--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's radical Islamic terrorism. And yet…" description: "\"It's radical Islamic terrorism. And yet, when you see the last eight years, something's gone wrong to call it violent extremism or man-caused disasters..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68f/victor-davis-hanson-5043_1930s_it-s-radical-islamic-terrorism-and-yet-w_822679.png" --- # It's radical Islamic terrorism. And yet, when you see the… ![“It's radical Islamic terrorism. And yet, when you see the last eight years, something's gone wrong to call it violent extremism or man-caused disasters. It would be as if we were looking at [Adolf] Hitler in the 1930s. And we were afraid to say that he was a Nazi.” quote by Victor Davis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68f/victor-davis-hanson-5043_1930s_it-s-radical-islamic-terrorism-and-yet-w_822679.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68f/victor-davis-hanson-5043_1930s_it-s-radical-islamic-terrorism-and-yet-w_822679.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68f/victor-davis-hanson-5043_1930s_it-s-radical-islamic-terrorism-and-yet-w_822679.png) > “It's radical Islamic terrorism. And yet, when you see the last eight years, something's gone wrong to call it violent extremism or man-caused disasters. It would be as if we were looking at \[Adolf\] Hitler in the 1930s. And we were afraid to say that he was a Nazi.” [Victor Davis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-davis-hanson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Comparing contemporary Islamic terrorism to historical dictators reveals the difficulty of labeling complex violence without oversimplification. **In simple terms:** Labeling terrorism is complex and risky. Key Takeaway Avoid simplistic labels for violent movements. Themes terrorism history labeling politics Mood analytical concerned Type political historical When to use this quote - policy analysis - academic debate Key Concepts ideology extremism media framing Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance accurate description with avoiding harmful stereotypes? - What factors should inform our classification of violent acts? A Different Perspective Overgeneralization can obscure root causes and hinder effective responses. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [1930s](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zz-1930s-382/) [Disaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disaster/) [Eight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eight/) [Extremism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extremism/) [Gone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gone/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Islam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islam/) [Islamic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islamic/) [Islamic terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islamic-terrorism/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nazi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nazi/) [Radical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radical/) [Terrorism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorism/) [Terrorism Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorism-years-486331/) [Violent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violent/) [Violent Extremism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violent-extremism-486332/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [I have been defending Israel's right to exist, and to defend itself against terrorism, for many years-on college campuses, in television appearances and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/i-have-been-defending-israel-s-right-to-exist-and-to-defend-itself/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [The practical reality that in order for us to identify homegrown violent extremism and prevent it or root it out before it takes action,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/the-practical-reality-that-in-order-for-us-to-identify-homegrown/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [We consider domestic violent extremism the greatest terrorist-related threat to our homeland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-mayorkas/we-consider-domestic-violent-extremism-the-greatest-terrorist-related/) [Alejandro Mayorkas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-mayorkas/) > [As the horrific events of Jan. 6 underscored, DHS must have the operational capacity to appropriately respond to domestic violent extremism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-mayorkas/as-the-horrific-events-of-jan-6-underscored-dhs-must-have-the/) [Alejandro Mayorkas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-mayorkas/) > [We must maximize our efforts to counter violent extremism, radicalization and recruitment in the United States and stop using xenophobia and ethnic stereotyping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bennie-thompson/we-must-maximize-our-efforts-to-counter-violent-extremism/) [Bennie Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bennie-thompson/) > [When people are oppressed, and human rights are denied - particularly along sectarian lines or ethnic lines - when dissent is silenced, it feeds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/when-people-are-oppressed-and-human-rights-are-denied-particularly/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I am concerned about any form of violent extremism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-wolf/i-am-concerned-about-any-form-of-violent-extremism/) [Chad Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-wolf/) > [In my view, and in the view of a lot of intelligence experts, the terrorist threat that we face now has morphed significantly from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeh-johnson/in-my-view-and-in-the-view-of-a-lot-of-intelligence-experts-the/) [Jeh Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeh-johnson/) > [The bottom line is this. When it comes to preventing violent extremism and terrorism in the United States, Muslim Americans are not part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-mcdonough/the-bottom-line-is-this-when-it-comes-to-preventing-violent-extremism/) [Denis