In our time, political speech and writing are largely the defense of the
indefensible… Thus political language has to consist largely of
euphemism, question-begging and sheer cloudy vagueness… the great enemy
of clear language is insincerity. Where there is a gap between one's
real and one's declared aims, one turns as it were instinctively to long
words and exhausted idioms-- Politics and the English Language, George Orwell
It is high time that everyone sees the Heroes of Beslan clearly.
Burnings. Beheadings. Torture. Mass gang rapes. This kind of man is not unknown among us. The drug cartels, Mengela, the murderers of the Clutter family all have spotted human history with unspeakable savagery and pain.
It is clear that governments the world over are paralyzed with some inexplicable conflict here. There seems to be uncertainty, some unique thinking that exceeds our grasp, that makes even the name ISIS--spoken pointedly as "ISIL" by administrators--abstract. With such ambivalence, action is hard to follow.
I have a modest proposal. I propose a popular uprising of words. No more use of words and phrases like "action," "violence," "terrorism" or "attack" by these people. Only "atrocity, " "fiendishness" and similar words and phrases should be used. And no more "fighter," or "Islamist," or "terrorist." Only truly judgmental words like "Unhinged," "Deranged," "Sadist" and "Maniac" should be used. No "killed," only "murdered." When a maniac is killed , he should be "put out of his misery." Everyone involved is an "accomplice" or "enabler" until proven otherwise.
And everyone should spread the word that "virgin" is a mistranslation of "raisin." Fewer guys are likely to die for 72 raisins. And nothing hurts self-absorbed mania like humor.
Orwell believed language meant something and could do things. Let's try to prove it.
It is high time that everyone sees the Heroes of Beslan clearly.
Burnings. Beheadings. Torture. Mass gang rapes. This kind of man is not unknown among us. The drug cartels, Mengela, the murderers of the Clutter family all have spotted human history with unspeakable savagery and pain.
It is clear that governments the world over are paralyzed with some inexplicable conflict here. There seems to be uncertainty, some unique thinking that exceeds our grasp, that makes even the name ISIS--spoken pointedly as "ISIL" by administrators--abstract. With such ambivalence, action is hard to follow.
I have a modest proposal. I propose a popular uprising of words. No more use of words and phrases like "action," "violence," "terrorism" or "attack" by these people. Only "atrocity, " "fiendishness" and similar words and phrases should be used. And no more "fighter," or "Islamist," or "terrorist." Only truly judgmental words like "Unhinged," "Deranged," "Sadist" and "Maniac" should be used. No "killed," only "murdered." When a maniac is killed , he should be "put out of his misery." Everyone involved is an "accomplice" or "enabler" until proven otherwise.
And everyone should spread the word that "virgin" is a mistranslation of "raisin." Fewer guys are likely to die for 72 raisins. And nothing hurts self-absorbed mania like humor.
Orwell believed language meant something and could do things. Let's try to prove it.
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