News Headline: "52% of Mississippi Voters Think Obama is a Muslim"
The GOP propagandists have long had a conscious, well defined strategy of turning harmless descriptors into pejoratives. Years ago, Newt Gingrich, surprise, came up with the idea of sending cheat sheets to GOP officials and operatives with a list of inflammatory words to use when discussing Democrats. As today, most conservatives had a script to operate on, and gladly let someone else put words in their mouth. I recall tracking how the word "liberal" went from a proud label to a slur. Thus a man with the ethical standards of biblical scoundrel simultaneously undermined our language and the body politic.
These folks don't use words to effectively communicate ideas - like Orwell's villains they use them as weapons. In the south, where AM radio is still listened to by the masses on a daily basis, and where local stations play little besides the cheap content provided by Limbaugh, Hannity, Beck, Savage, and the other right wing hate mongers, a critical mass of "up-is-down" true believers has been achieved.
Let there be no mistake. The conservative meme makers know that Obama is not a muslim. But they also know that many uneducated denizens of the deep south can't publicly call him the name they want to call him. Muslim as a pejorative just happens to be an acceptable slur to post 9/11 mouth breathers, a substitute for the slur that even the worst among us know is unacceptable.
From New Gingrich's GOPAC organization tapes, circa 1995, providing a lexicon for GOP candidates and operatives. Ground Zero for the Newt Gingrich's perversion of American Ideals:
"As you know, one of the key points in the GOPAC tapes is that "language matters." In the video "We Are a Majority," Langauage is listed as akey mechanism of control used by a majority party, along with Agenda, Rules, Attitude and Learning. As the tapes have been used in training sessions across the country and mailed to candidates, we have heard a plaintive plea: "I wish I could speak like Newt."
That takes years of practice. But we believe that you could have a significant impact on your campaign and the way you communicate if we help a little. That is why we have created this list of words and phrases.
This list is prepared so that you might have a directory of words to use in writing literature and mail, in preparing speeches, and in producing electronic media. The words and phrases are powerful. Read them. Memorize as many as possible. And remember that, like any tool, these words will not help if they are not used....
Contrasting Words
Often we search hard for words to help us define our opponents. Sometimes we are hesitant to use contrast. Remember that creating a difference helps you. These are powerful words that can create a clear and easily understood contrast. Apply these to the opponent, their record, proposals and their party.
decay... failure (fail)... collapse(ing)... deeper... crisis... urgent(cy)... destructive... destroy... sick... pathetic... lie... liberal... they/them... unionized bureaucracy... "compassion" is not enough... betray... consequences... limit(s)... shallow... traitors... sensationalists...
endanger... coercion... hypocrisy... radical... threaten... devour... waste... corruption... incompetent... permissive attitudes... destructive... impose... self-serving... greed... ideological... insecure... anti-(issue): flag, family, child, jobs... pessimistic... excuses... intolerant...
stagnation... welfare... corrupt... selfish... insensitive... status quo... mandate(s)... taxes... spend(ing)... shame... disgrace... punish (poor...)... bizarre... cynicism... cheat... steal... abuse of power... machine... bosses... obsolete... criminal rights... red tape... patronage
Optimistic Positive Governing Words
Use the list below to help define your campaign and your vision of public service. These words can help give extra power to your message. In addition, these words help develop the positive side of the contrast you should create with your opponent, giving your community something to vote for!
share... change... opportunity... legacy... challenge... control... truth... moral... courage... reform... prosperity... crusade... movement... children... family... debate... compete... active(ly)... we/us/our... candid(ly)... humane... pristine... provide...
liberty... commitment... principle(d)... unique... duty... precious... premise... care(ing)... tough... listen... learn... help... lead... vision... success... empower(ment)... citizen... activist... mobilize... conflict... light... dream... freedom...
peace... rights... pioneer... proud/pride... building... preserve... pro-(issue): flag, children, environment... reform... workfare... eliminate good-time in prison... strength... choice/choose... fair... protect... confident... incentive... hard work... initiative... common sense... passionate."
