How It’s Done

     As liberals shy away from the word “woke,” the media has blamed Republicans’ negative use of the term for its downfall. What actually happened to “woke” may be more complicated, and cause problems for Democrats in coming elections. — Kelsey Koberg, Fox News

     This isn’t the first time the Right has successfully wrested a bludgeon-term from the Left and turned it against them. Remember “fake news” — ? That started out as a Leftist cudgel, too, though not many remember that today. President Donald Trump picked it up and used it for his own purposes, and shortly thereafter the Left’s media allies began to decry it.

     This is how it’s done, Gentle Reader. If the Left starts using a word or phrase as a weapon, turn it against them. It’s seldom difficult, because the Left itself provides us with the necessary ammunition:

  • Its bigotry;
  • Its drive for censorship;
  • Its dictatorial inclinations;
  • Its willingness to employ violence;
  • Its condemnation of anyone who dissents from its claims.

     When a word or phrase is associated with those traits, or with others equally negative, the thing becomes an arrow in our quiver. Shortly thereafter, the Left will strive to suppress the term…at which point we should shove it down their throats, without ketchup or mustard.

     Remember “liberal” — ? Why do you think the Democrats no longer call themselves liberals today? The word became firmly associated with liberals’ failures! It didn’t happen automatically; it took repeated conjunctions of “liberal” with one failed policy after another. So they moved on to “progressive”…which is steadily acquiring the same distasteful flavor.

     It does take a modicum of courage. But is there an effective political tactic that doesn’t?

3 comments

    • Steve Walton on November 14, 2021 at 5:48 PM

    Well, yes. Remember the word “deplorable”?

    • Steve Walton on November 14, 2021 at 7:30 PM

    Actually, I may have played a small role in getting the ball rolling on that. I was online immediately after Hillary said that, live, with “Yes, we’re deplorable! We are the Deplorables!” on every site I could get to. It took about a week for it to catch on, so I might not have had much to do with it.

    (I was always tempted to add, “And we all hate your miserable alcohol-sodden guts, you miserable excuse for a human being…” but I refrained. Most times.)

    • jwm on November 14, 2021 at 8:25 PM

    Mask nazis of whichever of the fifty seven varieties of gender they call themselves need to be called out as

    “YOU GODDAMN NAZIS.”

    And I mean in person, in yer face, and loud. I hold the invective in mind like I’m carrying a weapon, and ready to use it at the least provocation. Yes, I have uncorked big time. They don’t like it.

     

    JWM

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