Isis Books and Gifts objects to sharing a name with terrorist group
Isis Books and Gifts owner Karen Harrison says some social media commentators have urged the store to change its name, while others would rather see them stand firm.
New lofts sit across from Commons Park along Platte Street at the edge of downtown Denver.
Ann Hermes
When Isis Books and Gifts opened in Denver, Colo. in 1980, the name was associated more with an Egyptian goddess.
But now that those all over the world are familiar with the Islamic State, known as ISIS or ISIL, think of something else when they see the bookstore, and owner Karen Harrison recently told of Denver that some aren鈥檛 so fond of the name anymore.聽
鈥淲e have had people comment on our Facebook page, 'You should change your name,鈥欌�� she said.聽
Meanwhile, bookstore staff posted a petition on the bookstore that was started by a woman named Isis Martinez asking that the media use ISIL rather than ISIS to refer to the organization and elaborated on the store鈥檚 stance on its name.
鈥淚sis is the name of the Egyptian goddess of motherhood, healing, love, fertility and magic,鈥� staff wrote. 鈥淲e were interviewed and featured on 9news yesterday about whether we would be changing our name! Our answer is ABSOLUTELY NOT! Please sign the petition below to try to get media to stop referring to terrorists by the sacred name of an ancient goddess who is the antithesis of everything these terrorists stand for."聽
On the bookstore鈥檚 post, one user wrote, 鈥淎nyone can take any name out of context, don't allow extremist[s] to redefine the name. Don't waste your time. You should not feel any shame.鈥� Another added, 鈥淭hanks for setting this up, calling those people Isis has rubbed me wrong since the beginning!鈥