THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM: From Andrew Sullivan, another great item from Mark Steyn regarding the murder of Daniel Pearl. Referring to a recent column by Robert Fisk, the British columnist famous for his pathological anti-America and anti-Israeli views, Steyn notes:
In Saturday's Independent, Fisk reflected on the death of the man described as his friend: "But why was he killed? Because he was a Westerner, a 'Kaffir'? Because he was an American? Or because he was a journalist?" Anyone spot the missing category? It's the one Omar Sheikh used, and the one acknowledged by Daniel Pearl in his last words: "Yes, I am a Jew ..."
Also, Steyn takes accurate aim at those who persist in the misconception that conflicts are inevitably caused by "misconceptions":
George Jonas wrote a brilliant column the other day on the delusions of those who think they can "establish a 'dialogue' with fanatics" or, as some of Pearl's friends put it, "bridge the misconceptions." The "misconception", presumably, is that these men are ruthless, violent, depraved. As surely we know by now, the only misconception is that that's a misconception.