Most people on my side of the various debates on U.S. foreign policy and military action are a bit perplexed by the term “Islamo-Fascist”.
It seems to confuse them that they don’t know what it means. I don’t know what it means either. However, I’m not the least bit confused by the term.
If you’ve noticed, when you hear someone use the term, you already know where they’re going on the subject.
Shibboleth: (Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary)—
1. a: A word or saying used by adherents of a…belief and usually regarded by others as empty of real meaning…”
Islamo-Fascist or Islamo-(insert your own ideological sounding, negative connotation-bearing term); same thing.
Where do you see in the general association, any specific connection between Islam and the particular style of statism generally referred to as “Fascism”?
This is not necessary for the term to sound ominous, which is it’s essential purpose. And so we solve our little puzzle as to the vagueness of the term. (more…)