“There is a transcendent challenge facing Americans, but we can’t rise to it if our leaders can’t explain it. President Bush certainly hasn’t. To date, what should be a momentous civilizational debate — liberty versus Sharia — has fizzled into politically correct hemming and hawing over ‘extremism.’ This poses a transcendent challenge to McCain. Can he make it clear that such ‘extremism’ is only a part of the problem? Does he even believe that? We urgently need to understand that Western-style liberty — freedom of religion, freedom of conscience, freedom of expression, women’s rights, equality before the law — requires vigilance and protection in an era of advancing Sharia.”
