Johnny Jihad

n. a Muslim or Muslim combatant. Subjects: English, Military, Religion, Derogatory, Slang

Editorial Note: After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, this term was first used in reference to John Walker Lindh, an American citizen who fought on behalf of the Taliban in Afghanistan. In 2003 Ryan Inzana released a graphic novel also called Johnny Jihad, using a story loosely similar to that of John Walker Lindh’s. The first cite below is not related to current usage of the term.

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Citations: [1996 Allan Goodall Usenet: rec.games.frp.gurps (Oct. 10) “Re: Hilarious adventuring experiences”: The year is 2049 and the characters are: Johnny Jihad (years ago he starred in two Web sitcoms based on the 2010 Arab-Israeli war: Hogan’s Hebrews, and Iman Knows Best).] 2001 [Allan Lindsay-O'Neal] Usenet: talk.politics.guns (Dec. 4) “Re: American Taliban Fighter Says Followed His Heart”: Already the liberal apologia machine is cranking up. “Jihad Johnny” is really just another “victim” of the Taliban, doncha know. 2001 Washington Times (Washington, D.C.) (Dec. 6) “Johnny Jihad” p. A18: (title) 2002 Tucker Carlson, Paul Begala (CNN: Crossfire) (June 4) “Can Congress Uncover Reasons for Inadequate Intelligence?”: Tucker, you are clueless when it comes to the security of America. When Johnny Jihad rents a private charter jet and flies it into a nuclear power plant, are you going to pay the $20 billion to clean it up and pay the victims’ families? 2004 John Sole My Rants (Monroe, Wisconsin) (Oct. 22) “Life During an I.R.R. deployment. (How we are handling the backdoor draft)”: Until next time, stay safe, be happy and remember, Johnny Jihad is not hiding under your bed. He is living in a cave where he belongs. 2005 [Neilio (sup3rman83)] @ Iraq A Loaded Gun Complex…Cock It And Pull It (Sept. 5) “Is That A Straight Six?…I Got A Straight Six!”: love the skyline and stars out here, i can’t say that enough. amazing…only in the middle east…I gotta hand it to johnny jihad, this place is beautiful at night. 2006 Andrea Elliott New York Times (Aug. 7) “Sorting Out Life as Muslims and Marines”: He and his cousins learned to ignore the pejoratives of war, words like “hajji,” “camel jockey” and “Johnny Jihad.” They understood that their fellow marines had to dehumanize the enemy in order to carry on.

Posted 7 Aug 06 | Permalink | Tell a Friend

Reader comments:

Two other uses of “Johnny” to personify an enemy soldier come to mind. Australians refered to their opponents as “Johnny Turk” during the First World War, while the Union side in the American Civil War dubbed soldiers from the south as “Johnny Reb”. Could these earlier usages, coupled with the attractive alliterative potential of “jihad”, have suggested this current term?

by Stephen Grasser 08 Aug 06, 1255 GMT

Perhaps, but Johnny and John are common given names in fictional everyman-type words: John Bull, John Chinaman, John Doughboy, John Farmer, John Indian, John Law, Johnny Congress, Johnny Green, Johnny Haultaut, Johnny Newcome, Johnny Raw, Johnny Tinplate, etc., etc. (all taken from the Historical Dictionary of American Slang).

by Grant Barrett 08 Aug 06, 0105 GMT

Not to mention Johnny-come-lately.

by Carl Burnett 08 Aug 06, 0903 GMT