:::::::::Yahel said it all. You guys are thinking "controversial" means "not widely used". Even Salman Rushdie used the word. The controversy pertains to the actual meaning of the word and its use in silencing the criticism of Islam etc. Are you guys saying there is no controversy surrounding this word? Is that what you're saying? Here's an article from a few days ago which against attacks this word. This disagreement between the word's meaning and its use is going to continue. Controversy does not mean that its not widely used, especially when a profession of sociology says, you have to take his opinion into account. Kofi Annan and others were just acting like hippies when they said "lets stop all forms of hatred, lets stop people who hate Apples and tell them that apples are lovable. Lets stop this Applephobia". You know what those guys were wanting to do. This is what they do all the time. They're peace hippies and try to say positive things and stop the hatred wherever they find it. As ambassodors, this is their job. Do these people have any qualifications in talking about Islamophobia more than Salman Rushdie has? The word is controversial. This doesnt put a negative meaning on the word. It just puts it in the middle. Its a word where there's a strong division and disagreement on the meaning and use of the word.  •