According to dictionary.reference.com the word islamist means:

1. An Islamic revivalist movement, often characterized by moral conservatism, literalism, and the attempt to implement Islamic values in all spheres of life.
2. The religious faith, principles, or cause of Islam.

What is interesting is that instead the media chooses to portray or only show those Islamists who use violence, or associate it with some kind of global movement or conspiracy.  An Islamist is also a family, who wants to raise money to build a Mosque in their community, or like people we know who get together and donate food to the food bank, or even prepare meals for the poor.  However, the term Islamists would never be used in the media to portray people who do good things, nor would the examples we've been given ever appear in the media.

In fact, the number 2 definition, is more characteristic of Muslims in practice and in reality.  Anyone who reads comments and editorials in any publications, will always see anti-Islamists using the team "Islamists" in place of terrorism, a very clever but dangerous precedent, aimed at brainwashing readers into believing the same trend in the media, to make terrorism and Islam synonymous with each other, when they are not.