This sort of cowardly, craven response to violence appears to be what passes for courage in the logic of modern conservatism. But courage is not about pretending not to be afraid, or lashing out to make yourself feel more powerful. Courage is about behaving with decency and principle no matter how scared you are. Courage is about not giving in to fear, or letting fear turn you into a lesser version of yourself. The most immediate victory for Isis would be a reversal of Europe’s softening stance on refugees. Tolerance, openness, a commitment to human dignity: these are exactly the things that Isis does not want to see, and it has surely been watching.
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