The Jihad is Over :(
 

204 Jihad will be forced to abandon its name because of publicity issues when we are playing MAA games.

The Jihad is over, we are currently voting on a new name.

Publicity issues forced you to change your name? How lame is that?

The people complaining are likely not even Muslim, and therefore are ignorant of the fact that the word "jihad" means "to struggle in the way of God" in Arabic, not "holy war" as is widely (and inaccurately) reported by the Western media due to it's incorrect usage by radical fundamentalists.....the concept of Jihad to moderate Muslims reflects the struggle to keep their faith in the face of adversity from other cultures and religions.

Or, just look it up on Wikipedia.

You have 153 posts already? I'm curious as to what name you guys come up with.

Gypsy the MAA recommended that this team change there name if they wanted to be a part of the MAA. We all know that this sport is under a microscope from time to time and we do not feel that the name jihad carry's a positive spin in the public eye. seeing as the MAA website is not a privet site and can be viewed buy "marry soccer mom" we feel it was not a wise choice for a name.

Fair enough, thats's a little more understandable.



I don't think you can use the ignorance of the MAA as a defence here, they appear just as guilty as the soccer moms of a knee-jerk reaction to the term which, apparently, they also do not understand - although to be honest, I have my doubts if the 204 guys intended to use the traditional meaning of the term when they initially used it as a team name. I stand by my initial question - how many Muslim MAA members are offended by the term "Jihad" being used by this team? I'm guessing the answer is none.

Kowtowing to ignorance anywhere is still something I disagree with - it's exactly like the government forcing people to call a Christmas Tree a "Holiday Tree" because it might offend someone who's non-Christian. Then ask yourself why is it that no one ever considers making Jewish folks call the Menorah a "Holiday Candleabra" so it doesn't offend non-Jews?

It's because political correctness in this country has gone off the deep end in this country, and because the rules of political correctness do not apply equally to all citizens in this country, despite the fact that they should. I totally understand the desire for MAA to have it's members and teams "look good" in the public eye, but the MAA has failed to realize one thing here:

We play a game that simulates warfare.

That alone means the vast majority of the public will neither accept nor support what we do, regardless of whether the team participating in the war game is called 204Jihad or Team Fuzzybunny. Just look at what paintball players had to do to become "accepted" by the public - no camoflage, no red paint that looks like blood, neon spaceguns, tournaments with local and national ranking systems, and brightly-colored jerseys with names and numbers. If you want airsoft to be accepted as mainstream, you ALL better be ready to accept that as a reality. I speak from experience, because in 1988 I was one of the people who fought tooth and nail to stop paintball from being banned in Canada, and that is the only reason it survived. I fought this same fight once before, so I already know how it turns out in the end.....

To be clear - I'm not bashing the MAA or the Council. I'm bashing the ignorance and political correctness that's being used as the vehicle to try and force airsoft (MilSim in particular) into general acceptance from the public in it's current form - something that WILL NOT happen in this country in the forseeable future. If you truly desire to be accepted by the public, be ready for some HUGE changes (clearsoft and neon jerseys for all!).

thats deep.

I do recall paintball being around before i was born, but like most things it takes a decade for anything to change or be noticed by the public. I still tell friends that i am gonig to an airsoft game here and there, and to be honest, not to many people know what it even is. If you ask them what paintball is they will know. Airsoft is not "popular" enough to be noticed by most people. but it is noticed by others that dig deep and look into it. Just give it time.

well gyps i can see your point here but please keep in mind the maa did not MAKE them change there name it was there choice the council only recommended it.

By one token I agree with you in principle, Gypsy... The practical issue remains of the thing, very much the same as the idea that the swastika shouldn't be seen as a nazi symbol because it's origins (in many forms) are far, far older and not in the least sinister... You can't stop people from the associations they make with it though. The associations that people will make when they hear "jihad" are not something that can be stopped, just dealt with. As much as it is bred by ignorance and ridiculous obsessions with political correctness.

I have to literally hide from my extended family that I play airsoft and what it is. I have one aunt who went to get me a gift certificate for a local gaming store (Campaign, for those who know it) years ago and literally walked in and then just walked out and came and told me that she couldn't give money to them "on good concience" because they "support war". I shit you not. The answer here is not educating people like this on what we do out at Ducky's grandfathers and at other locations, as many people claim (though it is the answer I believe in dealing with normal people). These people boycott UNICEF because of internet rumors that they "fund military projects against Israel in Arab countries."

I'm not accusing the MAA of making them do anything, and I believe the recommendation, as misguided as I feel it may be, has the best interests in our hobby in mind - I do find it sad that people (in general) are so wrapped up in being PC that a name change even has to be considered in the first place. My frustration with the current soccer-mom-driven society should not be taken as frustration with the MAA.

Personally? I'd prefer it if these things were licensed and registered just like firearms - maybe even given their own classification by the CFC. If going to a class for 2 days and doing a basic written/practical test with a small annual registration fee meant that I could buy as much airsoft as I like, when I like, from whom I like and could play where and when I wanted to....well, I'd support that if it meant a high degree of certainty that the asshats out there could never get their hands on these things.

that is correct, and our team totally understands why and will not protest about it at all.

we never chose the name to get a reaction out of right wingers in the states. we just wanted to be something different because a lot of teams are based on military/swat and from what we could tell there weren't any based on militia/freedom fighter/extremist groups or whatever. if i'm wrong i apologize in advance.

We never planned to say "ok we're islamic based" either, but I guess because the term Jihad originates from Islam it's kind of hard to get away from that as well. Unfortunately after 9/11 a lot of people from middle east descent not just muslims face fire from certain types of people.

Thank you for the support gypsy but as a newer team we'd hate to see the MAA come under fire by some tacky media crew because some soccer mom or extreme right winger gives them a call and says airsoft is about training terrorists. Maybe after the whole war on terror thing dies down but I guess right now it's too sensitive of an issue just as the airsoft sport itself is when there's STILL stupid kids like the one in Oakbank shooting clearsoft in schools.

We'll still be wearing our uniforms with the shemaghs though. :cool: