Ignorant terminology after Berlin car attack?

The debate surrounding a car attack in Berlin has devolved into what one commentator calls "ignorant use of concepts." Lars Brødholt, writing for Aftenposten, takes issue with Qasim Ali's assertion that "Islamophobic ideology" should be viewed as a serious societal threat on par with "extreme Islamism."

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The precision Ali calls for should also apply to him.

Brødholt argues that Ali's call for precision in language should apply to himself. He points out that "Islamism" is a Western construct used rhetorically, but so is "Islamophobia," which originated with French researchers in 1918 and was later popularized by the British think tank The Runnymede Trust. While acknowledging the term can be apt, Brødholt suggests it often serves to deflect any criticism of Islam.

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The term 'Islamophobia' was also constructed in the West by French researchers and converts to Islam in 1918.

Islam, as a religion, encompasses diverse interpretations and practices. Brødholt contends that "Islamic values" are as varied as any other religious value system. He also disputes Ali's equation of Islamism with Jewish Zionists, Christian nationalists, and Hindu nationalists. Unlike global jihadist movements, these groups do not have the same level of organization around a religious tenet, nor do they account for a similar proportion of terrorist attacks in Europe, as noted by Almir Martin in Morgenbladet.

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The term can be apt, but it also has a rhetorical function. It can serve as resistance to any criticism of Islam.

The author further addresses the discussion around Israel's actions in Gaza, noting that while racist ideology is discussed, the term "genocide" is being overused. He contrasts this with historical examples like Jonas Bals' use of "pogroms" to describe racist violence in Belfast, suggesting that "terror" itself is a term with specific implications, even without a universally agreed-upon definition. Brødholt questions whether Ali has considered these nuances in his analysis.

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None of the three [Jewish Zionists, Christian nationalists, Hindu nationalists] have the same level of organization around a religious interpretation as global jihadist circles, nor do they account for as large a proportion of completed or averted terrorist attacks in Europe in 2025.