Mass shootings are terrorism

One of the least savvy things Barack Obama ever did was to downplay the threat of terrorism. He called ISIS the “j.v. team” and urged Americans not to respond with fear to attacks in San Bernardino and elsewhere. Attempting to talk people out of their fear of terrorism was futile, and arguably played into the hands of Donald Trump, who used the San Bernardino attacks as the springboard for his vicious call for a ban on all Muslims entering the country.

Now it is Republicans who are attempting to talk people out of their fear. They’re saying there’s nothing we can do, and that, actually, your kids are safer in school than in your living room and that most gun deaths are suicides. If Democrats were smart, they would seize upon this and be the party that takes your safety seriously.

And it’s not dishonest. These mass shootings are a greater threat to our security than Islamic terrorism was. If a Fourth of July parade is not safe, nowhere is safe. America is a free-fire zone.