Miami Woman Named Isis Wants You To Stop Using The Term ‘ISIS’
A Miami-based woman named Isis is leading a charge to get various world media outlets to change the way they address the Islamic State. Isis Martinez, who heads a non-profit organization based out of Miami, Florida, has started an online petition and a Facebook page that basically asks various media outlets to stop “misusing” the names of various people who are named Isis. Instead, she wants them to use the term ISIL while referring to the Islamic terrorists who recently beheaded a third captive, and released a video showing the same.
Until last year, the term ISIS did not have any negative connotations attached to it. However, all through 2014, there has been a rapid increase in the atrocities committed by the ISIS on people who do not believe in their version of Sunni Islam. While the western media did report about them last year, the term ISIS (and the ISIL) have now become internationally known terms associated with barbarism, terrorism, and pure evil. According to Isis Martinez, this has badly affected people who have been named Isis by their parents.
In an interview to the Newsweek, Isis says, “I couldn’t just sit back and let it happen.”
Martinez is now using the power of social media to get other people named Isis to stand up and inform the media to use the term ISIL instead of ISIS. Her Facebook page named “Thousands of Women are Named Isis – Petition the Media to Use ISIL” clearly explains why she wants the media to stop using the term ISIS.
“My name is Isis Martinez and I am a U.S. Citizen and also my mother’s name sake. My mother Isis was named by her grandfather in Cuba back in 1954 after reading a book on the Egyptian Mythology Goddess, Isis. The past several weeks have been incredibly challenging and although at first I paid no mind to the overwhelming mentioning of my name from TV news broadcasts, to a live Congressional Debate I attended, I somehow thought it would pass. But as time goes on and the horrific attacks by the terrorist group named the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Although the acronym for this name is ISIL and the UN, the U.S. State Department and even the Associated Press have made it clear that this is the correct name to use when referring to these shameful excuses for human beings.”
She further adds how difficult it is for her to introduce herself to someone now.
“The reactions to my name can be awkward sometimes but the straw that broke the camel’s back happened this morning when an intake nurse in the emergency room asked how I pronounce my name and I answered, her phase showed such incredible sadness for me and she said she felt bad for me and proceeded to ask if I had a middle name I could go by instead. I do have a middle name but no one, including me considers me ‘Teresa.’ I will not and cannot change my name and neither should the thousands of other women who share this beautiful name.”
While Isis’ campaign has had its share of support from various people, the Newsweek report adds that “it is unlikely to succeed.” Critics of her campaign say there are more things important than a simple negative connotation attached to a name. Martinez acknowledges this fact, and says that she realizes there is a much bigger problem. However, Martinez adds that she is helpless about doing anything about it.
“We get comments that we should be focusing on the terrorists, stopping the terrorists, but I can’t do anything about that,” Isis says.
There has been and still remains confusion as to what the official name of the Islamic State actually is. A previous report by The Inquisitr does explain why the group is called ISIS, and why the term ISIS is more apt compared to ISIL.
Do you think the media should give in to Isis Martnez’s petition and stop using the term ISIS? That also raises another point: We are pretty sure there would be people named Isil as well! What about those people?
[Image Via Twitter]
