Video
Twitter
Facebook
RSS Feed
THE QUESTION
What to call terrorists?
In its 2010 National Security Strategy, the Obama administration sought to sever the relationship between Islam and terrorism, rejecting the use of terms like 'Islamic terrorist' and 'jihad' to describe acts of terror.
The linguistic change was a policy shift from the Bush administration and part of Obama's overall strategy to reinvent America's relationship with the Muslim world.
But the policy change has its critics. On Monday, the Washington Institute for Near East Policy published a report rebuking the Obama administration's approach, suggesting that the new strategy dangerously ignores the religious motivations of terrorists.
What should we call terrorists, some of whom claim to be motivated by their religion? Can one be an Islamic terrorist? What about a Christian terrorist? Does what we call terrorists matter?
Posted by
Elizabeth Tenety on July 12, 2010 7:51 PM
FROM THE PANEL
Depends..... on the lens you are wearing
Both are right. And both are wrong. It just depends on the lens you are wearing. And, it depends on how you define God, religion and religious identity which is often influenced by the history, the philosophy and the practice of its people.
Posted by Anju Bhargava, on July 16, 2010 1:56 AM
The true language of counter-terrorism
We can't really study modern terrorism without developing an understanding of the motivations. Religion is a significant motivation underlying much modern terrorism.
Posted by Ronald Rychlak, on July 14, 2010 1:28 PM
Violent 'Muslims' distort the tradition
Religiously motivated violence adds the dimensions of divine or ultimate authority, religious symbolism, moral justification, motivation and obligation, certitude, and heavenly reward that enhance recruitment and a willingness to fight and die in a sacred struggle.
Posted by John Esposito, on July 14, 2010 9:27 AM
What Does the Name "Terrorist" Tell Us About Ourselves?
What does the name "terrorist" tell us about ourselves? Like most good questions, this one is extremely hard to arrive at, for the simple reason that the resistance to asking it is so great. Nevertheless, once we get at it, the answer isn't hard to find.
Posted by Clark Strand, on July 14, 2010 8:35 AM
God deserves better than terror
The power of relaxing the blanket description of "terrorist" and not using it to apply to all Muslims is that it recognizes that there are good and bad apples in all sectors of society and in all religions.
Posted by Susan K. Smith, on July 13, 2010 6:47 PM
"Terrorism" is newspeak for psychological warfare
While I applaud Obama's desire to "reinvent America's relationship with the Muslim world," his word-manipulation is too clever by half. "We are at war," he says; but he refuses enemy-identification - refuses to face the reality that this is a war of religion.
Posted by Willis E. Elliott, on July 13, 2010 6:09 PM
Sheer stupidity to ignore the religious in Muslim terrorism
Not mentioning terror's motivation may be politically correct; not knowing it is really dangerous.
Posted by Adin Steinsaltz, on July 13, 2010 6:07 PM
Terrorism is criminal sin
It matters what we call terrorists. The most important correction we can make regarding terrorists is to deny them the name of God.
Posted by Valerie Elverton Dixon, on July 13, 2010 5:48 PM
Why telling Muslims what they believe is a bad idea
If Western policy analysts start down the road of defining this or that aspect of Islam for Muslims, this will serve to create divides, not overcome them. The Obama Administration's policy, by contrast, is both practical and wise. In regard to Islam, it can be summarized as 'Don't define people's religion for them; it never works out well.'
Posted by Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite, on July 13, 2010 4:24 PM
Don't associate Muslims with the violent actions of a few
Terms matter. As we continue unquestioningly to use such descriptions as "Islamic terrorist," we drill into the public's mind a stereotype that hurts others - and, in the end, hurts us.
Posted by Max Carter, on July 13, 2010 1:37 PM
Say no to 'Jihadis,' 'Islamic terrorism' and 'Islamo-Fascism'
The beginning of wisdom is to call something by its proper name. To pretend that this terrorism is not rooted in the terrorists' own understanding of Islam is delusional.
Posted by Chris Seiple, on July 13, 2010 12:26 PM
Three reasons to not call terrorism 'Islamic'
There is no doubt that the vast majority of people who have recently sought to inflict mass destruction on the United States and its citizens claim to be motivated by their understanding of Islam. But we should not accept their self-definitions.
Posted by David Gushee, on July 13, 2010 10:40 AM
Islamic terror is real, as is Jewish and Christian terror
Not only is the current policy of shying away from admitting the truth about religious terror foolish, it is dangerous.
Posted by Brad Hirschfield, on July 13, 2010 9:22 AM
'Islamic terrorism' an unacceptable term
The Obama administration is right to decouple the religious description of terrorists from them, even if they claim to be motivated by their religion.
Posted by Julia Neuberger, on July 13, 2010 4:41 AM
A terrorist is a terrorist is a terrorist
We need to find the most effective ways to stop terrorists, rather than debate whether to adjective them. Neither President Obama nor any other government official can sever the relationship between Islam and terrorism. Only Islam can, and it hasn't.
Posted by Herb Silverman, on July 12, 2010 11:44 PM
Obama is right to unlink Islam and terror
As far as war and violence is concerned the record of no religion is perfect. We tend to interpret religion to suit our needs and to kill our conscience when it begins to raise its voice. We human beings are great at manipulating everything, including religion.
Posted by Arun Gandhi, on July 12, 2010 9:27 PM
Terrorists who falsely claim justification in Islam
It is not surprising that -- given the majority ethos in American culture, identifying Christianity and perhaps Judaism with good and Islam with evil, alien -- American usage has allowed the description of some terrorists as "Muslim terrorists," but has failed to call IRA killers or those who have killed abortion providers "Christian terrorists."
Posted by Arthur Waskow, on July 12, 2010 9:03 PM
Take terrorists at their word
There have been people and movements that may be accurately described as "Jewish terrorists" or "Christian terrorists." It is up to those of us who represent those traditions to make it clear why their beliefs and actions are contrary to the faith for which they claim to militate.
Posted by Jason Poling, on July 12, 2010 7:03 PM
Rhetorical games and ideologically-driven terrorists
I have more faith in the ability of most Americans to distinguish between some people and all people than the President's omission of adjectives presumes.
Posted by Jack Moline, on July 12, 2010 5:44 PM
Tell the truth: There are Islamic terrorists
We do peace loving Muslims no honor by refusing to properly label their violent brethren. Someone who targets innocent people in the name of Islam is an Islamic terrorist. To say otherwise is a cowardly evasion.
Posted by David Wolpe, on July 12, 2010 4:02 PM
