The names we call each other matter.
Sometimes a word that describes a group can be turned against them by others, as a stereotype, an insult, or even a call to suppress or harm them.
Let’s consider two words: “Islamist” and “Zionist”. The Oxford Learners Dictionary will tell you that an Islamist is someone who believes political systems should be based on the teachings of Islam, and a Zionist is someone who supports the development and protection of the state of Israel. Many Jews identify as Zionists, and Islamist has a restricted meaning and limited usage for many Muslims.
But in public discourse, both words have picked up a darker, mocking meaning. They get used to paint millions of ordinary people as a single hateful caricature. That does everyone a disservice.
It also has a cost. When these words are twisted to insult, they push Jews and Muslims further apart and make dialogue and mutual understanding all the more difficult. Social media and AI algorithms frequently amplify these distorted caricatures.
The vast majority of Muslims and Jews in Aotearoa New Zealand would like to live in peace with one another.
The Wellington Abrahamic Council urges people, organisations, and the media to be mindful when using loaded words like “Islamist” and “Zionist”. Please consider their dictionary definitions, their very different understanding by different groups, and the effects of their use in the context of the communities to which these words belong and refer. Let’s use words that bring us together, rather than words that drive us apart.