McDonough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-mcdonough/) > [Domestic violent extremism is the most acute threat, terrorism-related threat that we are seeing to our homeland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-mayorkas/domestic-violent-extremism-is-the-most-acute-threat-terrorism-related/) [Alejandro Mayorkas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-mayorkas/) > [We are seeing expressions of violent extremism born of false ideologies, false narratives, ideologies of hate, and we are seeing the potential connectivity to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-mayorkas/we-are-seeing-expressions-of-violent-extremism-born-of-false/) [Alejandro Mayorkas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-mayorkas/) > [Let me be very clear: We monitor the risks of violent extremism taking root here in the United States. We don't have the luxury…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-napolitano/let-me-be-very-clear-we-monitor-the-risks-of-violent-extremism-taking/) [Janet Napolitano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-napolitano/) > [We have not confronted forcefully enough the intolerance, sectarianism, and hopelessness that feeds violent extremism in too many parts of the globe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-have-not-confronted-forcefully-enough-the-intolerance-sectarianism/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Domestic violent extremism is not a threat limited to any single law enforcement agency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-padilla/domestic-violent-extremism-is-not-a-threat-limited-to-any-single-law/) [Alex Padilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-padilla/) > [We have an obligation to the Department of Homeland Security to reflect the nation that we want to achieve. And therefore, we must identify…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-mayorkas/we-have-an-obligation-to-the-department-of-homeland-security-to/) [Alejandro Mayorkas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-mayorkas/) ## More by Victor Davis Hanson > [I wish I could attribute the absence of any conventional Arab offensive in the last 20 years to a change of political climate or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-davis-hanson/i-wish-i-could-attribute-the-absence-of-any-conventional-arab/) [Victor Davis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-davis-hanson/) > [Offering 'comprehensive' reform usually means years of arguing and horse-trading among pressure groups to get anything done. By the time all the special interests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-davis-hanson/offering-comprehensive-reform-usually-means-years-of-arguing-and/) [Victor Davis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-davis-hanson/) > [Often, the pretexts for starting a war are not real shortages of land, food or fuel, but rather perceptions - like fear, honor and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-davis-hanson/often-the-pretexts-for-starting-a-war-are-not-real-shortages-of-land/) [Victor Davis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-davis-hanson/) > [I see a continuation of the populist outrage that prompted the Brexit and sparked the Bernie Sanders campaign.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-davis-hanson/i-see-a-continuation-of-the-populist-outrage-that-prompted-the-brexit/) [Victor Davis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-davis-hanson/) > [States are like people. They do not question the awful status quo until some dramatic event overturns the conventional and lax way of thinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-davis-hanson/states-are-like-people-they-do-not-question-the-awful-status-quo/) [Victor Davis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-davis-hanson/) > [“Nicholas Monsarrat’s epic postwar novel of the Battle of the Atlantic, The Cruel Sea, is a quite different, nightmarish elemental story of men at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-davis-hanson/nicholas-monsarrat-s-epic-postwar-novel-of-the-battle-of-the-atlantic/) [Victor Davis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-davis-hanson/) > [The wisdom and spirit of Churchill not only saved Britain from the Third Reich but saved Western civilization from a Nazi Dark Ages when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-davis-hanson/the-wisdom-and-spirit-of-churchill-not-only-saved-britain-from-the/) [Victor Davis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-davis-hanson/) > [For all the criticism about warlords, it is now likely that Afghanistan will never again be turned over to al Qaeda to train thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-davis-hanson/for-all-the-criticism-about-warlords-it-is-now-likely-that/) [Victor Davis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-davis-hanson/) > [The columnist like myself or people at Stanford University don't wake up in the morning and see their job outsourced. Yet we promote free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-davis-hanson/the-columnist-like-myself-or-people-at-stanford-university-don-t-wake/) [Victor Davis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-davis-hanson/) > [A country that cannot count its own illegal aliens - estimates range from 8-12 million - with a porous 2,000 mile border is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-davis-hanson/a-country-that-cannot-count-its-own-illegal-aliens-estimates-range/) [Victor Davis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-davis-hanson/) > [“Japan would live and die by the race card—defining (and demonizing) America as “white” and thus Japan as a kindred but clearly superior “yellow”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-davis-hanson/japan-would-live-and-die-by-the-race-card-defining-and-demonizing/) [Victor Davis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-davis-hanson/) > [The gradual decline of a society is often a self-induced process of trying to meet ever-expanding appetites, rather than a physical inability to produce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-davis-hanson/the-gradual-decline-of-a-society-is-often-a-self-induced-process-of/) [Victor