The Vocabulary of Oppression and Disinformation

  

Woke – “aware of and actively attentive to important facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice).” Merriam Webster. Sounds a whole lot like the teachings of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. Stuff like tolerance (“Let him has not sinned cast the first stone” or wokey stuff like “love thy neighbor” and “turn the other cheek”).

Socialism – “a: a system of society or group living in which there is no private property… b: a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state.” Merriam Webster. Given the number of flagrant American billionaires, I don’t think this is remotely happening in the United States. Often confused with “social programs,” governmental benefits like Medicare, Medicaid and public education… which are dramatically different. A “social disease,” for example, is also not socialism.

Special Military Operations – According to Wikipedia, these are “Special operations may include reconnaissance, unconventional warfare, and counter-terrorism actions, and are typically conducted by small groups of highly-trained personnel, emphasizing sufficiency, stealth, speed, and tactical coordination, commonly known as ‘special forces’.” In Russia, its clandestine meaning is all-out war, including the use of banned weapons to annihilate both civilian and military targets, indiscriminately blasting schools, hospitals and residential areas.

Liberator – One who frees “(something, such as a country) from domination by a foreign power.” Merriam Webster. Often a fabrication used by autocrats and bully nations to justify invasion of another country, recently cited by Vladimir Putin in connection with his “special military operations” against Ukraine.

Patriot – “one who loves and supports his or her country.” Merriam Webster. Rising US connotation, as in connection with the patriot movement: “a term which is used to describe a conglomeration of non-unified right-wing populist, nationalist political movements, most notably far-right armed militias, sovereign citizens, and tax protesters. Ideologies held by patriot movement groups often focus on anti-government conspiracy theories, with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) describing a common belief that ‘government has been infiltrated and subverted’ and is no longer legitimate. The movement first emerged in 1994 in response to what members saw as ‘violent government repression’ of dissenting groups, along with increased gun control and the Clinton government.” Wikipedia. Often associated with groups that believe Donald Trump was truly reelected last November and that the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol to reverse the outcome of that election was a patriotic effort, “ordinary citizens engaged in legitimate political discourse.”

Supply-side Economics – “a theory that reducing taxes especially for rich people will lead to an improved economy.” Merriam Webster. Also known as: “trickle-down economics,” “incenting the job creators,” etc. Based on the theory that given a tax cut, the rich will immediately hire a lot more people and create many new solid jobs. There is no evidence anywhere in the world that rich people act that way… ever.

Critical Race Theory – “a group of concepts (such as the idea that race is a sociological rather than biological designation, and that racism pervades society and is fostered and perpetuated by the legal system) used for examining the relationship between race and the laws and legal institutions of a country and especially the United States.” Merriam Webster. Laws banning the discussion of critical race theory in public schools, for example, are aimed at stopping classroom examinations of current and past examples of racial discrimination and intolerance. Predicated on a belief that Supreme Court cases and federal statutes, beginning in the 1950s, forever eliminated racism in the United States. 

Cancel Culture –  “the practice or tendency of engaging in mass canceling as a way of expressing disapproval and exerting social pressure… the mass withdrawal of support from public figures or celebrities who have done things that aren't socially accepted today.” Merriam Webster. Europe’s ban on Nazi memorabilia, flags and statues is an example of cancel culture. In the United States, taking down Confederate flags and statues of Confederate leaders is also considered to be cancel culture.

My body, my choice – “When someone invokes the phrase ‘my body, my choice,’ they are insinuating that they have (or should have) a legal right to do to their body whatever they want.” Psychology Today. This is primarily a fabricated right (not within the US Constitution) that individuals claim allows them to refuse vaccinations for diseases that may well infect many other or allow dangerous variants to propagate. Commonly, the same advocates also believe that abortion should be illegal, and that drug dealers and narcotics addicts should face criminal charges.

America First – A major campaign slogan (part of the “Make America Great” movement) for Donald Trump has its roots in antisemitism: “The photo of KKK members marching with an ‘America first’ banner dates from the 1920s and can be found in the Getty Images archive. [See above photo next to a contemporary KKK publication.] The Ku Klux Klan ‘coin’ (actually a token) bearing the slogans ‘America First” and ‘Preserve Racial Purity’ on one face and ‘The Invisible Empire’ on the other was struck in 1965 to celebrate the centennial of the KKK’s founding, numismatists say, although it was never officially endorsed by the organization… The phrase ‘America first’ also appears in Klan literature as part of a longer credo, ‘America first, last and forever,’ or its variant ‘America first, last and always,’ as uttered by a KKK speaker quoted in the Binghamton, New York Press and Sun-Bulletin in 1923:” Snopes.com.

I’m Peter Dekom, and I could just keep adding to this list, but remember, when you see or hear these words uttered by politicians and their followers, those expressions carry deep, toxic and highly oppressive meanings that are well understood by those who share that belief system.