Orlando, Radical Islam and Trump

This is a very quick one as I have a trapped nerve in my back and typing is very painful. First of all, I hope the families of those involved are getting all the support they need. Real, tangible, non-prayery help. It's terrible.

My gut reaction is that this is more about hate than religion, but that they are probably intertwined. Islam is no great friend of homosexuality, if the Hadith are to be trusted. However, it seems that hatred of homosexuality was the main driver.

What I really wanted to say, as I am no fan of insensitive opportunism, but no fan of shying away from things that need to be said, is that this whole tragedy plays into the hands of Trump. He is probably rubbing his hands in opportunistic glee (well, his tweet congratulating himself cements this opinion!).

Whether or not this guy was primarily or secondarily motivated by Islam and religion, it will play directly into the hands of anti-accommodationist, us and them political separationists. The wall building types will feel validated and vindicated by such events. And from the point of view of such radical Islamists, they are shooting themselves in the foot. Or, from another point of view, they are winning by their own narrative, and fully succeeding in creating a war where there need not be one.

Who loses?

Obviously, the gay community in the very tragic short term. But also, Liberal and moderate Muslims.

Who wins?

Trump and his fellow extremists.