Since the inception of language, humans have understood that words have power. Immense power. At no time in human history does the phrase: “The pen is mightier than the sword” carry greater weight. That precise idiom is attributed to a 19th-century English author, but the sentiment is ancient. Hundreds of years before Jesus preached to the masses and changed history with his words, Greek and Assyrian authors used similar words with the same meaning. With words, one can control discussion, conquer a country — turn a culture on its head.

“Homosexual” was the accepted and anodyne word for same-sex attraction for over a century. It fell out of favor through a forced change. “Gay” became the accepted label. Unlike “homosexual,” “gay” has no Greek or Latin root; it was invented with a purpose. Eventually, it became part of the lexicon, to the point that style guides forbid the use of “homosexual” as a descriptor. Gay is a happy word, and damn it, you will be happy using it. Lesbian isn’t a happy word, so lesbians are “gay.”

The alphabet gang grew and soon, words were banned, “dead-naming” became a thing, and the alphabet soup got more loaded with more letters. A plus sign was added, in case someone needed affirmation without a meaning. Requiring tolerance or the hackneyed “Just leave us alone” became bigotry. Fealty and reverence were required.

“Gay pride” moved from a single day to a full month. Its flag changed from 6 colors to a mess of shapes and colors.

“We want to be left alone” morphed into “We are proud,” to “We are loud and proud,” to “We will not be ignored,” to “We want you to celebrate with us” to:

“WE DEMAND THAT YOU CELEBRATE US, OR WE WILL CRUSH YOU!”

Disagreeing with the completely unscientific concept that a man can, with the wave of his hand, become a woman became a “phobia.” Wanting men to stay out of women’s sports and bathrooms became bigotry. How? With the power of words, and media’s control of words and their meaning. Banning words, changing meanings, and controlling language go hand in glove with dissemination. Without media willing to discourage the use of—then banning—words, then disseminating what media wants you to see, there would be, at a minimum, two sides. But media and academia don’t want discussion. There aren’t “two sides” in their view – only the new dogma is allowed. Why? Because it is a religion.

The left controls media and therefore, controls what is said and how language is framed. Like monks and priests 1,000 years ago, media, and only media, is allowed to frame what is preached. Science is anathema, facts are bigotry. Is that far-fetched? Hardly. Social media will suppress verifiable facts it finds outside the accepted dogma. If you use science to dispute that “Rachel Levine” isn’t a woman but rather a man, you will find yourself shouted into silence and labeled a heretic.

Controlling language is the goal. Although reference to Orwell’s “1984” is too often used, it rings true. We don’t live in Oceana but we live in something similar, and we are creeping perhaps slowly toward Oceana.

Seventy-four years ago, Orwell tapped away on a typewriter and never envisioned that he would see his novel become fact.

“We convert [ The Resister], we capture his inner mind, we reshape him…[then] We bring him over to our side, not in appearance, but genuinely, heart and soul… It is intolerable to us that an erroneous thought should exist anywhere in the world, however secret or powerless it may be.”

What happened to the Toronto Blue Jays’ pitcher who dared to step out of groupthink? He cowed to pressure from the new religion and begged forgiveness. As my buddy Sister Toldjah described it — a “hostage video.” Anthony Bass didn’t say the wrong thing; rather, he agreed with wrong-thought. Bass claims to be a Christian but I “have thoughts.” He threw his faith on the new altar and begged for forgiveness from the new religion. It isn’t about tolerance. As I said, it isn’t about acceptance or “just leave us alone.” It’s about fealty. Believe or be banned.

If you’re wondering: “What happened? How did we get here?” Media played its part, and we let it happen.

Saul Alinsky died 50 years ago but he said one thing in “Rules for Radicals” that everyone, including the puppet in the White House, can agree on:

Control the language and you control the masses.