Words Matter

"You keep using that word.  I do not think it means what you think it means."

Indigo Montoya

I've written before on the political phenomenon of controlling the meaning of words.  Of claiming specific words and phrases regarding how to describe ones positions.  How opposition to abortion can be both "pro-life" and "anti-women" depending on your political affiliation.

Right-wing political commentator Candace Owens has found herself in trouble from trying to reclaim "nationalism" as a positive attribute at a Turning Point UK meeting December 11, 2018.

"I actually don't have any problems with the word 'nationalism.'  I think that the definition gets poisoned by elitists that actually want globalism.  Globalism is what I don't want... Whenever we say nationalism, the first thing people think about, at least in America, is Hitler.

He was a nationalist socialist, but if Hitler wanted to make Germany great and have things run well, OK, fine.

The problem is that he wanted, he had dreams outside of Germany.  He wanted to globalise.  He wanted everybody to be German, everybody to be speaking German.  Everybody to look a different way.  To me, that's not nationalism.  In thinking about how we could go bad down the line, I don't really have an issue with nationalism.  I really don't."

There are so many things wrong with this statement that it is hard to keep track.  First, the definition doesn't get poisoned by elites.  It actually has a dictionary definition that defines nationalism as "loyalty and devotion to a nation, especially a sense of national consciousness exalting one nation above all others and placing the primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests as opposed to those of other nations or supranational groups."  "Identification with one's own nation and support for its interests, especially to the exclusion or detriment of the interests of other nations."  Nationalism is inherently defined as more extreme that patriotism.  A stronger interest and ideology.

Second, it's possible to be patriotic, to be anti-globalism, and to not be nationalistic.

Third, Hitler is used as an example of a nationalist because he is the text-book definition.  German nationalism was the tool that Hitler used to rise in power.  The concept of Aryanism is rooted in Nationalism.

Finally, the problem with Hitler's rise and the reach of his power was that it explicitly came at the exclusion and extermination of between 10 and 17 million undesirables.  Of those who did not fit the definition of what made German great.

Owens did take to Periscope to state that Hitler was a "homicidal, psychotic, maniac who was bent on world domination outside the confines of Germany" and she did not think he was a true nationalist, but that she stood by her statements.

We're in the last generations that may have a personal connection to the Holocaust.  Who may have had a grandparent or great-grandparent that they have interaction with that was personally affected.  And sadly, in the overview of history that most students get, the Holocaust is a blip.  A brief component of the other decades worth of events that must be covered.

Two-thirds of millennials cannot identify Auschwitz.  Twenty-two percent have not heard of the Holocaust or are not sure if they've heard of it. There is a desire for Holocaust education, with 93% responding that they believe all students should learn about it.

Perhaps because 58% believe something like it could happen again.  Especially if we have people like Owens who are determined to misrepresent it for their own personal political benefit.

The Meaning of Words

"I don't know what you mean by 'glory'," Alice said.

Humpty Dumpty smiled contemptuously.  "Of course you don't - till I tell you.  I meant 'there's a nice knock-down argument for you!'"

"But 'glory' doesn't mean a 'nice knock-down argument'," Alice objected.

"When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less."

"The question is," said Alice, "Whether you can make words mean different things - that's all."

"The question is," said Humpty Dumpty, "which is to be master - that's all."

My Constitutional Law professor used to quote this passage of Through The Looking Glass all the time.  When you control the meaning of words, you can do anything.  You can make up down, black white, and right wrong, just by changing the words.  This is the purview of Constitutional interpretation; to determine and define what the words in our laws and Constitution actually mean.

This is also the sad language of politics today.  Change the phrasing of the words and you can make any action or cause sound laudable or deplorable.  And I want to write today about something I'm seeing more frequently and something that is greatly angering me.

There's a terrible image going around on social media that sums up this sentiment greatly.  It represents a gross over-simplification of the state of political debate, at best, and outright falsities at it's worst.  It's a tool of the ever growing divide in this country, for as we know, one party just has to represent everything that is good with this country and the other just has to represent all the evils of this world.

In terms of truthfulness, this image rates right up there with the posts that point out the pure coincidence that both American and Republican end in "I CAN" while Democrats ends in "RATS".  The actual party name is the Democratic party (just as the GOP name is the Republican party), though I suppose "ATIC" does not work as well to denigrate the opposition.

To prove a point, let me show you another image, one that is just as true as the one above.

It's all in how you define the words.  Or in what words you choose to describe the particular topic.  Opposition to abortion can be "pro-life" or "anti-abortion."  A push for gun control can be "sensible gun control" or "they'll take away all your guns."  Both sides do it and it's getting worse.  If you actually believe that Democrats are all anti-police/ICE, I have a bridge in Arizona that I would like to sell you. Likewise if you believe that Republicans are all homophobic or xenophobic.

These images and the sentiment behind them are not helping our country in any way shape or form.  These posts and the ones claiming that our country will be socialist if the Democrats win or fascist if the Republicans win simply exist to further the divide in this country, ensuring that future elections and future debates will be more rancorous, more vile, and more fractured.

The only way we move past this is to recognize the manipulation in the images above and reject them.  To engage in a deeper discourse.  A deeper investigation.  And then to vote.

Get informed and vote November 6, 2018.  Vote early if you can.

Don't vote straight party - in my opinion, the ability to vote straight party with one selection on a ballot should be removed.  It's likely the most dangerous tool in politics that has been granted to both parties.

Read up on the candidates and vote for those that best represent you regardless of what little letter follows their name on the ballot.

There is a world of resources on the web to find out information on the candidates and issues on your ballot, including the two below.

Ontheissues.org

VoteSmart.org

There are literally hundreds of resources out there and a breadth of information available at your finger tips.  I realize I'm likely preaching to the choir, but a reminder never hurts.

Vote.

Not because it's the most important election of our lifetime.  Not because of some fear-based image that tries to make you believe the other side is going to destroy our country (they won't).

Vote because every election is that important.  Because every election matters.