[Steely Tom]

then they qualify this by saying something like noone is really sure if they have anything to do with the shootings. It's kind of like they are apologizing for saying it.

Yeah. Kind of like Seinfeld: "Not that there's anything wrong with that!"

I love it when the guardians of political correctness are forced to balance and trade off between the different priorities of PC. In this case, for instance: it is apparantly not as bad to "racially profile" a criminal as "hispanic" than as "middle eastern," at least if the suspected crime is terrorism.

(steely)

[MissHardihood]

...it is apparantly not as bad to "racially profile" a criminal as "hispanic" than as "middle eastern..."

The "middle eastern" lobbying groups are more radical than the "Hispanic" lobbying groups. If the media blames an "Hispanic" they are less likely to take political heat.