Why Is Everyone So Shocked About The "Muslim Ban"?

I put “Muslim Ban” in quotes because Trump’s executive order Friday, which temporarily barred immigration from seven Middle Eastern countries, is not that. If it were, would Indonesia, with 203 million Muslims, not have been included? What about Pakistan? Afghanistan? Saudi Arabia?

The seven countries on Trump’s list (Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen, and Somalia) are all majority-Muslim, true. So are many other countries around the world not included on the list. And all seven countries are, without a doubt, some of the most dangerous places on Earth, breeding grounds for terrorists. Somalia and Yemen are basically failed states without functioning governments, as is Libya. Everyone not named Gary Johnson knows about the situation in Syria. ISIS also remains strong in Iraq, and Sudan and Iran are hardly places that can be trusted to send only the best and brightest.

The point is that the order was largely a good decision. (Excluding the stupid decisions to implement it on a Friday afternoon, and to initially include green card holders in the order.) Had Trump actually enacted a ban on all Muslim immigration, it would have also been wrong and stupid, although arguably not illegal.

But if he had introduced a ban on Muslim immigration, it wouldn’t have been much if a surprise. Here’s the statement from his campaign in December 2015, discussing that very possibility. And here’s video of Trump reading the statement:

The policy as introduced in Trump’s executive order Friday is actually more similar to a suggestion by Ted Cruz during the campaign, tailoring any potential pause in immigration to specific high-risk countries.

Trump has been talking about banning Muslim immigration for over a year now. It is telling that the media is now in an uproar over a far better and more tailored policy, first promoted by a Trump rival.