monitoring Trump and relevant contemporary events

And he did turn his steely gaze upon the evil-doers and lo didst they quake in fear

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“I thought it was important that we went outside,” Pence told the Post. “I thought it was important that people on the other side of the DMZ see our resolve in my face.”

h/t Benen

Terror-related acts committed by refugees widespread

At least 61 people who came to the United States as refugees engaged in terrorist activities between 2002 and 2016, according to an explosive new report.

The report, aimed at reforming the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, or USRAP, calls for stricter limits and restrictions on refugees.

The report, written by policy analyst David Inserra, could lend weight to the Trump administration's effort to curtail the number of refugees who come to the U.S. every year.

But perhaps most worrisome, the report warns that no amount of refugee vetting can account for those who come to the U.S. with peaceful intentions and then become radicalized while living in America.

“We can’t vet an 8-year-old to see if he will become a terrorist when he turns 18 or 28. Instead, we as a country need to rethink the way we assimilate refugees, and immigrants as a whole for that matter."

"More needs to be done in the U.S. assimilation process,” said John Cooper, spokesman for the Heritage Foundation. “In the past few decades, the United States has drifted from its strong assimilation ethos, and the terrorism in Europe paints a disturbing picture of where non-assimilation leads,” he added.

"The full veil is not appropriate here, it should be forbidden wherever that is legally possible. It does not belong to us. It does not fit into our society for us, for our communication, for our cohesion in the society.... "

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I get it that Trump isn't the whole problem

No, Trump is not the problem any more than a dead mine-canary is "the problem". He's just an indicator of something far more serious and dangerous.

In many diverse ways we have demonstrated a distinct fondness for individual freedom and expression, and a corresponding fear of imposed group identities and values, even as other Western nations embraced them. It is at the heart of American exceptionalism.

Ironically this is precisely the recipe our "progressives" are attempting to force on us now.

Broadly defined, individualism emphasizes personal freedom and achievement. Individualist culture therefore awards social status to personal
accomplishments such as important discoveries, innovations, great artistic or humanitarian achievements and all actions that make an individual stand out.

Collectivism, in contrast emphasizes embeddedness of individuals in a larger group. Platteau (2000) for example illustrates collective culture in the context of African development. Specifically, he documents that it encourages conformity and discourages individuals from dissenting and standing out. Productive individuals are seen with suspicion and are coaxed into sharing their surplus with the community. Collective punishments exist to penalize the rich. They take the form of social ostracism, loss of status, or even violence.

In individualistic cultures, people place importance on the self and immediate family. Concern is for personal accomplishment, reaching potential, responsibility to oneself, autonomy, and distinction. Well-being in individualistic cultures is brought about by personal expression and achieving goals. In terms of self-concept, individualists define themselves using personal descriptors, want to maintain a positive self-view, and feel proud of their character and accomplishments. Individualists use internal attributions and make perceptions based on individual dispositions.

Collectivist cultures, on the other hand, value the needs of the larger group, hold a central belief, and are tied by unity. collectivists define themselves in relation to their group, and value common-good traits such as sacrifice and peace-keeping. Collectivists obtain satisfaction by adequately fulfilling role requirements and avoiding failing the group. Collectivists use external attributions and judgments based on social contexts.

"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy; its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery."