The Voice of America - Silenced on Radical Islam
Submitted by Daniel Pipes on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 05:05
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For the past year, there's been a concerted push within the U.S. government to ban frank talk about the nature of the Islamist enemy. It began with the Department of Homeland Security, then moved to the National Counter Terrorism Center and the departments of State and Defense. Already in May 2008, I heard an excellent analysis of the enemy by Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Thomas Mahnken in which he bizarrely never once mentioned Islam or jihad.
I've been wondering how this change in vocabulary actually occurs: is it a spontaneous mood shift, a group decision, or a directive from on high?
The answer just arrived, in the shape of a leaked memo dated March 2nd from Jennifer Janin, head of the Urdu service at the Voice of America. The directive can be found in its entirety at "Urdu Language Style & Guidelines #3." Addressed to the Urdu radio, television, and web teams, as well as to the director and program manager of VOA's South Asia Division, her diktat insists on no connection being drawn from Islam to politics. In gist:
Islamic terrorists: DO NOT USE. Instead use simply: terrorist.
Islamic Fundamentalism/ Muslim Fundamentalists: AVOID.
Islamist: NOT NECESSARY.
Muslim Extremists: NOT NECESSARY. Extremist serves well.
Urdu is a dialect of Hindustani written in Arabic script found mainly in Pakistan and India and spoken almost exclusively by Muslims; it is mother tongue to about 70 million people. One can understand why euphemisms appeal in so far as VOA competes for market share with other news outlets and wishes not to insult or alienate Muslims. But VOA is not a commercial station with a bottom line and shareholders. Founded in 1942 as part of the Office of War Information, it is funded by the American taxpayer and speaks on behalf of the U.S. government. It must not pander to increase its ratings at the expense of its integrity. Urdu-speakers need to know the real American discourse on Islam, not Janin's bowdlerized version. In her defense, Janin might argue that she is merely picking up on Barack Obama's emphasis on "respect" for Muslims, but there is no public indication that "respect" means pretending that Islam is not a central public issue facing Americans. Indeed, on occasion, Obama has been very clear that it is. A pungent example came one year ago in Philadelphia, on March 18, 2008 when, in the course of a major speech, Obama repudiated as "profoundly distorted" the "view that sees the conflicts in the Middle East as rooted primarily in the actions of stalwart allies like Israel, instead of emanating from the perverse and hateful ideologies of radical Islam." "Perverse and hateful ideologies of radical Islam"? It does not get much stronger than that. One wonders how might Janin's new regimen translate this - probably as the "perverse and hateful ideologies of radical extremism," which is both inaccurate and unworthy of a credible news service. FamilySecurityMatters.org Contributor Daniel Pipes is director of the Middle East Forum, Taube distinguished visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution of Stanford University, and a contributor to FrontPageMagazine.com.
My god,Mr.Ali Sina,once in
My god,Mr.Ali Sina,once in power there is a subtle change in obama's adm language. I hope ,he not practicing holy deception.
Urdu is a language derived from Khariboli,a dialect spoken around delhi & northern India.It has 4 variants,the famous 2 are hindi & urdu.Under the influnce of the persian,arabic(mainly) & turkish languages urdu form originated from Lucknow. HINDUS DO SPEAK THE LANGUAGE IN LARGE NOS. MANY HINDU POETS HAVE ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THIS LANGUAGE.
SOME IDIOTS IN VOA think it is the language of muslims in the Indian sub continent.How wrong!!!!. muslims in south India speak the local languages like marathi,konkani,telugu,tamil,malayam,etc.Now urdu is spreading among these populations,which surprisingly is closely followed by fundamentalism.next thing you will hear that urdu dropped with koran from the heavens & was lost.The mughal empire dug it out & gave it back to the muslims.
these pakistani's have borrowed everything from women to language from India & say we are different.idiots.Coming to urdu(became a part of punjabi culture)it caused bangladesh to separate.Like arabic,Urdu is trouble.Many muslim lives were lost because of this language in south India & yet they want to die for urdu.
A urdu speaking muslim in South India sticks out like a sore thumb!!!!Just like a arabic speaking american would,say in new york.
Dear Amercians,Please bring down the statue of Liberty.It seems americans don't need her.THE FRENCH WHO GIFTED IT & THE AMERICANS WHO RECEIVED IT HAVE LOST THEIR SPINE.
Majority of the terrorist acts are done by muslims.By not adding the name islam or muslim to the act will create trouble to my muslims brothers!!!.HOW?????
All terrorist acts done by non muslims(though in small nos) will be added to the muslim score by the common man who while watching or listening or reading the media on noticing plain terrorist, extremist acts will immediately add islam to it.Thats unfair.Muslims should protest this.
Can u wear a hijab to the
Can u wear a hijab to the statue of liberty.
Thats a good one Raja.But if
Thats a good one Raja.But if the americans have spine,then the torch(of liberty) should set on fire the hijab!!!!.
krishna786 I agree with you
krishna786
I agree with you completely, that by not naming which group of people commits any act of terrorism, it will backfire on all Muslims. People will now begin to assume that each and every act of terrorism anywhere in the world were committed by Muslims, even if they were not.
This is merely Political Correctness gone too far and all Muslims should protest.
This woman, Janin, is a
This woman, Janin, is a chicken and an ignorant person. She needs to do some readings on Islam proper.
thank you
I though USA is a free
I though USA is a free country .... no problem-lah for Statue of Liberty if she wants to wear Bikini or Hijab or naked .... welcome to free country .... (promotion mode on)
I am the Black Statue of
I am the Black Statue of Liberty. Dont put no Arab Do-rag on my head. After I have spent time at the hair dresser getting my hair braided, I want everyone to see my hair. Muslims keep the Arab do-rag, hijab, burqua, Female KKK outfit to your selves. The sheeets worn by Muslimah are meant to hide and so was the KKK women and men. The KKK took all of their hate and racism from Sharia ) Pact of Omar. I have been free from birth and will not allow any Muslim of the Islamic kind or the Aryan nation kind to take it away without a fight. All Islam is doing is making people mad, and as in Nigeria, non-Muslims are saying
"we are ready." Muslims are planning a war in Nigeria with Libya's leader named "King of Africa" and he is a Muslim who has bashed every infidel.