How Conservatives Co-Opt & Pollute Language

Have you noticed that AS SOON AS liberals use a word to describe anything progressive or anything that would lead to progress, conservatives pounce on and co-opt the word? They take the meaning of the word and change it to conservativespeak and make it into something that doesn’t even resemble reality.

For instance when liberals use the term “equal,” we mean that people should be given equal treatment under the law. It seems pretty straightforward, right? If a man and woman are doing the same job and have the same credentials, they should earn the same wages. If a black person and a white person are doing the same job and have the same credentials, they should receive the same compensation. The term “pay-equality” isn’t confusing unless you do not have the ability to think for yourself and you listen to Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly. He argues that government should not “impose equality” – leading his followers to believe that equality under the law would mean everyone would earn exactly the same amount of money no matter what. Conservatives create a false narrative that liberals want janitors to earn the same as brain surgeons – or that fast-food workers should earn exactly the same as a high school principal.

O’Reilly’s argument is so infantile and it speaks to people who do not have the ability to hold an independent thought.

Anti-feminists use this tactic with a slightly different twist. They argue that men and women are different and therefore, by definition, not equal. This is some kind of justification to vote against gender equality.

What a bunch of horseshit. And conservative leaders KNOW THIS.

Men and women are different. DUH! No feminist or liberal or person who has a WORKING BRAIN believes that men and women are the same.

The reason conservative talking heads promote this ridiculous propaganda is so their herds of followers stay hateful, fearful and angry. They are doing a great job of it. Visit any feminist page and look at the trolls who comment. They insist that men and women are different – even though NO ONE SAYS THEY ARE THE SAME.

This is a conservative tactic meant to waste time, impede progress and take attention from the bigger picture. It works because liberals spend inordinate amounts of time attempting to explain that it isn’t true and then it’s an endless, circular conversation that only serves conservative trolls who want to argue for the sake of arguing.

Here is my suggestion. Get registered. Make sure you are all ready for Election Day. Make sure IN ADVANCE you are prepared so that some restrictive Republican voting law doesn’t keep YOU from having your say. And then VOTE!

We need a Democratic majority. Once we have one, O’Reilly and all of the conservativespeak will have less meaning – because the GOP won’t be writing laws promoting their racist and sexist agendas or blocking progressive legislation.

Polluting definitions only matter when lunatics have legislative power.

You, as an America citizen, have the power to fire the members of Congress who pollute the real meaning of equality!

Please take a moment and Like Kimberley A. Johnson on Facebook.

Kimberley A. Johnson (BIO) is the author of The Virgin Diaries and an activist for women’s rights. Like her on Facebook, Twitter or follow her on FB HERE.

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