Opinion: Leftists and the Tyranny of Terminology

AP Photo/Evan Vucci
AP featured image
President Donald Trump speaks during an event celebrating American truckers, at the White House, Thursday, April 16, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

All across America, we await decrees from our governors and mayors promulgating guidance as to how much human interaction and of what types will be allowed, as we try to reopen America and begin living our lives again. The draconian and likely unconstitutional measures previously instituted by all but one governor, have impacted millions of Americans. The downstream effects have yet to be fully measured, but many of them are horrific. Here are just a couple examples. Trillions of Dollars of Individual Retirement Fund values have been wiped out. Over 30 million unemployed…and still counting. We are now at 14.7% unemployed. We started the year at statistically full employment. All of that destruction and more, in just a few weeks.

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Read: Monday, May 4, 2020, Weekly Wuhan Virus Report: The Human Cost

Read: Opinion: Continuing the Shutdown Is Downright Immoral

Now, after all that destruction, we are tentatively easing towards — with the permission and guidance from our “betters” — a reopening of America. Which brings me to today’s topic, the language the left gets you to use and thereby accept and consent to what they are doing to you.

My first example is how they use technical jargon to obtain buy-in. “We need to flatten the curve!” was the mantra early on. The control freaks used that phrase to promote acceptance of these egregious measures, claiming that if we didn’t accept them, our hospital system would be overwhelmed and millions would die. Of course, that was never going to happen as I explained

Here: Opinion: Hospital Capacity; or Just in Case

and

Here: Opinion: We Have Excess Capacity, No Need to Panic

Now that we have “flattened the curve,” accomplished our goal, one would think that we could all get back to building America and repairing the damage, economic, physical, and psychological. “Not so!” say our betters. Now we must continue to “shelter in place,” until they have determined that it is “safe” for us to come out and reengage in social intercourse. Listen to the language they use.

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Here is a great example. Ms. Shelley Luther, a salon owner, decided that feeding her family was more important than obeying some administrative edict. She was arrested and jailed for having the effrontery to defy such. The judge in the case, Eric Moye, as he pronounced sentence stated,

“The defiance of the court’s order was open, flagrant and intentional.” He noted that, despite being given the opportunity to apologize, Luther has “expressed no contrition, remorse or regret.”

Listen to that! This judge expects an American to apologize for exercising her right to earn a living and take care of her kids!

Ms. Luther, in her response, stated,

“Feeding my kids is not selfish,” she told Moyé. “If you think the law is more important than kids getting fed, then please go ahead with your decision, but I am not going to shut the salon.”

That is the response of a real, no kiddin’ American.

The left has come completely out of the closet. They understand that coming up with and convincing folks as to the efficacy of terms such as, “flatten the curve,” requires too much work. They really like more direct measures. They would prefer Americans to accept such terms such as Permission, Allow, Direct, Authorize, and such. We as Americans, need to be on the lookout for these terms. They are warning signs that we are losing our liberties. It’s time to tell governments from City, through County and State, all the way up through Federal, that we, not they, are in charge.

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