What happens when you yoke an entire religion to the word, "fascist?"
Reuters brings us the result:
US Muslims bristle at Bush term "Islamic fascists"
U.S. Muslim groups criticized President George W. Bush on Thursday for calling a foiled plot to blow up airplanes part of a "war with Islamic fascists," saying the term could inflame anti-Muslim tensions....
"We believe this is an ill-advised term and we believe that it is counter-productive to associate Islam or Muslims with fascism," said Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations advocacy group.
Sad but true, an Islamic spokeswoman felt the need to explain to Mr. Bush precisely why such language is ... um ... unhelpful under the circumstances:
"The problem with the phrase is it attaches the religion of Islam to tyranny and fascism, rather than isolating the threat to a specific group of individuals," said Edina Lekovic, spokeswoman for the Muslim Public Affairs Council in Los Angeles.
She said the terms cast suspicions on all Muslims, even the vast majority who want to live in safety like other Americans.
"When the people we need most in the fight against terrorism, American Muslims, feel alienated by the president's characterization of these supposed terrorists, that does more damage than good," Lekovic said.
How much damage does Bush's brand of rhetoric cause, which the Reuters article points out has been used several times in the past when discussing terrorists? Consider a July Gallup poll released Thursday that surveyed Americans on their attitudes toward Muslims:
While Americans tend to disagree with the notion that Muslims living in the United States are sympathetic to al-Qaeda, a significant 34% believe they do back al-Qaeda. And fewer than half -- 49% -- believe U.S. Muslims are loyal to the United States.
Almost four in ten, 39%, advocate that Muslims here should carry special I.D. That same number admit that they do hold some "prejudice" against Muslims. Forty-four percent say their religious views are too "extreme."
While there undeniably are pro-violent, extremist Muslims - as there are Christians and Jews and atheists - using language that encourages 40 percent of Americans to consider an entire religion's adherents as requiring special ID's seems a tad ... well, let's avoid a Godwin's law violation, shall we?
Now read the UK's official response to the very same terror plot (first astutely picked up on Thursday in a diary by londonbear, in an announcement by British Home Secretary John Reid:
In general terms a terrorist will wish to use evil methods against the rest.
Therefore there is a common cause in this country, among all people in this country whatever background or ethnic dimension, because the threat is common to us all.
Indeed internationally most of the people who have been massacred are Muslim, mostly men, women and children, and in places far from here.
This morning's news from CNN only underscores the importance of forming alliances with the Muslims who live and work in our midst:
Muslim tipoff 'led to arrests'
LONDON, England (CNN) -- A British intelligence official has told CNN that the original information about a plot to down commercial jetliners in mid-Atlantic with explosives came from a tip from the Muslim community in Britain.
The official said the tip resulted from a person who had been concerned about the activities of an acquaintance after the July 7 terror attacks in London.
Got that, Mr. Bush? While the terror cells were comprised of Islamic extremists, other Muslims were the ones who saved the world from a terrorist strike that could have been the worst since 9/11. Moderate British Muslims, Mr. Bush, who - thank the Lord for favors - are currently being addressed in their country by John Reid and not you.