CONOR FRIEDERSDORF wonders what I meant by my bacon-abuse post. I thought it was pretty obvious. I’m against hate crimes — though, like the Christian Science Monitor, I’m not sure that bacon really counts. But I do think that Obama’s inept approach to these issues has made the American public more fearful than it was under Bush, and as a result, more anti-Muslim. The polls certainly demonstrate this shift, and it’s hard for me to see what else would account for it. When people trusted Bush to keep them safe, they weren’t scared. They don’t trust Obama to keep them safe, so they’re more scared. As the President himself suggests, when people are scared, they tend to lash out. . . .

UPDATE: Dan Riehl weighs in.

ANOTHER UPDATE: And doesn’t let go. And just to be clear — yes, I think this is exactly what Friedersdorf was doing.