Manipulative language or informative language?

New Yorker "Talk of the Town" writer Hendrick Hertzberg writes about a phenomenon I've been too isolated to discover for myself: the Republican right wing use of the term "Democrat" as an adjective, as in "Democrat party." George Bush apparently uses this term along with the rest of his wingmen and -women.

The idea is to make it sound seamier, coarser, rougher, "rattier" to be a Democrat. To belong to the Democratic Party.

I recently belong to the Independent Party. I am protesting, at least temporarily, the refusal of national Dems to fight hard to get us out of Iraq and try to forestall other explosively dangerous foreign policies of this short-sighted administration - but even more, I'm protesting the Kentucky Democratic Party's lousy leadership choices. I can't be a Democrat right now.

In terms of the right wing manipulation of the "Democrat Party" language, my personal choices are beside the point. I see this deliberately incorrect grammatical usage by Yale- and Harvard- educated elites as a successful manipulative maneuver. By using language in ways that defy the language authoritarians, the present party in power sends messages to its base that are more powerful to that base than the party's actions. The ungrammatical language of the good old boys [sic] keeps them sounding like they are on the side of ordinary folk who chafed at teachers, rules, authorities in general. All the while, the people presently in power are doing all they can to be in ultimate authority over all of us, taking our money in countless ways to enrich themselves and their friends.

Their present tactic: Say "Democrat Party." Say "nuc-u-lar." People won't notice that you are making war against their interests, building debt against their interests, decreasing civil liberties and invading privacy against their interests, creating worldwide hatred of the USA against their interests.

It works. Language is more powerful than actions. Language that carries cultural content and meaning is more hardwired, more directly powerful in our heads than policies, which have to be observed, analyzed, considered.

Language triumphs. I love language. Though I resent its use as a manipulator, I trust that we the people are ornery, prickly, and street-smart enough to resist being manipulated long-term. I trust we'll catch on eventually.

Steve files for Council At Large

 

Steve Kay, my partner in work and life, files to run for an at-large seat on the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council. Eight other people filed for three available seats.
 

Paul's Foreign Auto

I picked up my 1989 Saab from Paul's Foreign Auto today. I felt like one lucky person. Paul's is two and a half blocks from my house. They work on old Saabs, and they work on new Toyotas, like the 2002 Camry that my man drives. They do their work on time, and charge reasonably. I had expected to pay $278 today for a rebuilt battery platform and a new battery after I damaged my old battery by completely depleting it. An accident, of course. Julie called, though, to say "Come get it. It's $178.05." The old battery platform was down inside the car somewhere, so they didn't have to use the the expensive new part. They rebuilt what they had. I bought a seven year battery for my 17 year old car. Why not? Paul's integrity, proximity, and care means I can keep driving my old, old car in town, and keep doing occasional repairs, for a long, long time to come. I hope!

Oh yse. And when I got in the car, two soft peppermints lay in the seat, along with a card offering $10 off my next visit, and $10 off to any person whom I recommend to them. A nice touch - unusual for Paul's, and quite tasty.