Important truths have been drowned out by the hysteria over President Trump’s executive order temporarily delaying refugees from countries that export jihadists. In fact, the media, the protesters, the politicos and pundits on all sides, have completely missed the central significance of Donald Trump’s actions his first 10 days in the White House.

Before we get to that, if you don’t mind, let’s take a quick look at some truths about this refugee vetting business, toss some context into the craziness.

8 Quick Truths on the Riotous Refugee Response

First, breathe. It all works out. This is not some national crisis.

Second, let’s be honest. President Trump could order a pizza and ten thousand Soros-funded protesters would descend on the White House accusing him of cultural misappropriation and offending Italians. His daughter can’t even tweet out a picture of herself without the hordes of hate descending.

Third, as KellyAnne Conway pointed out on Fox News Sunday and The Last Refuge blog spelled out in detail, President Trump is primarily executing what the Obama Administration had previously dictated and/or done. We didn’t see protests at airports when Obama temporarily banned refugees from Iraq, or when he named the very same seven countries as being hotbeds of terrorist activity. There was no weeping from Chuck Schumer during Obama’s last week in office when he left Cubans high and dry.

Fourth, I seem to recall no complaints from the left when President Obama cited the federal jurisdiction over immigration matters when he stomped on former Arizona Governor Jan Brewer’s efforts to protect her state’s southern border.

Fifth, the notion that this action will be a recruiting tool for radical Islamists mystifies me. If you are saying that taking steps to protect America from radical Islamists will trigger moderate Muslims and turn them into jihadis … what are you saying about moderate Muslims? Seems you’re the one holding Muslims in low esteem, not Trump.

Sixth, this is what Trump ran on and he won. To quote former President Obama: “Elections have consequences.” So did failing to fully vet the San Bernardino terrorists, the Ohio State jihadist, the “rapefugees” who have run rampage in Germany and Sweden …

Seventh, speaking of Obama, he couldn’t even wait ten days before criticizing his successor. George W. spent eight years painting puppies and portraits rather than uttering a peep. Learn the lesson. If you don’t have the class to stay quiet, at least wait long enough to be missed. Also, as Joe Scarborough noted Tuesday morning, Obama’s interjection is “rank hypocrisy,” given his role in creating the refugee crisis in the first place.

Eighth and most important: Once long-overdue security procedures are in place, real refugees interested in a new life in America will be fully welcomed and/or protected. What will change? Only that Christian refugees in the Middle East left hung out to die by the Obama Administration will finally find safety. Hiccups, missteps and even oversteps are already being corrected, not only by the administration but by our system of checks and balances.

That’s the reality. That’s the blessing of our country. That’s the spirit of our country. And that’s “who we are,” to quote Former-President-to Be-Hillary Clinton.

Yet, even all of this is missing what is really going on.

Trump is Sending a Message

Look at what Donald Trump has done since taking the reins.

1. Withdrew from TTP.
2. Issued an Executive Order starting the building of the border wall, and repeating the mantra “Mexico will pay for the wall,” even at the cost of Mexico’s President cancelling his planned visit.
3. Talked about torture, with a leaked document suggesting he’s planning to reopen CIA black sites.
4. Issued the Executive Order on refugees.
5. Fired the Acting Attorney General for refusing to carry out that order.

What do they have in common? Agree with him, disagree with him, want him dead like Madonna, the answer is clear: Each one has Trump saying “I am putting America first.” Each one says, “I will do whatever I deem necessary to protect America.” And each one says very loudly, “I do what I said I would do.”

But why is he moving so loudly? Why so quickly? There’s only one reason: He must teach our enemies who he is, and thus what America will be under his watch.

Flashback to 1981. Newly inaugurated President Ronald Reagan fires striking air traffic controllers. He’d told them they couldn’t strike, they did, so he fired them. Why? He knew the Soviet Union was watching and trying to figure out this actor who was now Commander-in-Chief. The Soviets later admitted that Reagan’s willingness to shut down America’s skies taught them that he was not going to be pushed around.

Flashback to last night. Former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates played straight into Trump’s hands. She gave the President the opportunity to pull a Reagan and fire someone in prime time. Even better, she gave that opportunity to the same guy who turned “You’re Fired!” into a national catch-phrase. (Note to Yates: Playing political theater with Donald Trump is like playing Shakespeare opposite Laurence Olivier.)

I feel bad for our friend and neighbor Mexico. I feel bad for well-intentioned visitors and aliens caught at airports. I pray for genuine refugees who have to wait a bit longer to breathe the air of freedom. I even pray for Sally Yates in her new gig as progressive heroine.

However, the truth is what has happened during President Trump’s initial days has little to do with them. It has to do with sending a message to those who mean us harm. In a manner of speaking, all of Trump’s executive orders and statements are written in Russian, Chinese, Korean, Arabic and Farsi. And the translation is simply this: “Be warned: I will protect America at any cost.”

We’ve just finished eight years of appeasement and apologies, of global interests overriding American interests, while our enemies and rivals gained in strength and reach. At his most energetic, Obama conducted half-hearted interventions that made matters worse. Half of Libya is now run by ISIS or al Qaeda allies. He helped the Muslim Brotherhood come to power in Egypt. When he warned Syria and the Russians of a “red line,” he promptly allowed them to cross it. After all those years of weakness, Trump’s message is not just necessary but urgent:

“If I draw a line in the sand, and you cross it, I will erase not it, but you.”

Despots in foreign capitals are duly taking notice.