Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

America’s War on Words
The New Media Journal ^ | April 30, 2008 | Mark Silverberg

Posted on 04/30/2008 7:22:14 AM PDT by NewMediaJournal

The Bush administration has launched a new “outreach” policy reflecting it’s reluctance to discuss jihadism in public. This time, it has targeted language. We are no longer at war with “jihadism”. Rather, we are engaged in a war against “extremism”.

In a document titled: "Words that Work and Words that Don't: A Guide for Counterterrorism Communication” released in March 2008, Federal agencies including the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security and the National Counter Terrorism Center will now be issued instructions on how not to describe "jihadists”, or the "mujahedeen", or to use any references relating to Islam, Islamic theology or Muslims in the context of our current war. Nor are these the only words to be struck from the government’s political lexicon. Words and phrases like “al Qaeda movement”, “Salafi”, “Wahhabist”, “Sufi”, “ummah” (the Muslim world), “Islamic terrorist”, “Islamist”, “holy warrior” and even “caliphate” are also to be removed from diplomatic discourse.

The erroneous rationale given is that these terms promote support for “extremism” among Arab and Muslim audiences by providing religious credibility to “extremists” while offending moderate Muslims. The directive states that the term “jihad” tends to “glamorize terrorism, imbues terrorists with religious authority they do not have and damages relations with Muslims around the world". The memo says the advice is not binding and does not apply to official policy papers, but should be used as a guide for conversations with Muslims and media.

(Excerpt) Read more at newmediajournal.us ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: censorship; islamofascism; jihad; policy

1 posted on 04/30/2008 7:22:14 AM PDT by NewMediaJournal
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: NewMediaJournal

In wars of words and coining the phrase which casts the appropriate spin with the perfect degree of acceptability, the right usually loses outright or comes in sceond place. One notable exception is the terms “Pro-Life” versus “Pro-Choice”, the right definitely won in that exchange. From a global perspective, the Bush administration is absolutely correct in looking for better words which don’t alienate our allies interests.


2 posted on 04/30/2008 7:26:48 AM PDT by contemplator (Capitalism gets no Rock Concerts)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NewMediaJournal

President Bush called them “jihadists” just yesterday at his press conference.


3 posted on 04/30/2008 7:33:08 AM PDT by metesky ("Brethren, leave us go amongst them." Rev. Capt. Samuel Johnston Clayton - Ward Bond- The Searchers)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NewMediaJournal
Rather, we are engaged in a war against "extremism".

And since "liberal" means "extreme"...
4 posted on 04/30/2008 7:35:17 AM PDT by Telepathic Intruder
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: metesky
President Bush called them “jihadists” just yesterday at his press conference.

Exactly.

And last week, when the muzzies demanded McCain stop referring to the terrorists as "Islamic" terrorists, he told 'em that he would continue to refer to them as such as "That is what they are."

But these are inconvenient things to report as it doen's fit the media agenda

5 posted on 04/30/2008 7:38:30 AM PDT by maine-iac7 (Typical Gun-Toting, Jesus-Loving Gramma)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: NewMediaJournal
The erroneous rationale given is that these terms promote support for “extremism” among Arab and Muslim audiences by providing religious credibility to “extremists” while offending moderate Muslims.

How f#@king stupid can these people get?

If a Muslim terrorist shouts Allah Achbar as he blows himself, and his victims, up because he thinks he is doing what the Koran told him to do then how can anyone deny that he is a Muslim?

The Koran and Hadith sanction and encourage 98% of the terrorism in the world today.

[2.191] And kill them wherever you find them, and drive them out from whence they drove you out, and persecution is severer than slaughter, and do not fight with them at the Sacred Mosque until they fight with you in it, but if they do fight you, then slay them; such is the recompense of the unbelievers.

[4.89] They desire that you should disbelieve as they have disbelieved, so that you might be (all) alike; therefore take not from among them friends until they fly (their homes) in Allah's way; but if they turn back, then seize them and kill them wherever you find them, and take not from among them a friend or a helper.

8:23 I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them.

[9.5] So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush, then if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, leave their way free to them; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

6 posted on 04/30/2008 7:57:59 AM PDT by Wil H
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: NewMediaJournal
This is again a ridiculous part of the propaganda being pushed by the OIC who will ultimately fail to convince people that our only security problem is with islamic extremists rather than islamic ideology. The OIC doesn't want anyone to use ‘islamic’ to describe the extremists. Gives islam a bad image they say, 1800 years too late on that one. Here is their outline. Don't call terrorist jihadists, next, call them extremists, but not islamic extremists.

Since nearly all islamic traditions can be traced back to the pre-islamic worship of Allah, the moon god (note the crescent emblem on flags, mosques, I wouldn't have a problem calling the extremists Islamic Moon god Jihadists.

7 posted on 04/30/2008 9:27:18 AM PDT by morningstar_ssa
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson