islamic extremists are targeting taylor swift, and it's easy enough to understand why. yes, she's jewish, but that's probably not it. older people may see her as a silly, vapid pop star that at this point has been just copying ideas from the previous generation for over a decade, but throngs of young women of every race and background see her as a role model and inspiration. they're targeting her because she's a threat to conservative islamic cultural values.

i've got some issues with third wave feminism, but this needs some solidarity. we've got attacks in britain and canceled shows in austria, and i'd expect more threats and attacks are coming up. i would strongly doubt she wants to sign up to be a flash point in the new culture war (which is increasingly secularism v islam, rather than secularism v christianity), but she's been nominated and she has a responsibility to rile up her fans a little. her fans have the right to dress and act how they want, and she should remind them of that whenever she can.

maybe she didn't pick this fight, but she's gotta fight it.