Right-wing bloggers thrilled to learn terrorism suspect isn't white

[meegbear]

The bloggers at National Review's The Corner can barely conceal their glee that the man arrested this morning for attempted terror is a proper foreign-born Muslim dude, and not a God-fearing white Christian. Jonah Goldberg admits as much:

When the Times Square story first broke there was a part of me that said, "Man, I hope it's not some white militia nutjob." When I saw the news this morning that it was a Pakistani, the same small part of me was relieved.

A normal human might be relieved that the person responsible for the attempted bombing is in custody. Jonah is just relieved that his prejudices against Muslims were reinforced.

Jonah excuses this response by linking to white race aficionado Robert Stacy McCain, who successfully found a liberal blogger who preemptively speculated that the attempted Times Square bombing was carried out by a "Beck Patriot." So, there you go: Definitive proof that the Liberals Started It.

Except people did not just leap to blame a white guy because they hate white guys so much. People were speculating about a white guy because New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly told everyone that a white male in his 40s was the primary suspect. Mr. Kelly is not exactly Mr. Political Correctness! Just ask all the black males his NYPD keeps stopping and frisking (and arresting for marijuana possession).

So, to recap: Liberal blogger speculates on the motives of a white attacker, based on public statements by the NYPD. Muslim man is arrested. Jonah Goldberg writes a post about how liberals are not sufficiently frightened of or frightening about Muslims, and also they are "undemocratic" for pointing out that white Christians also commit crimes.

This is the single most Jonah Goldbergy part of the whole thing:

A lot of liberals seem very keen to minimize or dismiss the reality of Islamic terrorism while working devilishly hard to create a false reality that the real threat is from American citizens.

Of course, a reader had to point out to Jonah that Faisal Shahzad, the man in custody, is an American citizen. But he totally doesn't count! Because he's a Muslim American citizen who hates America.

<snip>

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/index.html?story=/politics/war_room/2010/05/04/times_square_bomber_muslim

[slackmaster]

1. I'm getting a lot of entertainment value out of it

A normal human might be relieved that the person responsible for the attempted bombing is in custody.

That and being amused that the suspect is not of European descent are not mutually exclusive.

[BrklynLiberal]

2. Of course. their greatest fear was probably that it might have been some tea-bagger who

took all their hate rhetoric seriously, and decided to act on it.

That fear shows how dangerous their rhetoric is. Even THEY are afraid that someone might act on it.

[zappaman]

3. I'm just thrilled

they caught the motherf*cker!
Can't imagine what the outcome would have been if this dipshit had any idea how to make an actual bomb!

[kctim]

4. Gotta admit

DU sure seemed quiet and somewhat let down this morning.

Shahzad made the right-wing glad and the left-wing sad.

[LanternWaste]

7. I didn't get the sense that anyone was let-down or sad...

I didn't get the sense that anyone was let-down or sad... however, I imagine we usually see what better validates our opinions.

[HughMoran]

8. & was just as happy about the "40 year old white guy"

This back and forth is ridiculous and makes both sides look small minded.

[kctim]

10. I agree

Almost like a game when it should be nothing but what zappaman wrote above.

[yellowcanine]

9. Hmm. Just what does a "quiet and somewhat let down" discussion board look like?

I call bullshit. I think you are seeing what you want to see.

[kctim]

13. What's it look like?

Well, it looks like a bunch of people almost totally ignoring a topic they couldn't keep quiet about the day before. People jumping the gun and screaming evil white basement dwelling teabagger, in hopes they are correct and then being at a lose for words when their hopes are dashed.
I am not the only one to mention this today.

Rather than calling BS, perhaps you should read some OPs.

[customerserviceguy]

11. I've noticed that, too

There are so many here who wanted him to be a tea bagger. As soon as I realized that the target was NYC in general, and not some government building, I figured it was a jihadist and not a teahadist.

[Robb]

5. In fairness

....DU was calling the bomber a teabagger, McVeigh-type long before we heard about the 40 year-old white guy. Not the same as self-fulfilling racism, I understand, but there it is.

[TheBigotBasher]

6. Rethug sites are positivvely applauding this

as a way to attack Muslims.

The Rethugs really are not that far removed from being Nazis.

[EFerrari]

12. So, race, not citizenship, is their concern. 'But we're not racists!"