2008 Woodie Awards
Week dedicated to 'Islamo-Facism' initiates discussion
by Sarah Esralew
Issue date: 11/2/07 Section: News
Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week triggered student activism at many of the 114 college campuses where it was recognized last week.
David Horowitz, the journalist who spearheaded the initiative, stated on the Terrorism Awareness Web site that the goal of the week, which was initiated by the David Horowitz Freedom Center, was to "highlight the threat from the Islamic jihad and the oppression of Muslim women."
The name of the week offended some groups, including the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, which considers the term "Islamo-Fascism" hate speech.
Kareem Shora, the committee's executive director, said comparing Islam to fascism is intellectually incongruent. He said the committee's primary goal was to eliminate such rhetoric during the week and to provide a basis for fair discourse.
"We want to be very careful in making sure that we don't try to stop freedom of speech or freedom of expression. Anyone has a right to say what they want. That's what this country is all about, after all," Shora said. "But when it comes to college campuses, and when it comes to any sensitive issues that might be [relevant] to the academic discussion, [it is important] that it's balanced, that all points of views are heard. We also need to be very careful not to use any hate speech."
Horowitz said he uses the word "Islamo-Fascism" because it is necessary to designate a term for the "religious fanatics who want to use the power of the state to enforce the religion."
"You can't leave out the fact that its roots are in Islam," he said. "You know it's a perverted view. It would be like pretending that the Ku Klux Klan, which burned crosses, isn't a Christian organization. It's a perversion of Christianity."
Horowitz said if the name of the week were changed, it would still be subject to criticism.
"If I held a 'Terrorism Awareness Week,' I'd get the same attacks," he said. "People get attacked if they mention the word 'Islam' or 'Muslim' in the same paragraph as 'terrorist.' "
David Horowitz, the journalist who spearheaded the initiative, stated on the Terrorism Awareness Web site that the goal of the week, which was initiated by the David Horowitz Freedom Center, was to "highlight the threat from the Islamic jihad and the oppression of Muslim women."
The name of the week offended some groups, including the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, which considers the term "Islamo-Fascism" hate speech.
Kareem Shora, the committee's executive director, said comparing Islam to fascism is intellectually incongruent. He said the committee's primary goal was to eliminate such rhetoric during the week and to provide a basis for fair discourse.
"We want to be very careful in making sure that we don't try to stop freedom of speech or freedom of expression. Anyone has a right to say what they want. That's what this country is all about, after all," Shora said. "But when it comes to college campuses, and when it comes to any sensitive issues that might be [relevant] to the academic discussion, [it is important] that it's balanced, that all points of views are heard. We also need to be very careful not to use any hate speech."
Horowitz said he uses the word "Islamo-Fascism" because it is necessary to designate a term for the "religious fanatics who want to use the power of the state to enforce the religion."
"You can't leave out the fact that its roots are in Islam," he said. "You know it's a perverted view. It would be like pretending that the Ku Klux Klan, which burned crosses, isn't a Christian organization. It's a perversion of Christianity."
Horowitz said if the name of the week were changed, it would still be subject to criticism.
"If I held a 'Terrorism Awareness Week,' I'd get the same attacks," he said. "People get attacked if they mention the word 'Islam' or 'Muslim' in the same paragraph as 'terrorist.' "
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Stuart Kaufman
posted 11/06/07 @ 9:30 AM EST
Just one clarification on the quote from me in this article: I did not use the term "politically-correct," nor do I endorse the use of that term. The origins of the term are in the Soviet Union, when it meant that someone was correctly following the Communist Party line, as defined by Lenin, Stalin or their successors. (Continued…)
Muslims Against Sharia
posted 11/25/07 @ 4:54 AM EST
Muslims Against Sharia congratulate David Horowitz FREEDOM CENTER and Mike Adams, Tammy Bruce, Phyllis Chesler, Ann Coulter, Nonie Darwish, Greg Davis, Stephen Gale, David Horowitz, Joe Kaufman, Michael Ledeen, Michael Medved, Alan Nathan, Cyrus Nowrasteh, Daphne Patai, Daniel Pipes, Dennis Prager, Luana Saghieh, Rick Santorum, Jonathan Schanzer, Christina Sommers, Robert Spencer, Brian Sussman, Ed Turzanski, Ibn Warraq and other speakers on the success of the Islamofascism Awareness Week. (Continued…)
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