Religious Fundamentalism in Orwell and Pynchon

[Otto]

> >
> > I guess it was Bush, or one of his cue-card writers,
> > who first referred to the War on Terror as a
> > "crusade."
>
> And who then withdrew the term again almost straight away because of the
> unforeseen and potentially offensive connotations it had for Muslims.
>
> I can barely believe how silly your argument is becoming.
>
> best
>

" This crusade, this war on terrorism is going to take a while.  And the
American people must be patient.  I'm going to be patient."
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010916-2.html

Q The other question was, the President used the word crusade last Sunday,
which has caused some consternation in a lot of Muslim countries. Can you
explain his usage of that word, given the connotation to Muslims?

MR. FLEISCHER: I think what the President was saying was -- had no intended
consequences for anybody, Muslim or otherwise, other than to say that this
is a broad cause that he is calling on America and the nations around the
world to join. That was the point -- purpose of what he said.

Q Does he regret having used that word, Ari, and will he not use it again in
the context of talking about this effort?

MR. FLEISCHER: I think to the degree that that word has any connotations
that would upset any of our partners, or anybody else in the world, the
President would regret if anything like that was conveyed. But the purpose
of his conveying it is in the traditional English sense of the word. It's a
broad cause.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/print/20010918-5.html