'50 Shades of Jihad'? Islamist terrorists get 'awkward' verbal makeover

50 shades of Jihad

— Stiles Bitchley ✫✫ (@WeWhoDieSaluteU) April 12, 2017

Some people have noticed that media reports on the recent bombing attack on the Borussia Dortmund soccer club in Germany contain an interesting bit of phrasing.

From CNN:

From NBC:

The Guardian:

And ABC:

This is some fun new terminologyhttps://t.co/1ssxSguveS pic.twitter.com/3MER2n4goB

— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) April 12, 2017

https://twitter.com/BecketAdams/status/852193251209752577

“Islamist spectrum”? Really?

"Islamist spectrum"?? https://t.co/PScQnc6vzZ

— Jason (@jasonelevation) April 12, 2017

"From the Islamist spectrum."

That's a new one. https://t.co/t6poY7ighg

— Michael (@DefinitelyMike) April 12, 2017

https://twitter.com/garnold37/status/852214357761171461

What is the "Islamic spectrum?" https://t.co/LKa6Md2zJC

— Emily Zanotti’s Great & Unmatched Wisdom (@emzanotti) April 12, 2017

'two suspects from "Islamist spectrum" were currently at the centre of the investigation.'

For the love of G_d what is Islamist spectrum? https://t.co/RsPPvUNwkF

— Tsionizm (@Tsionizm) April 12, 2017

awkward translation, I'd guess, although European euphemisms for things like this are often awkward in the original

— John Tabin (@johntabin) April 12, 2017

That's what I was at least hoping it was.

— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) April 12, 2017

And if it’s not, well … Europe’s not going to solve its problems anytime soon if awkward euphemisms are their anti-terrorism weapon of choice.

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we're treating it like autism now?

— Ryan (@chasinghumility) April 12, 2017

Just like autism …. terrorism level is now selected from a "spectrum". pic.twitter.com/Q98zr0RJma

— HeisenbergHattie (@HBergHattie) April 12, 2017

is the terrorist kind high or low functioning?

— Sarah (@sarah_wxtx) April 12, 2017

It's a well-known fact that high levels of infidel in vaccinations can lead to varying degrees of Islamist Spectrum Disorder. https://t.co/84lmHLx5ZV

— Mike (@ThePantau) April 12, 2017

Spectrum? Like moderate versus extremist Nazis?

— George Tobin (@ga_tobin) April 12, 2017

https://twitter.com/innantes/status/852227403640446987

The world is making up terms in order to not offend those that are trying to hurt us. My flipping head hurts from it.

— Dana (@danalundon) April 12, 2017