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Another Slight-of-Word

In case you hadn't noticed, one of my big pet-peeves has been the PC redefining of the English language. This is a conscious effort to frame arguments so that one side is necessarily right and one is wrong. College campuses are particularly egregious, but the news media is fast behind. Read the following article, see if you notice the intentional slight-of-word:

Quote:

The Nation
Sun Feb 12, 4:01 PM ET

The Nation -- To truly understand conservatives, you need to experience them in their element. The largest such gathering of true believers is the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), which took place this weekend in Washington, DC. CPAC is a rite of passage for young conservatives, graced by the likes of Dick Cheney, John Bolton and Bill Frist.

I and The Nation's Max Blumenthal stopped by on Friday, hoping to catch Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback (news, bio, voting record), the subject of Jeff Sharlet's masterful profile in this month's Rolling Stone. Brownback didn't show, but luckily Ann Coulter was on the menu later in the day. She didn't disappoint--characterizing Muslims as "ragheads," comparing moderate Republicans to slave plantations and wishing she'd assassinated Bill Clinton. Go read Max's blog for the full account.

Before Coulter's speech we strolled around the exhibit hall, home to such vendors as the "ex-gay is OK" table and "Muslims for Bush." We stopped by the booth of one man opposed to affirmative action in South Africa, of all places. Much to our surprise, he was not a fan of the current Republican Party or its followers. When Max told him to go see Coulter he responded, "my friend warned me about her."

Even white nationalists from South Africa are more mainstream than Republican activists in this country.

Did you catch it? I'll give you a hint: it's in the last sentence.

This article has intentionally redefined the word "mainstream".

Dictionary.com defines "mainstream" as:

Quote:

Representing the prevalent attitudes, values, and practices of a society or group

Notice the use of the word "prevalent". Mainstream can also be defined as the opinions of the majority.

Notice that in this article, mainstream means: "The opinions of everyone but Republicans." But wait, the use also seems to imply that though a majority nationally in every concievable definition of the word, Republicans cannot be mainstream.

I take more issue with the repeated misuse and redefinition of the word conservative.

Would you feel slighted if I told you the proper word was sleight?

Speaking of usage of words:

" Ann Coulter was on the menu later in the day. She didn't disappoint--"

I didn't realize they were into cannibalism. Or is she practically a vegetable?
Les

"Even white nationalists from South Africa are more mainstream than Republican activists in this country."

The article is about the Annual Conservative Political Action Conference participants.

IMO the types that show up to salivate at political rallies and party group jerks are not at all representative of the population as a whole.

Does Ann Coulter taste conservative? I'd taste that if she was on the menu.

Five responses.

Zero address the Orwellian redefinition of words.

Quote:

Originally posted by legion
Zero address the Orwellian redefinition of words.

Looks like the author called a spade a spade, but you seem to think it's a bottle of synthetic blinker fluid.

You're complaining about the 're-definition' of a word, but you really haven't provided anything to back up your assertion that it has indeed been re-defined. With GWB's approval rating down in the high 30's, maybe it's your definition of "mainstream" that to be re-evaluated.

If my first post went over your head, there's really no point in restating what is already there.

So in your opinion:
activists = mainstream

:rolleyes:

"Some people, you just can't reach..."

Quote:

Originally posted by legion
If my first post went over your head, there's really no point in restating what is already there.

I understood what you were trying to say.

The author spent considerable time in the beginning trying to convince the reader that this "CPAC" is a true representation of republicans. The slight/sleight occurs when he attempts to bash them by showing how far off base they are.

He was trying to say that "conservative" from an other country are more true to the definition of conservatism. Unfortunately this is NOT what he said.

I agree with Legion. He completely misused the word "mainstream" in every sense. You can not be the "gathering of true believers" and believe something different than what the "mainstream" believes. One of those if false.