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Faith

War on Words: CAIR Asks Journalists to Stop Using the Term ‘Islamist’

Jan. 6, 2013 8:12am Sharona Schwartz

CAIR Asks Journalists to Stop Using the Pejorative Term Islamist in New War on Words

National Communications Director of Council on American-Islamic Relations Ibrahim Hooper during a news conference at CAIR’s Washington, D.C. in 2010. (Getty Images)

The Muslim advocacy group Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is asking the nation’s media to make this their new year’s resolution: Stop using the word “Islamist.”

Ibrahim Hooper, CAIR’s communications director, explained in a Jan. 3 op-ed why his group is upset the Associated Press added the term to its latest stylebook, a document that guides reporters worldwide. Hooper wrote:

That entry reads: “Islamist — Supporter of government in accord with the laws of Islam. Those who view the Quran as a political model encompass a wide range of Muslims, from mainstream politicians to militants known as jihadi.”

The AP says it sought input from Arabic-speaking experts and hoped to provide a neutral perspective by emphasizing the “wide range” of religious views encompassed in the term.
Many Muslims who wish to serve the public good are influenced by the principles of their faith. Islam teaches Muslims to work for the welfare of humanity and to be honest and just. If this inspiration came from the Bible, such a person might well be called a Good Samaritan. But when the source is the Quran, the person is an “Islamist.”

Unfortunately, the term “Islamist” has become shorthand for “Muslims we don’t like.” It is currently used in an almost exclusively pejorative context and is often coupled with the term “extremist,” giving it an even more negative slant.

Hooper believes that because there are so few “positive references to ‘Islamist’ in news articles,” it should not be used. Though it’s hard to imagine how journalists might put a positive spin on beheadings and honor killings.

Hooper tried to strike a comparison between Islamic extremism with other religions. He wrote:

There are also no — nor should there be — references to “Christianists,” “Judaists” or “Hinduists” for those who would similarly seek governments “in accord with the laws” of their respective faiths.

No journalist would think of referring to the “Judaist government of Israel,” the “Christianist leader Rick Santorum” or “Hinduist Indian politician Narendra Modi,” while use of “Islamist” has become ubiquitous. It might be an interesting exercise to hold a contest, the winner of which would be the first to find a positive mainstream media reference to “Islamist.”

Quite likely, such a contest would end up being similar to a unicorn hunt.

The frequent linkage of the term “Islamist” to violence and denial of religious and human rights is also strongly promoted by Islamophobic groups and individuals who seek to launch rhetorical attacks on Islam and Muslims, without the public censure that would normally accompany such bigoted attacks on any other faith.

Radical Islam’s American watchdogs – presumably those “Islamophobic groups and individuals” to whom Hooper referred — have reacted to CAIR’s proposal. The Investigative Project on Terrorism’s Executive Director Steven Emerson pointed out the irony of the drop-the-word campaign, since not only have CAIR’s leaders used the term “Islamist” themselves, they also employ the term “Islamophobes” as a label for their critics.

Emerson wrote:

Hooper’s demand that “Islamist” be removed from the lexicon is ironic, since his bosses seemed more than comfortable placing themselves firmly in the world of “Islamists” back in 1993. CAIR founders Omar Ahmad and Nihad Awad joined two dozen Hamas supporters in Philadelphia for a fall weekend in an urgent meeting called to discuss ways to “derail” the U.S.-brokered Oslo Accords.

The FBI bugged the meeting room. Transcripts entered into evidence during a 2008 Hamas-financing trial show the participants referred to “Islamists” dozens of times. Ahmad helped lead the meeting, helping determine who might attend and calling it to order.

The FBI described the group as Hamas members and supporters. “Hamas’ agenda was not only to eliminate Israel,” prosecutors wrote, “but also to sabotage the Oslo Accords and to replace the secular PA regime with an Islamist government that would control all of Israel, the West Bank and Gaza.”

Emerson explained that Ahmad, CAIR chairman emeritus until 2009, used the term when presenting the group’s media strategy:

“The first goal was relating to activism among Muslims and Palestinians but we must broadcast our point of view in U. S. media. There is a very good reason for that which is bringing the voice of the Islamists to the surface, keeping them informed and explaining their positions in order to case the severity of allegations of radicalism and other things,” Ahmad said. [Emphasis added] “This will also make our position known to Muslims and sympathizers whom we cannot reach via our media tools.”

One speaker took pains to emphasize how important it was to cloak their true agenda, that is, destroying Israel:

“We must be clear that we oppose this thing 100% and that we, the Islamists … different from what is being suggested for Palestinian activism,” Akram said. No one disagreed.

Their claim on Palestine was not limited to the West Bank and Gaza, Ahmad said, agreeing it was not a wise strategy to say so publicly.

“We’ve always demanded the 1948 territories,” Ahmad said.

“Yes,” an unidentified speaker responded, “but we don’t say that publicly. You cannot say it publicly. In front of the Americans…”

“No,” Ahmad agreed, “we didn’t say that to the Americans.”

Nearly 20 years later, Ahmad’s organization doesn’t want Americans to say the same words he and his colleagues embraced.

