Shane Mage
"In war, the first casualty is always the truth."
>Hi,
>
>I think we should be objecting to the use of the terms "Islamism"
>and "Islamicism" used to describe the small fraction of observant
>Muslims who engage in terrorism. The problem is in the implication
>that anyone whose main ideology is centered on Islamic religious
>beliefs is somehow complicit in fanaticism or terrorism.
>
>Daniel Pipes is one of the key pundits promoting this term, but I am
>seeing more frequently in mainstream reports.
>
>You can see the language problem in terms of relative usage. If
>"Islamicism" is Muslim fanaticism, then is "Judaism" thus Jewish
>fanaticism? I think not.
>
>An "ism" is just a belief structure. Being an observant Muslim or
>even a "fundamentalist" Muslim does not mean that one supports
>theocracy or violence.
>
>Those who perpetrated the terrorist attacks on the WTC towers and
>the Pentagon may turn out to be Fundamentalist Muslim zealots, but
>note that it takes three words to even approach an accurate
>description. Phrases such as demonizing apocalyptic fundamentalist,
>theocratic authoritarian, religious totalitarian, even clerical
>fascist, can be appended to any religion to describe the most
>zealous and violent adherents.
>
>Let's not spread bigotry through careless use of language.
>"Islamism" and "Islamicism" are inherently bigoted terms.
>
>Chip Berlet