In Orlando, Political Correctness May Have Trumped Credible Warnings

In the wake of yesterday’s horrific shooting in Florida, this report is infuriating (emphasis added):

A former Fort Pierce police officer who once worked with 29-year-old Omar Mateen, the assailant in an Orlando nightclub shooting that left at least 50 dead, said he was “unhinged and unstable.” Daniel Gilroy said he worked the 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. shift with G4S Security at the south gate at PGA Village for several months in 2014-15. Mateen took over from him for a 3 to 11 p.m. shift. Gilroy, a former Fort Pierce police officer, said Mateen frequently made homophobic and racial comments. Gilroy said he complained to his employer several times but it did nothing because he was Muslim. Gilroy quit after he said Mateen began stalking him via multiple text messages — 20 or 30 a day. He also sent Gilroy 13 to 15 phone messages a day, he said.

Another of Mateen’s co-workers also says he was making threatening comments. Over at Hot Air, Allahpundit notes there were reports that the Army may have ignored or downplayed Ft. Hood shooter Nidal Hassan’s issues because he was Muslim. There’s an even more recent example of this problem: Last winter the neighbors of San Bernardino terrorist Syed Farook didn’t report what they thought was suspicious activity because they were concerned about profiling him.

Being Muslim does not and should not make someone automatically suspect. And an environment where we’re all ratting on our neighbors and co-workers habitually isn’t desirable, either.

But if you have specific and credible reason to suspect someone will be violent or may be engaged in terrorist activity, the fact that the suspect is Muslim should in no way impede you from going to the law enforcement authorities. Political correctness in this instance doesn’t help anyone.

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