The words “patriot” and “freedom” are casualties, along with the flag, as they get distorted to represent the opposite of what was intended. I wonder how long it will last? And how did the right manage to claim such power with words? I mean effectively. Liberal and feminist are now pejoratives.
A lot was wrong then for sure, but I don’t recall those words being used as tribal markers for fascists, as they are now. But I could be wrong; I was much less aware back then.
I cross-compared my memory of the rhetoric used by the warhawks for the war, and against the anti-war movement with the 14-points of fascism. There's pretty strong agreement. Call it proto-fascist if you will. In parallel, the segregationists were notorious for presenting their position as the patriotic one. Go back a bit further and you come to the quote, "When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross." Origin unknown, but the sentiment was expressed as far back as the 1930s (per Snopes). My reason for choosing Vietnam is that's when I believe a lot of white people realized they weren't going to be allowed to raise objections without being thoroughly demonized and "other-ed". Take it forward to Iraq 2003 (Vietnam 2.0), and it happens again with, "You're either with us or against us." Millions more Americans get called effeminate un-American terrorist sympathizers and Muslims as a whole are dehumanized. Mass media cheers the war even after the foundational lies are proven. The rift between the "freedom-loving patriots," and the, "godless homo commies" grows wider.
Apologies for the novel, but the more history I read, the more this phenomenon reveals deep and continuing roots, and it TROUBLES me.
Anyone who isn’t “troubled” isn’t paying attention to reality and history. You make a good case that every era has twisted language to serve the message of the dominant ruling dogma. And the heterodox opposition also had their own terminology or rhetoric of the era.
It’s recyclable in familiarity. Only the details, like language, shift. It seems there’s a fine line between “patriotism” and nationalism. Both get exploited.
For some reason the term “surrender monkeys” keeps drifting through my head, but I can’t remember which conflict it served! And remember “Freedom Fries” on the menu at the Capitol? I think they were both employed to denigrate the French government, who tried to apply the brakes on militarism in the Middle East.
I wish we didn’t have to face living in interesting times. But even that seems inevitable, viewed through history. I’m constantly seeking the personal balance between staying informed, and avoiding despair. And I know I’m not alone. Frankly though, I wish more Americans weren’t so blithely confident in their views, and instead engaged in wider reflection.
I agree. I think RW media convinced them that they’re the only true patriots and that any liberal is an evil commie. Their media helped a lot. IMHO, it will take a few years after Trumpism subsides, for the negative connotations to dissipate.
As a child, I imagined that if I had been alive in revolutionary times, I would have been in George Washington's army. The word "patriot" resonated with me and still does. The problem is that for 1776 1.0 there were 27 fact-based grievances, set forth in the Declaration of Independence; while the 2.0 gang has just the big lie. (Ironically, I discovered that my forebearers were actually redcoats, Irish fighting for the Crown.)
The words “patriot” and “freedom” are casualties, along with the flag, as they get distorted to represent the opposite of what was intended. I wonder how long it will last? And how did the right manage to claim such power with words? I mean effectively. Liberal and feminist are now pejoratives.
I'm of the opinion that those words died in Vietnam, but I realize that notion may not get a lot of traction here.
A lot was wrong then for sure, but I don’t recall those words being used as tribal markers for fascists, as they are now. But I could be wrong; I was much less aware back then.
I cross-compared my memory of the rhetoric used by the warhawks for the war, and against the anti-war movement with the 14-points of fascism. There's pretty strong agreement. Call it proto-fascist if you will. In parallel, the segregationists were notorious for presenting their position as the patriotic one. Go back a bit further and you come to the quote, "When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross." Origin unknown, but the sentiment was expressed as far back as the 1930s (per Snopes). My reason for choosing Vietnam is that's when I believe a lot of white people realized they weren't going to be allowed to raise objections without being thoroughly demonized and "other-ed". Take it forward to Iraq 2003 (Vietnam 2.0), and it happens again with, "You're either with us or against us." Millions more Americans get called effeminate un-American terrorist sympathizers and Muslims as a whole are dehumanized. Mass media cheers the war even after the foundational lies are proven. The rift between the "freedom-loving patriots," and the, "godless homo commies" grows wider.
Apologies for the novel, but the more history I read, the more this phenomenon reveals deep and continuing roots, and it TROUBLES me.
Anyone who isn’t “troubled” isn’t paying attention to reality and history. You make a good case that every era has twisted language to serve the message of the dominant ruling dogma. And the heterodox opposition also had their own terminology or rhetoric of the era.
It’s recyclable in familiarity. Only the details, like language, shift. It seems there’s a fine line between “patriotism” and nationalism. Both get exploited.
For some reason the term “surrender monkeys” keeps drifting through my head, but I can’t remember which conflict it served! And remember “Freedom Fries” on the menu at the Capitol? I think they were both employed to denigrate the French government, who tried to apply the brakes on militarism in the Middle East.
I wish we didn’t have to face living in interesting times. But even that seems inevitable, viewed through history. I’m constantly seeking the personal balance between staying informed, and avoiding despair. And I know I’m not alone. Frankly though, I wish more Americans weren’t so blithely confident in their views, and instead engaged in wider reflection.
I agree. I think RW media convinced them that they’re the only true patriots and that any liberal is an evil commie. Their media helped a lot. IMHO, it will take a few years after Trumpism subsides, for the negative connotations to dissipate.
As a child, I imagined that if I had been alive in revolutionary times, I would have been in George Washington's army. The word "patriot" resonated with me and still does. The problem is that for 1776 1.0 there were 27 fact-based grievances, set forth in the Declaration of Independence; while the 2.0 gang has just the big lie. (Ironically, I discovered that my forebearers were actually redcoats, Irish fighting for the Crown.)