BDS

What Does BDS Mean?

The Quick Answer

What Does BDS Mean?

BDS means "Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions" and "Bush Derangement Syndrome."

Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions

The BDS movement is a global campaign seeking to increase economic and political pressure on Israel in order to achieve several goals: ending Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories, dismantling the West Bank barrier (often referred to as the "Apartheid Wall"), recognizing the rights of Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality, and promoting the right of return of Palestinian refugees.

Originating in 2005, the movement was inspired by the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa. BDS urges individuals, companies, and countries to avoid economic, academic, and cultural activities with Israel and Israeli interests. While supporters view it as a non-violent protest against alleged injustices, critics argue it aims to delegitimize Israel and fosters antisemitism.

Bush Derangement Syndrome

"Bush Derangement Syndrome" is a term that was coined by Charles Krauthammer, a political columnist and psychiatrist, in a 2003 article. The term was used to describe what he saw as an irrational animosity towards President George W. Bush by some of his critics, which Krauthammer argued clouded their judgment of his policies and actions. The syndrome was not described in clinical terms but rather as a political phenomenon where critics would perceive any act by Bush in a negative light, regardless of its merits.

The concept of "Bush Derangement Syndrome" emerged during Bush's presidency, particularly in the context of the Iraq War and the highly polarized political environment of the time. Supporters of Bush used the term to suggest that some opponents were so biased against him that they were unable to evaluate his policies objectively.

Krauthammer's framing of BDS as a syndrome was metaphorical, intended to underscore the emotional and seemingly reflexive nature of some critiques of Bush. Similar to "Obama Derangement Syndrome" (ODS) and "Trump Derangement Syndrome" (TDS), the term has been controversial. Critics argue that it serves to dismiss legitimate criticisms and debate by suggesting that detractors are irrationally fixated or unhinged. It's seen as a rhetorical device used to undermine opponents and deflect from substantive policy discussions by focusing on the purported irrationality of critics.

Image for BDS

When I write BDS, I mean this:

The definition of BDS depends on context.

Summary of Key Points for the First Definition

"Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions" is, by far, the most common meaning for BDS when it is used in a text. (Bear in mind that it could have another meaning if used in a different context.)

BDS
Definition:	Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	4: Difficult to guess
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Summary of Key Points for the Second Definition

"Bush Derangement Syndrome" is another common definition for BDS.

BDS
Definition:	Bush Derangement Syndrome
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	4: Difficult to guess
Typical Users:	Adults

An Academic Look at BDS

image for academic look, showing a teacher with a mortar board

BDS is classified as an initialism abbreviation, as it is pronounced one letter at a time. Initialisms are different to acronyms, which are abbreviations spoken as words.

Other examples of initialisms are: