Senator Feingold Criticizes Bush On Language
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
WASHINGTON —Senator Feingold, a Democrat of Wisconsin, called on President Bush to refrain from using the phrase “Islamic fascists,” saying it was offensive to Muslims and has nothing to do with global terrorists fighting America.
“We must avoid using misleading and offensive terms that link Islam with those who subvert this great religion or who distort its teachings to justify terrorist activities,” Mr. Feingold said yesterday in a speech to the Arab American Institute on Capitol Hill.
A potential 2008 presidential candidate, the senator said the label “Islamic fascists” makes no sense and does not help the American government’s effort to combat terrorism.
“Fascist ideology doesn’t have anything to do with the way global terrorist networks think or operate, and it doesn’t have anything to do with the overwhelming majority of Muslims around the world who practice the peaceful teachings of Islam,” Mr. Feingold said.
