The ivory-tower types are parsing the meaning of Islamofascist over at NRO. Interesting reading, I thought.
Allow me to give you the non-eggheaded reason I use the term "Islamofascist." Disclaimer: No, I don't have any letters after my name, nor am I a "fellow" at some "think-tank." I'm just an average guy, and I try to tell it like I see it.
Islamists become fascists when they behave like fascists. It's very simple, really. Fascist isn't a meaningless term, as some of the intellectuals above seem to believe. Fascism is a political ideology with specific goals and characteristics, but there is one difference between fascism and any other ideology: it takes a specific intellectual step that others typically do not. Other religions and ideologies may reach the point at which their practitioners believe they have grasped within its tenets a set of truths so profound as to make all rival ideologies false. In fact, most ideologies do this to some extent.
However, only fascism takes the intellectual step of acting on this presumption with violence, or using this presumption to excuse or condone violence. In this sense, even Christianity was fascistic at one point in history.
The term is useful because it is being used. It has already passed the most basic of linguistic tests: it resonates with people. Enough said, IMO.
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