changing the terms

[maddog]

One of the things the religious right and the Republican Party seem to have had the upper hand in for the last 20 years is co-opting the vocabulary used by their followers, and hence by the media -- which doesn't tend to examine self-selected vocabulary. Hence, "Liberal" is a bad word, religion has a claim on "values" or "morality" (remember the "moral majority"?) that seems to be regarded as exclusive, they've managed to change "estate taxes" on the wealthy into "death taxes" on the little guy (heh, which combines the 2 things you can't avoid which are both bad), "partial-birth" abortion for "late term" abortion (to emphasize how the fetus is an almost-born "person"), "pro-life" instead of "anti-abortion," and they can "stealth" in "faith-based initiatives" for "religious groups," or "intelligent design" for "crack-pot OT creationism." I'm resolved to call a "spade" a "spade" and make it stick. To do my best to hold the media's feet to the fire and make THEM call a spade a spade too.

It's also time, as Humpty Dumpty said, to show our own words who's boss, and make 'em work for a living. I vow to stand up and say what I'm in FAVOR of, not what merely what I'm against, what I STAND FOR so it can never again be said of a Democratic candidate that, "well, they're so wishy-washy I can't figure out what they're for." It's time to quit playing Republicans in Democrats' clothing. It's time to reclaim my words, my rights, my values, my virtues, my patriotism, my pride.

I've had my car for 5 years, and I've been searching for the "right" slogan to put on a license frame. Today I decided. It's going to be:

Love + Liberty =
PROUD LIBERAL

"Liberal" is NOT a dirty word; it's a beautiful, wonderful, kind, courageous ideal. I'm not going to let it be taken away and sullied.

#67

[seebs]

To be fair, a lot of the terms are loaded either way. "Estate taxes" makes you think of some ludicrously wealthy guy -- not the guy who runs the corner store down the street. It's really hard to pick fair terms.

But I do like your bumper sticker.

I'm sorta torn; I'm a fiscal conservative, so I tend to vote Republican (although Bush was beyond my tolerances), but I'm certainly liberal in some ways.

I hate boxes.

[maddog]

To be fair, a lot of the terms are loaded either way. "Estate taxes" makes you think of some ludicrously wealthy guy -- not the guy who runs the corner store down the street. It's really hard to pick fair terms.

But I do like your bumper sticker.

I'm sorta torn; I'm a fiscal conservative, so I tend to vote Republican (although Bush was beyond my tolerances), but I'm certainly liberal in some ways.

I hate boxes.
agreed. It sure is hard to get nuance into the public forum these days, isn't it?
ETA:
I'm a fiscal conservativeI'm not even sure I know what that means. If it means making sure you don't bankrupt future generations, and you should keep your budget within your income, I'm a fiscal conservative too. Where we might disagree are the things that government ought to pay for/be responsible for. But once you've decided that certain things ARE the government's business (not EVERYTHING is or should be a commercial, money-making proposition, after all), then make sure you have income sufficient to take care of it. THAT's what taxes are FOR. To me "TAX" is not necessarily a dirty word, either. The revolution wasn't fought for "No taxation, period." It was over "No taxation WITHOUT REPRESENTATION."
I hate boxes. yeah, but I LOOOVVEE Rubbermaid tubs!!! :D

#71

[viscousmemories]

agreed. It sure is hard to get nuance into the public forum these days, isn't it?
Was it ever easier?

[squian]

Good point about how language is co-opted. It has introduced some funny contrasts. For example, it's good to be social but it's bad to be a socialist (in the US anyway).