What Would Using The Label ‘Radical Islamic Terrorism’ Accomplish?
For nearly eight years now President Obama has led this country through some of its toughest times in recent memory, while being maligned and called every name in the book from the opposition. They have treated him with disrespect at every turn and forgotten how much they ridiculed and ostracized others for doing the same to their own President last term. No President is ever perfect, but Obama has accomplished much despite the opposition.
It should come as no surprise then that Republicans in Congress and conservative media hound him about the term “radical Islamic terrorism” or “radical Muslim”. Far too often they call him a Muslim apologist and call him a secret Muslim. They say why doesn’t he defend Christians or Americans like he does these foreigners and killers? The answer to that is simple. Why defend the majority of Americans to the American people?
A few days ago the President gave a speech chiding his detractors about their insistence he use “radical Muslim terrorism.” He knows exactly why they want him to start using these terms, and so do they. I am glad that this President has been intelligent enough to stay away from this brainwashing of the American people to try and avert an unnecessary war. That is the only reason why they try to keep insisting that he say it.
It is a very old tactic and it works well. Repeat something often enough and people begin to believe it. In this case, the word association of radical and Muslim and terrorist will start to play together in people’s heads. The same will go for Islam as well since that word will also go into the phrase interchangeably. When you hear any of those words the others will automatically fall into place. It is the start of the “othering” of a group of people, and the first step to dehumanizing and going to war.
President Obama has been de-escalating the conflicts in the Middle East where he can, and he didn’t go to war in Syria when he had the perfect opportunity to do so. Sure, he could do a lot better about the drone strikes, but as I said no President is ever perfect. Still, the section of our military complex that thrives when we are at war must be suffering a bit because we have scaled back, and they might be talking to their friends in Congress and the media.
That is just speculation of course. The opposition could just be warmongers who want a new religious war, or they think the tactic is one that will put them back in power. However, when you begin the brainwashing and “othering” of a people, it has consequences. Hatred builds in a country, especially when they are attacked, and those people who are used to using the words do so again. Eventually, that hatred is unleashed. It will start against those living here, and then it seeks those same enemies in their own homes.
Don’t think for a moment that every time a politician or a talking head on Fox News pontificates about President Obama not using the label “radical Islamic terrorism,” they don’t know exactly what they are doing. This is what they are trying to do and what it would accomplish if the next President would start to use it regularly. Think about that very hard when you go to vote this November.
