The now-notorious awareness week has come and gone, but the term "Islamofascism" lingers in the post-9/11 American lexicon. Campuses throughout the United States played host to Islamofascism Awareness Week supporters, who welcomed the likes of Ann Coulter, and detractors, who staged large counter protests.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (better known as CAIR) was alarmed at some of the dubious backgrounds of speakers invited to American campuses for Islamofascism Awareness Week.

"There appear to be growing links between anti-Muslim bigots in the United States and European racists and anti-Semites," said CAIR Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. "Those who promote and exploit such links are doing a disservice to our nation and to its traditions of interfaith tolerance and understanding."

Hooper said other speakers on the "Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week" lecture tour have been accused of racism and anti-Semitism, or have been linked to European racists.

Now that the dust has settled and the word has stuck, I posted queries on listservs, poked people on Facebook and sent out a flurry of emails asking for interpretations of "Islamofascism." Responses came from students, educators and activists who focus on Arab/Muslim issues. Some of the respondants included photos of the events on their campuses. Here's a sampling of the reactions:

HOSSAM EL HAMALAWY

It was heartwarming that those who were involved in the action against the organizers of Islamofascism Awareness Week did not only come from Muslim backgrounds. The counter events, like the Oct. 25 protest, were sponsored by a variety of leftist, liberal, green, ethnic and religious organizations. This is a sign of a healthy community.

Hossam el Hamalawy is an Egyptian activist, journalist and blogger who is a visiting scholar at the University of California-Berkeley. He took photos of local Islamofascist Awareness Week events. To see them, click here.

MANAL OMAR

When I first learned of the infamous Islamofascist Awareness Week to be held on the campus of my alma mater, I simply shrugged my shoulders and pressed delete. I have been working for an international NGO for the past 10 years, primarily working in Islamic countries. It was never my intention to target Islamic countries. Just happens to be where all the wars are these days, and my particular humanitarian focus is post-conflict.

As a result, it takes quite a lot to jolt me into my student-days action. However, the next email did manage to get my attention. It was from a fellow alum who was trying to protest the week, calling for its cancellation or, as a last resort, putting together a counter-protest. I quickly pressed "reply" and added my two cents' word of caution.

There are many things that I hold dear. First and foremost are the tenets of my religion. Second is the right to be heard -- aka freedom of speech. In this sense, I have been accused of being an idealist. Yet I have seen many nations struggle for this simple right, and stand firm by the notion that everyone has the right to express opinions. Yes, even those screaming and running around with their hands waving about their heads as they yell, "The Islamofascists are coming!"

Naturally, there are caveats to this rule. Similar to screaming "fire!" in a crowded movie theater, any words that inspire hate should be closely monitored. It is a fine line that needs to be taken carefully, and my advice to my Muslim Students Association was to do research. In the past, did similar talks create a rise in hate crimes against Muslim students on campus? What materials were presented?

If it was an attack on the tenets of Islam, then I firmly believe my religion can handle it. If it was an attack on those who were using Islam to do horrible things, then the people who have done such crimes deserve it. For too long Muslims have adopted an apologist tone towards the crimes committed in the name of Islam. At the heart of the civil rights movement, people were able to distinguish between the tenets of Christianity and those of the KKK's version. The millions of deaths in history over trying to make Europe Catholic then Protestant and Catholic again is yet another example of how religion has been wrongfully used to spread bloodshed.

I had faith in the general public to distinguish the role of religion from the conduct of people. Those who wanted to believe that Islam preached death and destruction could find plenty of slanderous material on the Web. Overall, my advice was to do nothing except lead by example, demonstrating Muslims' respect and tolerance for others' space.

Manal Omar is the Middle East regional program manager for an international nongovernmental organization. She is a longtime humanitarian worker who has served in Iraq, Palestine and other conflict zones.

RAY HANANIA

I was really excited to hear that, finally, someone in the United States is making an effort to recognize Arabs and Muslims in a broad way, under the banner of "Islamofascism." We are so excluded and marginalized that any time someone recognizes us, we should try to make the best of it.