Davis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-davis-hanson/) > [Western elites - the beneficiaries of 60 years of peace and prosperity achieved by the sacrifices to defeat fascism and Communism - are unhappy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-davis-hanson/western-elites-the-beneficiaries-of-60-years-of-peace-and-prosperity/) [Victor Davis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-davis-hanson/) > [Can-do Americans courageously go about their duty in Iraq - mostly unafraid that a culture of 2,000 years, the reality of geography, the sheer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-davis-hanson/can-do-americans-courageously-go-about-their-duty-in-iraq-mostly/) [Victor Davis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-davis-hanson/) > [I think there's a group of students - whether it's the micro-aggression or the safe space or the trigger warning that garner a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-davis-hanson/i-think-there-s-a-group-of-students-whether-it-s-the-micro-aggression/) [Victor Davis Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-davis-hanson/) [Explore all 104 Victor Davis Hanson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-davis-hanson/) ## More 1930s quotes > [Physicist Isador Isaac Rabi, who won a Nobel Prize for inventing a technique that permitted scientists to probe the structure of atoms and molecules…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-saul-wurman/physicist-isador-isaac-rabi-who-won-a-nobel-prize-for-inventing-a/) [Richard Saul Wurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-saul-wurman/) > [My grandmother was a minister as well, which was not that common in the 1930s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-firth/my-grandmother-was-a-minister-as-well-which-was-not-that-common-in/) [Colin Firth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-firth/) > [It reminds me in some ways of the debate taking place in this country and around the world in the late 1930s. There were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/it-reminds-me-in-some-ways-of-the-debate-taking-place-in-this-country/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [As a result of the efforts of Hayek .. and the many others who share his general outlook, the idea of a centrally planned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irving-kristol/as-a-result-of-the-efforts-of-hayek-and-the-many-others-who-share-his/) [Irving Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irving-kristol/) > [When I was in Philadelphia during the Depression in 1930 or '31, I got a very sad job as a night watchman in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-glazer/when-i-was-in-philadelphia-during-the-depression-in-1930-or-31-i-got/) [Tom Glazer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-glazer/) > [Working in 3D I didn't experience much of a difference, except that the cameras are very big so they can't be moved around with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-frain/working-in-3d-i-didn-t-experience-much-of-a-difference-except-that/) [James Frain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-frain/) > [Whatever the reasons may be, I was very much affected by events of the 1930s - the Spanish Civil War, for example, though I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/whatever-the-reasons-may-be-i-was-very-much-affected-by-events-of-the/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [We're a little bit low in the 1970s, right, post-Vietnam, Watergate era, malaise, all that, but this is more like the 1930s where the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-fried/we-re-a-little-bit-low-in-the-1970s-right-post-vietnam-watergate-era/) [Daniel Fried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-fried/) > [In the immediate postwar era, financial crises in advanced countries were rare events, and before 1970 did not happen at all. Since then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-m-taylor/in-the-immediate-postwar-era-financial-crises-in-advanced-countries/) [Alan M. Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-m-taylor/) > [I would not say that Harvard possesses any sort of absolute dominance. And I personally do not take the rankings of schools all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rosovsky/i-would-not-say-that-harvard-possesses-any-sort-of-absolute-dominance/) [Henry Rosovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rosovsky/) > [In the 1930s one was aware of two great evils - mass unemployment and the threat of war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-meade/in-the-1930s-one-was-aware-of-two-great-evils-mass-unemployment-and/) [James Meade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-meade/) > [When comics came along in the 1930s there was a talent pool waiting. And one reason is so many areas were closed to Jews.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-robinson/when-comics-came-along-in-the-1930s-there-was-a-talent-pool-waiting/) [Jerry Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-robinson/) > [In his 1930 book, Dirac took for granted that measurements could be made, but was very vague about what was actually involved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-lamb/in-his-1930-book-dirac-took-for-granted-that-measurements-could-be/) [Willis Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-lamb/) > [Under the gold standard America had no major financial panics other than in 1873, 1884, 1890, 1893, 1907, 1930, 1931, 1932, and 1933.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/under-the-gold-standard-america-had-no-major-financial-panics-other/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [The crucial role communists played in organizing industrial unions in the 1930s and struggling for social reforms, peace, and civil rights strengthened rather then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-parenti/the-crucial-role-communists-played-in-organizing-industrial-unions-in/) [Michael Parenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-parenti/) [Browse all 255 1930s quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zz-1930s-382/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's radical Islamic terrorism. 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