Candice MalcolmThere was another mass shooting in the United States on Wednesday, and, in what has become the standard reaction in the wake of these horrific shootings, a heated political debate began before the details had even surfaced. With the situation still live, and the two gunmen still on the run after carrying out their grisly attack, the American public digressed into an ugly screaming match. Those on the left and many in the media immediately condemned America’s gun laws, blaming guns as the culprit for the deadly attack. Many speculated that the shooting was motivated by a workplace feud and some even shamed Christians for praying in the wake of the attack. American conservatives did their part to enrage their opponents by pointing out, rather futilely, that gun crimes in the United States have steadily fallen over the past two decades. They defended their right to buy assault rifles capable of firing 800 bullets per minute with the same ferociousness as Canadians defend their favorite hockey team. Political activists had diagnosed the problem and were spouting their prognosis before anything was known about the shooters or their motive. Meanwhile, on the ground, paramedics were still trying to help save some of the nearly 40 victims who had been shot at the workplace Christmas party in a Los Angeles suburb. Once the attackers were killed, some four hours after the initial mass shooting, President Barack Obama addressed the country and chimed in about the need for more gun laws. But in the midst of this familiar debate about gun control, some disturbing and undeniable facts started to emerge. What happened in California was not another incident of workplace violence. Nor was it an instance of a mentally disturbed kid who had easily purchased deadly weapons. The San Bernardino shooting spree was perpetrated by two radicalized Muslims — an American man and his Pakistani wife. Police later stormed their house and found a dozen homemade bombs and over 4,000 rounds of ammunition. It was clear these individuals were planning a much larger, much more devastating attack. We learned that the FBI had uncovered evidence that one of the attackers, Syed Farook, had been in contact with Islamic extremists and known terrorist suspects in both the U.S. and abroad. He had traveled to Saudi Arabia several times in the past few years. It was then confirmed that the other shooter, Syed’s wife Tashfeen Malik, had pledged allegiance to the so-called Islamic State. She had posted a message on Facebook affirming her loyalty to the terrorist group – who, by the way, have made repeated calls for Muslims worldwide to pick up arms in their countries and kill infidels. Tashfeen and Syed listened. Radical Islamists have declared war. Repeatedly. These religious extremists do not hide their hatred for those who reject their narrow interpretation of Islam. The so-called Islamic State and their fanatical followers have stated their intentions over and over; in their propaganda videos, their written newsletters, when they torture and decapitate Western journalists and aid workers, and when they gun down and murder innocent civilians in the West. Islamic fascists want to kill as many of us as possible, and they have all the weapons they need do to so. Changing our gun laws won’t stop them. The only way to stop these extremists is to take this war seriously. So while Americans may prefer to focus on the familiar issue of gun control, the real threat, the fact that the West is at war with Islamic fascists, is a far more uncomfortable, but far more important, conversation. The sooner we come to terms with these facts, the better. Read the original at Toronto Sun.