Want To Piss Off ISIS? Call Them “Daesh”

Posted By: Brian 

Let’s be honest, the so-called “Islamic State” is neither “Islamic”, nor is it a “state”. Their view of Islam has been corrupted beyond any reason. Further, the Islamic State is recognized by no other government and controls people through terror and intimidation, not the rule of law. So let’s call them what they really are, “daesh.”

Before becoming the so-called “Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant”, and later the simply the Islamic State, the group was known as daesh. The term daesh is actually an acronym for Al Dawla al-Islamyia fil Iraq wa’al Sham, which was one of the originally names that ISIS went by.

But here’s the kicker, in Arabic daesh is essentially an insult. It is now used to refer to bigots who push and impose their views on other people. You know, kind of like a group of terrorists who would mass murder large groups of people simply for holding beliefs than they do. Sounds appropriate, right?

ISIS: French Government First To Adopt “Daesh”

The idea to call the ISIS (hence forth just daesh) was proposed by the French government. By refusing to call Daesh by their now chosen name, the French government is hoping to delegitimize them. The French government also noted that daesh is a group of terrorists, not a legitimate Islamic government.

After all, most leading Muslim authorities from around the world have already denounced daesh, and it’s doubtful that many of the people living under their rule consider them a genuine government. Besides, calling out members of daesh for what they are -namely bigots who impose their views on others- simply seems appropriate.

ISIS: Term Daesh Enraging Militants

The best part about calling the militants daesh is that it is apparently driving them crazy. Daesh has threatened to cut out the tongue of anyone who calls them by the term. While I certainly don’t want to get everyone’s tongue cut out over this, I also want to afford daesh militants no respect.

By calling daesh the Islamic State the international media risks legitimizing them. Daesh wants to set itself up as an Islamic caliphate and the leader of all Muslims across the world. Obviously, many Muslims have rejected daesh and its beliefs, so it is important to deny them any recognition of the name they are trying to build.

Of course, whether France’s efforts to insult and delegitimize daesh will work will come down to whether or not the rest of the global media, along with government leaders, decides to adopt the new-old name.

For me, daesh sounds like a far more appropriate and accurate term.