I am not exactly sure what "Islamofascism" means, surely a public relations spin master's creative way to combine two incongruent terms. But I was thinking, if this week is successful, we should expand it to include everyone. Let's make sure everyone as an "O-fascism Week." Diversity is everything in this country. How about JudeoFascism Week? Oral Roberts-o-Fascism Week? Christian-o-Fascism Week?" Another popular one might be GOP-o-Fascism Week.

...Rather than calling it Islamofascism Week, organizer David Horowitz should instead call it what it really is, a Celebration of Hatred. Horowitz and his Web site, Front Page Magazine, lead the pack when it comes to Muslim and Arab bashing. My biggest problem is that clearly his intent is to slander Islam and Arabs as he paints all Arab and Muslim groups as being "Islamofascist."

I always thought there were anti-hate laws to prevent events like this from taking place. But then, if neo-Nazis can march in Skokie, why shouldn't Horowitz regale in his own version of provocation? Arabs and Muslims should use Horowitz's hatred. But instead of responding to him with protests, we should organize our own "Islamo-Peace-and-Love Festivals" at universities around the country.

Ray Hanania is a Chicago-based writer and columnist of Palestinian descent. He's active in the National Arab American Journalists Association and has toured as a stand-up comedian.

MAHDA JAHANGIR

Islam in particular is not fascist at all. It is a peaceful, humanistic religion marked by a moderate lifestyle. Islam tries to help people return to their humanity instead of abandoning it. So, what's with this "fascist" label they're adding to Islam?

The word is not very new for Iranians. Before the Islamic revolution, in the last riot years of the Shah's era, Shapour Bakhtiar, the former president, used the word in his speeches. "Radical Islamist" or "Islamofascist." Then again, he was reportedly a drug addict and heavily dependent on the West, especially the United States.

Nowadays, we're hearing the word again. Interesting that when the Taliban was in power, we never heard "Islamofascism." But now that Iran pursues a nuclear energy program, the word comes up. They say it's a marker to separate modern, moderate Muslims from "fascist" Muslims.

Well, I'm a Muslim and I reject those titles. I think even writing about "Islamofascism" only helps Bush to propogate his stereotyped ideas.

Mahda Jahangir is a journalist in Tehran, Iran.

DR. MERIEM REIK

An appropriate response to the purely derogatory "Islamofascism," a nonsense word since there is nothing fascistic about Islam, is to recall that it was coined by people who belong to the world of Judeonazism, Shahak's term that draws real meaning from observed Zionist phenomena.

Dr. Meriem Reik is a former congressional staff member, former journalist and activist.

ARON KADER

I witnessed Islamofascism Week here from Los Angeles and saw the University of California (the alma mater of my Palestinian father and my brother) host two of the worst political hacks for a speech to the student body: Ann Coulter and David Horowitz. I was surprised to see there were supporters of these narrow-minded speakers who view them as celebrities or rock stars.

At risk of sounding redundant, I have to say the irony in all this was that they united the protesters who represented the Jewish, Muslim and peace activist groups on the campus. Well, finally the Right Wing brought Jews and Muslims together for peace! Although by accident, it could be a good sign that they are isolating themselves into a sect of crazy warmongers that force the other side to galvanize.

I wanted to point out a quote by David Horowitz, the leftist-turned-neoconservative, that was incredibly ridiculous: "This is a greater threat than the Nazis or the communists because these people have modern technologies...They want to exterminate Jews and impose religious law on everyone, through the state."

What the hell does that mean? Is he referring to the WMDs in Iraq?

At the beginning of WWII, the United States was so behind with its technology that our military still had horse cavalries from our civil war. We had muskets and WWI helmets that looked like woks. The German Nazis were incredibly technologically advanced and modern. In fact, without them, we would not have advanced our satellite or radar technology, nor would we have had Einstein or Oppenheimer, who invented The Bomb. Not to take anything away from the terrorists, but I don't think they are modern or technologically savvy.

These political hack talking heads that are out speaking to the drones, encouraging group think, should stop and realize that Ann Coulter and David Horowitz are just really bad and unfunny comedians. As a comedian myself, I want to encourage them to go to the open mic night over at the Laugh Factory on Monday mornings to work on their acts.

Aron Kader is a comedian who has been on the road with the critically acclaimed Axis of Evil Comedy Tour. He has performed on Comedy Central and recently filmed a TV pilot for NBC.

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