, including 36 children, were killed. More than 300 people were wounded.

The scourge of radical Islam is killing and maiming innocent people all over the world. The countries where it is able to do the most damage often have weak border controls and immigration policies, and an inability to control the flow of people.

If what happened in Lahore was evil, what the president said this weekend was bizarre. In his weekend radio address, President Obama doubled down on his demand to take in more refugees from the Middle East even though top security officials have expressed doubts about our ability to vet them.

Obama also went on to attack conservative calls for border security and commonsense counterterrorism policies as “counterproductive” and “contrary to our character… values, and to our history as a nation built around the idea of religious freedom.”

State Department Delusions

Responding to last week’s terrorist attack in Brussels, State Department spokesman John Kirby said, “This isn’t about a religion… And we don’t believe that it is indicative in any way of the Muslim faith or the people who practice Islam as a religion.”

Apparently, the jihadists didn’t get the memo. The Islamic State released a video after last week’s attack in Brussels praising jihad as a central tenet of Islam.

“Every Muslim who is well aware of the history of Islam, knows that the holy war against infidels is an integral part of Islam, and those who read history would know,” the video said.

The radical Islamists know they are at war, and they know why they are waging war. Whatever our State Department might like to believe, waging jihad has been a regular part of Islam’s history.

A Tale Of Two Rallies

Imagine for a moment that two political rallies are taking place, both led by candidates generally considered to be outside of the political mainstream.

At one rally, fights break out between protestors and supporters of the candidate. The crowd erupts in chants of “USA! USA! USA!”

At the other rally, a bird lands on the podium and the candidate declares the bird is a dove asking for “No more wars.” The crowd erupts in wild applause and starts chanting, “No More War.”

I don’t know about you, but I am not bothered by chants of “USA!” I am deeply concerned by cries of “No more war” given the war that is being waged against us. When one side gives up and refuses to fight back, that’s called surrender.

Kudos To Gov. Pence

Just before the Easter holiday, Indiana Governor Mike Pence signed one of the strongest pro-life laws in the nation. The bill passed by the Indiana legislature prohibits abortions based solely on race, sex or disability.

After signing the legislation (HEA 1337), Pence issued a statement reaffirming his commitment to the sanctity of life. He said:

“Throughout my public career, I have stood for the sanctity of life… I believe that a society can be judged by how it deals with its most vulnerable — the aged, the infirm, the disabled and the unborn. HEA 1337 … prohibits abortions that are based only on the unborn child’s sex, race, color, national origin, ancestry, or disability, including Down syndrome.

"Some of my most precious moments as Governor have been with families of children with disabilities, especially those raising children with Down syndrome. These Hoosiers never fail to inspire me with their compassion and these special children never fail to move me with their love and joy… I sign this legislation with a prayer that God would continue to bless these precious children, mothers and families.”

Tragically, only two states in the nation — North Dakota and now Indiana — extend legal protections to unborn children with Down syndrome.

The bill Governor Pence signed last week demonstrates just how extreme the left is. According to the pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute, just seven states prohibited abortion for sex selection. (Talk about sex discrimination!) Now there are eight. But polls show that 77% of the American people oppose abortion based only on sex selection.

Sanders Surge?

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders won three landslide victories Saturday. Sanders took 70% of the vote in Hawaii, 73% in Washington and 82% in Alaska.

While former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton remains the clear favorite to win the Democrat presidential nomination, the contest is actually much more competitive than the media narrative suggests.

In the delegate contest, Hillary Clinton currently leads Sanders by more than 700 delegates. But two-thirds of her margin comes from so-called “superdelegates.”

Take the superdelegates out of the picture and Clinton leads Sanders by only 268 delegates. With more than 1,600 delegates still up for grabs in the weeks ahead, 268 is a figure easily overcome. But 700 is much harder.