Editor:
A sign of our times is the facile use of euphemisms to camouflage unpleasant facts, with governments the chief practitioner of this cynical corruption of language. Our own government has contributed several of these linguistic disguises: enhanced interrogation techniques, for torture; collateral damage, for civilians casualties in war zones, smart bombs and surgical strikes, to suggest precise action against military targets that avoids collateral damage. The Patriot Act sounds so positive, but allows for ignoring our constitutional rights, the result of a Congress in panic mode following 9/11. On another level, the Defense of Marriage Act sounds as sweet as Mothers Day and apple pie, but is aimed at restricting the civil rights of gays and lesbians.
Many of our states have right-to-work laws, a poorly disguised attempt to bust the unions. Counterpoised to these government euphemisms, that smack of totalitarianism, are the names adopted by the alarming number of hate groups across America. Among the most notorious are the Constitution Party, Montana Freemen, Aryan Nations, Flathead Liberty Bell, the Sovereigns (Republic of Texas), and the Klan.
Listed as intolerant, but not vicious, are the Family Research Council, the Heritage Foundation, National Organization for Marriage, and American Family Association.
Years ago George Orwell warned us about the corruption of language for political purposes, brilliantly dramatized in his classics, Animal Farm and 1984, and in several of his essays. Just now in America, we are experiencing the corruption of our electoral process resulting from the Supreme Courts 5-4 decision that corporations are persons for purposes of campaign contributions. The litigation was drafted by Citizens United, a name suggesting broad representation when in fact its members represent a small but powerful band of special interests. Democracy under attack.
Denton May
Cortez
