It seems that the right wing in the United States has a long history of taking words and phrases used by the left and turning them into weapons by redefining them. It is an on-going pattern that truly is genius because it appears their followers are easily lead to repeat their nonsense. Some words and phrases stand out in my experience. They are politically correct, woke, and DEI. This is not a limited list because other words and phrases have also been bastardized by the right, I am going to stick with these.
I first heard politically correct (PC) in the late 80s or early 90s but it is much older. Many say it originated in the former Soviet Union, used to explain how people who are in line with the political acceptable ideas of the ruling government. Later used by Nazis in the same way. In both cases being politically correct were necessary for success in the culture or simply remaining alive. When it was first used in the 80s it was used by liberals, sometimes as self deprecating and others as a way to make fun of someone. The idea was someone was more in-line with the current way to be counter culture. I once heard someone say "He is so politically correct that he doesn't eat honey, he doesn't want to exploit the bees". It was often seen as a joke or a way to call out the person trying to one up others. That was true until President George H. W. Bush used it in a commencement speech at the University of Michigan to call out people who were trying to change hurtful language and imagery that was used in government and media. (Phrases like retard for example). Over night the right wing noise machine, then mainly on radio with a few on TV, were calling out politically correct to the point that calling out anything hurtful was called PC. Two comedians used the phrase in stage and TV shows to challenge people who suggest some things are not fodder for comedy. This continues today. When someone suggests a person with a disability should play a disabled person in a movie they can still be labeled politically correct. Also we can still here people telling us they are not PC before saying something offensive, like it a vaccine against consequences. The reality is what society will accept changes, and it isn't about bending to a political ideology, but today questioning phrases of all kinds gets you called sheep of the THEY that is THEM. That is sad.
Woke, a word whose history goes back to the 1930s in the African American community, was originally used to describe one who is aware of the systemic issues that effect the Black community down. "Stay Woke" is a phrase calling for being aware of what is going on in the world. It was not unusual that some saw plots where their weren't any, but for the most part it was a way of helping people see a bigger picture that is not often shown in media. In the last several years woke became an insult from the right for people standing up not only for minorities, but LGBTQ+ groups, women, people with disabilities and others. Books were written talking about how being WOKE has led to discrimination against straight white (mostly) men. One such author was ask during a news interview and couldn't define it. Apparently it is like pornography, she knew it when she saw it. Banning WOKE because a Republican agenda which led to banning books in schools, changing language to be less inclusive, and seeking out what is WOKE in education. Again without knowing what they are looking for. Anything that made them uncomfortable, like teaching about the Trail of Tears, Ruby Bridges, or Slavery was considered WOKE and thus it must be anti-American. I still think it is fascinating that so many people use this phrase when talking about all kinds of things. It is often embraced during the fictional war on Christmas when the age old phrases like Season's Greetings or Happy Holidays are considered WOKE, the word has no meaning.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is the latest ubiquitous phrase in right wing universe. DEI is a systematic approach that tries to open doors from people that have been systematically been closed due to active bigotry or lack of thought. DEI creates an environment where people who are often not considered for employment, awards, college admission, or even acknowledged are given a chance to compete. An example of DEI that is well known and has been accepted in our culture is the Rooney Rule in the NFL that requires teams to interview minority candidates for important football jobs like Head Coaches. Implemented in 2003 it has lead to teams to take a closer look at qualified candidates who would likely be ignored in the past. However, even today the Rooney Rule is called racist by a sports writer on a right wing sports outlet. It suggests that black coaches didn't deserve the interview, let alone the job. Now whenever anything happens, like a helicopter crashing into a jet, the current President blames DEI. Seriously, it is nuts, but it seems part of a bigger ideology. DEI is a being expunged from government under the right wing control in some states driven by the current administration. It is funny, the Governor of Texas wants to end DEI, the same DEI idea that created the ramp that allows this wheelchair using Governor to get into the State House since it wasn't build with one.
I am not going to dissect each one of these and how the right manipulates it for their followers. In writing this I want to start a conversation about how the left can take them back or begin to guard our language of reality and challenge attempts to turn them against us. I am not sure how but I am willing to try. We can't lose the narrative.
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