historiblogography

i am firmly in favor of mumble mumble mumble

(...and I firmly oppose the measures that I have described as being wholly justifiable.)

In a fairly amusing "clarifying" post on his blog, the perennially panicky Daniel Pipes insists that he does "not specifically endorse [the] notion of Muslims having to register their whereabouts." Also, he adds, "I raised the subject of the Japanese internment because it 'still matters' in its influence on the U.S. public debate, and not because I advocate the internment of anyone today."

So if that's what he's not for, what is he for? Pipes says in his clarification that he's merely "encouraged...that many Americans understand the need to focus on the segment of the population that is engaged in Islamist activities." (emphasis added)

He doesn't favor internment or registration, just an undefined "focus on" Muslims, wink wink. Professional hysteric Michelle Malkin, similarly, maintains that she's not in favor of internment for Muslims -- she just thinks that mass internment of internal enemies has been a good idea in the past, and that "civil liberties are not sacrosanct," wink wink.

My favorite anti-liberty columnists can be awfully coy when they feel the need to be, yeah? They just favor, ahem, special measures for internal enemies. Why do people insist on twisting their intent?

posted by Chris Bray @ 1:18 PM