Bill Maher had a striking "New Rules" segment on his Real Time show on HBO to recognize the 25th anniversary of 9/11. It was titled "Clash of Civilizations." Sometimes Maher really gets it. This is one of those times.
Warning: video contains coarse language
The prevailing view of so much of the young left in America is that we’re the worst country ever, so if someone attacks us, they can’t be all bad. pic.twitter.com/u01HsCRnv3
— Bill Maher (@billmaher) September 12, 2026
So much has changed since 9/11, he remarked. "For example, back then, we were against the terrorists," he said. He went on to note how the liberal media are too timid now even to use the "T" word, or call them what they are.
"Really? We can't anymore just say out loud who the bad guys were that morning? Those 19 hijackers? They shared something. Oh, let's call it a worldview. And it wasn't astrology. But somehow, over time, we've decided not to harp on that, the whole business about who wanted us dead and why. Let's not put a name on it."
He referenced how Canada's "state TV" - the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) - told its people not to refer to the 9/11 attacks as "terrorist attacks." "What should we call it then?" he asked. "Unruly passenger? A wrong turn taken at the Chrysler Building?" He noted how the BBC said using the term "terrorist" could be a barrier to understanding. "You know what's really a barrier to understanding?" Maher stated. "Lying."
It is a clash of civilizations, he asserted, between radical Islamism and Western civilization. Then he chastised liberals who wound up on the wrong side of that equation, on "their side."
"One in 5 young Americans has a positive view of Osama Bin Laden. He's like Luigi Mangione in a turban!" Maher snarked.
Maher also chastised the people who thought the worst thing was that "innocent Muslims came under suspicion." No, he said, the worst thing was that nearly 3,000 people were killed that day.
Maher pointed out some of what this moral confusion has led to. "The prevailing view of so many young people is that we're the worst country ever, so if someone attacks us, it can't be all bad. That certainly wasn't the attitude 25 years ago." He then pointed out the confusion the young Left have over Gaza and the "genocide" that isn't one. "'Gaza is genocide' is a lie," he said, and he chastised many prominent Democrats for going along with it.
But that's the problem: the lack of moral clarity that this all shows on the Left. If you are not calling out the evil for what it is, how can you properly fight it? Radical Islam has chanted "Death to America" and tried to kill us for years. We have to call it out by its name to stop it.
Of course, while we're talking about the Left's take on radical Islam, this comes in a broader package too: that of the radical Left wanting to take down our very system; that's what the socialist surge is all about. The Left will align with anyone or use any cause, like Gaza, to help move things further left. So there's a lot to fight.
But words matter. Terrorists are terrorists, whether the Left likes it or not. We knew that 25 years ago, and all who are honest still know it today. The only way to defeat them is to stand against them.
Editor’s Note: Every single day, here at RedState, we stand up and FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT against the radical Left and deliver the conservative reporting our readers deserve.
Help us continue to tell the truth about the Trump administration and its successes. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
Join the Conversation
VIP members get the ability to comment on articles.