New State Department lexicon forbids use of the words "jihad" or "jihadist"Another way to marginalize and nullify the counter-jihad?
A reliable source has informed me that Condoleeza Rice has approved a new lexicon for State Department usage, absolutely forbidding the use of the terms "jihad" and "jihadist" by any State Department official.
The argument, of course, is the old Streusand/Guirard claim that by using the word jihad, we're validating the jihadist claim to be waging jihad. Of course, it's ridiculous to think that the U.S. State Department carries any validating authority within the Islamic world to determine what is Islam and what isn't. This would be the first time that unbelievers have set the meaning of Islamic theology for Muslims.
Also, the claim is that by using the word "jihad," we are insulting the peaceful Muslims who are waging the daily jihad of the struggle against sin, the struggle against the dirty dishes, etc. And that's great, if that's what any Muslim actually believes is the sum and substance of jihad, but it is an understanding of jihad that is at odds with the Qur'an, the Sunnah, and all the schools of Islamic jurisprudence. Will Muslims be insulted by a reference to other Muslims using the traditional primary meaning of jihad? Answer: probably. But that doesn't negate the traditional status of that meaning, or the influence of that traditional view in the Islamic world.
I will publish more information on this when possible.
Posted by Robert at April 22, 2008 8:12 AM
Our leaders are determined to seal our doom!
I feel like crawling under a rock.
HeavyStix, the company in Maine that does the Jihad Watch stickers (part of their profits go to JW and to Hirsi Ali's security fund) has 10-pack bumper stickers of DEFEAT JIHAD and OUTLAW SHARIA. Since my DJ one just got replaced with the JOHN MCCAIN THE ONLY CHOICE WHO WILL STAND UP TO FANATICAL ISLAM (I figure I owe an explanation), the rest will have to go somewhere, won't they... ? heavystix.com is worth checking out just for the Grander Union flag, if you haven't seen it already.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, it's a small thing, but getting the words themselves in front of people every day, even if only from the back of a Stop sign, helps to raise awareness. Educating the public is crucial now that the government and media whose job that is have defaulted. Seeing the words gets their attention. Most of them have no idea what Sharia is, so a sticker or button or shirt may get them to google it or ask questions of the wearer. (Of course the down side is the first entry they get is the Wikitaqqiya version, but when I just tried it the next one down was American Thinker on why Sharia is bad for everyone.)
If the words are forbidden we must make every effort to get the words in front of the public. The more people stimulated to investigate the words, the more who will be drawn to the blogs and other sources of the information they need. We are in danger of uninformed and foolish people electing a pro-Muslim government this year and those words may be labeled 'hate speech' and censored on pain of arrest if that happens. There is no 'it can't happen here'. It is happening in France to Brigitte Bardot. It happened in Italy to Fallaci. It happened in Canada to Levant. It will start happening here after next January if there is an Obama administration. Unless the public knows what these words mean, will they pay attention when it is labeled 'hate speech' to protest them? Or will they just shrug and shut up?
Title it...
ReplyDelete"Do you really think Obama could be any worse?"
They really are just rolling out the red carpet and strewing it with roses for him, aren't they?
ReplyDelete