Emerson provides multiple examples of CAIR supporters and members utilizing the term “Islamist” both in a matter of fact manner and boastfully. He wrote: “CAIR’s background…should be taken into consideration by anyone entertaining Hooper’s request to serve as language cop.”

Robert Spencer of Jihad Watch, another CAIR adversary, reminded readers that the media do not frequently identify CAIR as “an unindicted co-conspirator in a Hamas terror funding case, or note the jihad terror convictions of several of their former officers, or their consistent opposition to every anti-terror measure ever devised.” He wrote:

The irony is that, as I have explained many times (as in this National Review article), the term “Islamist” is often used by those who believe that Islam is a Religion of Peace that has been hijacked by a tiny minority of extremists, to create a distance between Islam, which is supposedly entirely benign and peaceful, and Islamism, which teaches political authoritarianism, subjugation of non-Muslims, and everything else about Islam that is unpleasant and at variance with Western principles of human rights. [...]

Anyway, now even the word “Islamist,” although it is usually used to exonerate Islam and distance its teachings from the violence and hate propagated in its name, is unacceptable for Hamas-linked CAIR. Clearly Hamas-linked CAIR’s amiable beekeper, Honest Ibe Hooper, sees how successful he and his fellow Islamic supremacists have been in co-opting the media, government, and law enforcement in recent years, and is pressing on toward final victory: the total silencing of any resistance to the global jihad and Islamic supremacism. […]

What Honest Ibe is not telling you here is that “Islamists” are generally proponents of political Islam, an authoritarian system that would deny basic rights to non-Muslims and women. Their political agenda is grounded in Islam in a way that no fair-minded person would say that Santorum’s is grounded in Christianity.

Twitter posters are suggesting new terms to describe radical Islamists. For example, David Garth wrote: “What do they want us to use? Adherents of a peaceful religion that have a nasty habit of murdering people?”

While RightWingNerd quipped: “But really, who hasn’t accidentally beheaded someone?”

If you had to write an article about religiously-motivated Islamists, which alternate term would you use? Add your ideas in comments below.

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Comments (310)

Bobby D
Posted on January 6, 2013 at 11:10am
Best posts of this young new year. I am simply laughing my ISLAMIST OFF!!!!!

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Patriot760
Posted on January 6, 2013 at 11:08am
I prefer filthy murderers to Islamist. Why haven’t we deported these CAIR idiots

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Rayblue
Posted on January 6, 2013 at 11:02am
Since they bought Algores TV program they took the high minded concept of changing “global warming” to “climate change” and applied it to themselves.
Original.

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- SolitudeBliss
  Posted on January 6, 2013 at 12:09pm
  Yeah, but really, does anyone actually watch AlGozeera?
  
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strawberry411a
Posted on January 6, 2013 at 11:02am
Let’s just call them Canadians then.

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AbrahamsSheepdog
Posted on January 6, 2013 at 11:02am
Did the media ask for this to be put out there? They own the media already almost. This is a warning.

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stopprintn
Posted on January 6, 2013 at 10:59am
Time to start a web site so people can sign up , once we get 100,000, we all burn a koran and post it to Youtube. Give these idiots a good dose of the 1st amendment.

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Joisey
Posted on January 6, 2013 at 10:55am
How about we just keep using “Islamo-Fascist” instead?

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jeffile
Posted on January 6, 2013 at 10:55am
So, we can’t reference anymore to adherents of Buddhism as Buddhist?

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nosharia
Posted on January 6, 2013 at 10:54am
I will now use therm Islamist at every opportunity

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Dkoonz
Posted on January 6, 2013 at 10:54am
Islamist, Islamist, Islamist………..Sue me

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barber2
Posted on January 6, 2013 at 10:50am
Think what amazes me the most is that in this Western era of Oprah and women’s rights, any Western female could even have the slightest respect for the misogynist Muslim / Islamic ( whatever the heck they want to be called ) “culture. ” Unbelievable step BACKWARD for all of our phony FORWARD young Obama radicals . Makes absolutely no sense .

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right field
Posted on January 6, 2013 at 10:42am
“Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me.”
This sentiment is reflected in / reflects the common law of civil assault, which holds that mere name-calling does not give rise to a cause of action, while putting someone in fear of physical violence does.

What is to be done when the “violent” members of a religious group become the vast majority of that group?

Perhaps the MSM should reserve the use of the word ‘Islamist’ only in reference to any actions taken by those who hide behind their beliefs in Islam as justification of physical violence – Maybe the MSM should add the adjective “violent” to replace “extremist” whenever attempting to describe those members who have “hijacked” this religion.

Perhaps the “peaceful” and “nonviolent” members of Islam should form a new denomination and expel the “extremist and violent” members who seek to use their religion to control governments and destroy others’ lives.

Perhaps there really is a problem with Islam that has resulted in these overwhelming negative associations with most “Islamist.” Perhaps the MSM is doing their job – for once.

