Editoral 4/26/19

Nick Campbell, @TheNCExperience

The fire that engulfed the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris captivated the world.  The famed cathedral is home to religious artifacts like the crown of thorns worn by Jesus Christ during his crucifixion. It is also home to other famous relics like the tunic of Saint Louis and much more. France has rallied to raise money for the repairs. Not long before this fire, historical churches in Louisiana were burned down as a result of domestic terrorism. This was largely ignored in the media and on social media. Then, on Easter sunday, Sri Lanka was hit with a terrorist attack killing more than 350 people and injuring more than 500. In America, a firestorm ensued over the term “Easter Worshippers” as in people attending Easter worship. Condolences came in from dignitaries around the country, including Former U.S. President, Barack Obama and Former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. In the body of their tweets, they used the term “Easter Worshippers” and many political pundits became outraged. This became the focal point on the same political correctness and identity politics that the many on the right usually bemoans. No sympathy for the victims, just rage over a phrase which was technically correct. The attack happened during Easter worship, so although Obama correctly described the victims, the opportunity for faux outrage proved to be too tempting for social media. The omission of the word “Christians” didn’t lessen the impact of the terror attack on its victims. Suddenly, the right has become “PC” and into identity politics. It’s truly a disturbing display of our countries explosive political environment.