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Neo- Conservative Jargon Examples |
Letter to Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct 2001:
[...]
The self-righteous eco-fundamentalists of the "save all of Ballona" faith prefer that the entire area be restored to prehistoric conditions, denying us the opportunity to carefully balance human needs with habitat protection. These zealots view our society with the same perspective and contempt as other religious fanatics dominating today's headlines.
David Kay
Culver City
This letter was written in favor of an unpopular real estate development
in L.A.'s last wetlands.
The omitted first paragraph argues the project's merits as an enlightened urban plan, but then the jargon kicks in.
1. Name Calling
Note the use of terms plucked right from scary news stories about
terrorism: fundamentalist, faith, and zealots.
This would suggest that people opposing the project are fundamentally
opposed to Western civilization itself, not merely to condominiums
in a swamp.
Especially interesting is the phrase, other religious fanatics. Here is the jargoneer's classic trick of picking bad guys whom everyone agrees are bad, then quietly linking an opponent to them. I had to read twice to catch this one. It's pretty subtle.
"The mayor, like other two-headed yaks, visited the zoo yesterday......"
2. Fact Omission
It is assumed in this paragraph that environmentalism is a religious
doctrine, and not a political one. In this way, opponents can
be linked to attacks on Western culture by religious fanatics
abroad, even though we do not know their religions nor their feelings
toward terrorists.
Obviously, we are in a Brave New Post-S11 World here. Used to be anyone disagreeing with neo-cons was a communist. After that, they were liberals. Now, however, they can all be terrorists.
Op-ed in Kalamazoo (MI) Gazette, 16 October 2001:
[...]
The ACLU are terrorists like the Taliban, both would love to rid the world of Christians. Now, perhaps we can see why they have tried to remove Christ from Christmas and teach us to refer to Easter as "spring break."They have taught most Americans to call good evil and evil good.
Indeed the events of Sept. 11 has left this godless group without much of a voice. Their politically correct shell has been cracked and now we can all smell the rotting terrorist stench within. Yes, this is the first victory in the fight on terrorism and it is God's victory. God is truly blessing America.
Allan Curtis Holden
This diatribe is typical of Christian Right "hate" mail. It was constructed "by the numbers," using the following all-purpose process:
1. Stereotype
2. Smear by association
3. Kill with buzzwords
4. Marginalize.
In fact, nearly all conservative "hate" mail uses this same construction. It is written by the converted, using a simple formula learned by imitating other true believers. Note how about 80% of such statements begin with wording very similar to, "You are [this week's scariest stereotype], because you have [said something we don't agree with], and so we must [marginalize you too]......"
This example shows how easily the jargoneer can turn reality
on its head by using this technique. In this case, a group favoring
freedom of religion becomes one which would destroy such freedom
with unspeakable violence. Again we see the future: anyone you
don't like just HAS to be a terrorist.
Newt Gingrich's Official Name-Calling List:
In one of the jargon's weirder moments, neo-conservative leader and theorist Newt Gingrich actually promulgated a list of recommended hot-button epithets that Republican candidates running to take over the Congress should use when attacking their opponents:
"Compassion" is not enough.
Anti-(issue) flag, family, child, jobs
Betray
Coercion
Collapse
Consequences
Corruption
Crisis
Decay
Deeper
Destroy
Destructive
Devour
Endanger
Failure
Greed
Hypocrisy
Ideological
Impose
Incompetent
Insecure
Liberal
Lie
Limit(s)
Pathetic
Permissive attitude
Radical
Self-serving
Sensationalists
Shallow
Sick
They/them
Threaten
Traitors
Unionized bureaucracy
Urgent
Waste
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