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ThomasUSA
Posted on January 6, 2013 at 10:41am
They are the “domestic” enemy

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KennethH
Posted on January 6, 2013 at 10:41am
Who are they kidding? Islamist: Person who supports the creation of an absolute Theocracy thus removing human rights, women’s rights, children’s rights, gay rights and basically any right to any form of freedom other than wearing a burqa and a long beard. The issue here is that so called “moderates” are scared of the Islamists so they will let them rule and do anything they want. Islamists may be a minority but they control the remaining muslims. The nazis were also a minority in 1935 and we all know who took over.

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barber2
Posted on January 6, 2013 at 10:40am
This all reminds me of the ” victimization ” that Nazis must have been proclaiming in their media : ” just because we burned a few bad books..and rounded up some religious ” trouble-makers, ” we are being targeted and labelled unfairly ! We are really peaceful and inclusive .” ( never give a liar or a deceiver an inch ….)

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COFemale
Posted on January 6, 2013 at 10:32am
When you stop using Islamphobia. Okay we will call you “Islamic jihadist”. Will that work? I am sorry if the word we use accurately depicts the lot of you. CAIR is not be trusted and are part of this “benign” caliphate group ready to pounce when the word is given. It will come from a signal from Obama, our first Muslim President. If he was not still a practicing Muslim, Morsi would not even talk to him. Think about this.

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xendude
Posted on January 6, 2013 at 10:30am
This is a teachable moment all jokes aside, CAIR believes they should be call what they are. The Faithful?

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burnteye86
Posted on January 6, 2013 at 10:27am
If the suicide belt fits, wear it

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- Bobby D
  Posted on January 6, 2013 at 11:16am
  I cannot stop laughing my ISLAMIST off. Great post!!!
  
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lel2007
Posted on January 6, 2013 at 10:27am
As far as I know, the only people that strap bombs on their children, satiate their blood thirsty deity by killing Jews and infidels, treat their women like slaves, and condemn all other religions are those who’s instruction book’s name begins with a ‘K’ and are identified by words beginning with ‘I’ and ‘M’, and often ‘T’. Most can be found on their knees, five times a day, facing a place called mecca – most likely praying to their deity for world dominance.
Supposedly, not all these followers of the ‘K’ book are in agreement with the really enthusiastic ‘T’, ‘I’ or ‘M’, but no one really knows because they are too frightened to say or do anything to stop them, or they actually do support them. So now, these followers of the ‘K’ no longer want to be identified as ‘I’-ist. I’m in favor of calling the group by the term ‘Savagists’.

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- KennethH
  Posted on January 6, 2013 at 10:47am
  Well said. I wish more people understood this important issue the way you do.
  
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BDtheCD
Posted on January 6, 2013 at 10:26am
I’m so sorry if we have offended the people who seek to kill infidels. Let me rephrase, you are not Islamist you are Islamist terrorists. Is that better?

You can kiss my ass!

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LemonCreek
Posted on January 6, 2013 at 10:26am
Please my fellow countrymen, call the NRA and tell them to start a new polticial party, we have been forsaken by both the parties we now have. 1 877 NRA 2000 I have and I think they like the idea. Please call and tell them. Please, I beg you.

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Mr.Fitnah
Posted on January 6, 2013 at 10:22am
The proper word is Muslim.

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- COFemale
  Posted on January 6, 2013 at 10:36am
  The proper word is whatever we say it is. I don’t give a rats a$$ what CAIR thinks or what you think. If you want to put your head in the sand, don’t be surprised when you pull it out it is not attached.
  
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- Mr.Fitnah
  Posted on January 6, 2013 at 9:23pm
  My head in the sand ? I can prove that any muslim of sound mind and body is a terrorist killer and if he isn’t he deserves death according to Islam.I can do this using Islamic Fiqh. Where is your head?
  
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BrotherWill
Posted on January 6, 2013 at 10:20am
Its not the term as to why we don’t like them. It has more to do with their xenophobic irrational genocidal rampage on everything non-Muslim.

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xendude
Posted on January 6, 2013 at 10:19am
I guess they would have them be called the faithful?

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- Mr.Fitnah
  Posted on January 6, 2013 at 10:32am
  The Quran calls them believers
  9:111
  Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise. They fight in the cause of Allah , so they kill and are killed. [It is] a true promise [binding] upon Him in the Torah and the Gospel and the Qur’an. And who is truer to his covenant than Allah ? So rejoice in your transaction which you have contracted. And it is that which is the great attainment.
  9:112
  [Such believers are] the repentant, the worshippers, the praisers [of Allah ], the travelers [for His cause], those who bow and prostrate [in prayer], those who enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, and those who observe the limits [set by] Allah . And give good tidings to the believers.
  
  Forbidding what is wrong run the spectrum of words to violence
  http://spa.qibla.com/issue_view.asp?HD=1&ID=161&CATE=14
- KennethH
  Posted on January 6, 2013 at 10:52am
  9:11 1? are you kidding me? Now I know how they picked the date! ;)
  
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- Mr.Fitnah
  Posted on January 6, 2013 at 9:27pm
  They picked that date as it is the day that the islamic siege on Vienna was broken by John III Sobieski, the west owes its existence to the polish king in part.
  
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Tri-ox
Posted on January 6, 2013 at 10:18am
Yes, instead of using the term ‘islamists’, just call muslims what they are, ‘terrorists’.

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