Orwellianism is in the saddle in the EU, and the solons are busy sharpening their Newspeak lexicon. An update on this story. “Fighting terrorism one word at a time: The European Union balks at ‘Islamic terrorism’ and other phrases. It’s working on a lexicon that counters the terrorists’ terminology.” From the Christian Science Monitor, with thanks to all who sent this in:
Officials in Brussels have embarked on an unusual exercise, combing their dictionaries to excise words and phrases that could cause offense.
When the review is complete and the rules laid down, you will not, for example, hear EU officials talk any more about “Islamic terrorism.”
That sort of shorthand reference to the bombings in Madrid and London, and other outrages committed in the name of Islam, is commonplace today. But EU policymakers worry that it lumps all Muslims into the same category, and angers them.
“There is no justification at all for including all law-abiding Muslim citizens in our messages about terrorism,” says Friso Roscam-Abbing, an EU spokesman. “The politically more correct term will be ‘terrorism that abusively invokes Islam.’ ”
“That may be all very long and cumbersome,” he acknowledges. “But millions of Muslims live in the EU, and they are simply not terrorists.”
To speak of “Islamic terrorism” doesn’t include “all law-abiding Muslim citizens in…messages about terrorism.” It merely acknowledges the fact that the perpetrators of this terrorism justify and fuel it by reference to Islamic concepts. The idea that they “abusively” invoke Islam is highly questionable, since these “law-abiding Muslim citizens” have come up with no effective refutation of their theology on Islamic grounds, and have not made any move to bar them from their communities. If they are abusively invoking Islam, why aren’t these law-abiding Muslim citizens leading efforts to resist them?
Mr. Roscam-Abbing may be prepared to admit to political correctness, but he rejects accusations that the EU is soft-soaping “Islamic radicals” – another phrase that is coming under the microscope.
“We are very tough on combating terrorism,” he insists. “We will absolutely continue to detect the bad guys and prevent them from committing terrorist acts. But at the same time we are respectful of citizens’ beliefs.”
Sure, Roscam-Abbing. But unfortunately, pretending that you don’t have the problem that you have will not make it go away.