Happy Warrior

FOR the last couple of weeks, most of the Western media have been as overheated as a Renault 5 in Clichy-sous-Bois in their insistence that these riots have nothing to do with Islam. “The mayhem has yet to take on any ideological or religious overtones,” the New York Times assured us. “This has nothing to do with religion,” a Muslim told the Washington Post. Never mind the cries of “Allahu Akbar!,” never mind the invocation of “jihad” by at least some of the “youths,” never mind the particular care given to the incineration of Jewish targets, never mind the fact that the French government itself turned to various bigshot imams in an attempt to pacify les banlieues.

Instead, the move-along-folks-no-jihad-to-see-here crowd points to the rioters’ fondness for drugs, caterwauling rappers, casual sex, and hideous Western leisurewear as evidence of how culturally assimilated they are. Why, they threatened their victims with baseball bats!

About the Author

Mark Steyn

Mark Steyn is an international bestselling author, a Top 41 recording artist, and a leading Canadian human-rights activist.

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FOR the last couple of weeks, most of the Western media have been as overheated as a Renault 5 in Clichy-sous-Bois in their insistence that these riots have nothing to do with Islam. “The mayhem has yet to take on any ideological or religious overtones,” the New York Times assured us. “This has nothing to do with religion,” a Muslim told the Washington Post. Never mind the cries of “Allahu Akbar!,” never mind the invocation of “jihad” by at least some of the “youths,” never mind the particular care given to the incineration of Jewish targets, never mind the fact that the French government itself turned to various bigshot imams in an attempt to pacify les banlieues.

Instead, the move-along-folks-no-jihad-to-see-here crowd points to the rioters’ fondness for drugs, caterwauling rappers, casual sex, and hideous Western leisurewear as evidence of how culturally assimilated they are. Why, they threatened their victims with baseball bats!