Empty Boots: The Terrible Consequences of Political Correctness

Today is Veteran's Day, a day we remember and celebrate the service of all those who have offered themselves up in the cause of freedom. It seems the least we can do to honor the men and women who have been willing, over the centuries, to serve and even to die so that you and I could enjoy the privileges of liberty. No matter what one thinks about any particular war, this is always the ultmate cause--freedom.

But there is a saying, an old one: "Your freedom to swing your arm ends where my nose begins." Have we so misinterpreted what it means to be free in this country that we have crossed that nose-hitting line? I believe so. The line was crossed in a huge way last Thursday, with the murder of thirteen innocent people who were only going about their business as their nation had called them to do.

I could not watch yesterday's memorial service. One look at those empty boots, and I was a total basket case. I wasn't just sad; I was infuriated. This was completely preventable. That becomes more evident each day, as more information comes to light about the perpetrator. This guy should have been booted out of the military, and probably arrested for treason. It makes me sort of sick to think that there were people who knew, and did nothing.

There is no such thing as a "benign" communication between a member of the U.S. military and a militant jihadist. Even if the communications were only one way, this is a bad, bad sign. And there were people who knew; but in the name of political correctness, nothing was done. Since when was the fear of offending somebody greater than the value we place on human life, or on the protection of our country? There are things that I know most of our soldiers would be willing to die for, but I doubt that this kind of misplaced "tolerance" is one of them. Political correctness has finally come to its final, logical conclusion at Fort Hood. We would rather risk having people die than risk offending someone.

Interestingly, it's perfectly okay in this country to offend Christians. It is done every day. But Muslims? No. This has been true since shortly after 9/11, when public schools began teaching students tolerance for Muslim beliefs. I realize that there are peaceful Muslims, but we have to recognize that, increasingly, those Muslims are being converted to extremism. We have to start caring more about our safety and the safety of our country than we do about offending someone. The deaths of the people at Fort Hood were tragic, but they were also flat-out stupid. I doubt that any one of them would have been willing to die in such a senseless, predictable, and avoidable manner, had they been asked.

To our military and government leaders, I say this: If you fear the loss of diversity, if you fear a backlash against Muslims, then don't ever let such a thing happen again. Be the leaders you have been called to be, and have the courage to call a spade a spade. Your spineless political correctness was the direct cause of last week's massacre. Learn from it.