Democratic Primaries

MineralMan

(151,281 posts) Mon Jan 13, 2020, 11:31 AM Jan 2020

"Elites" is a Right-Wing Slur Word [View all]

Why would any Democrat use it in describing another Democrat? It's a word used by Republicans to refer to Democrats in general. "The Liberal Elites," etc.

Its use by our Democratic candidates against each other demonstrates a poor understanding of the attack language so carefully selected by the far right to slam Democrats.

It's a mistake. Nobody should be making such mistakes this early in the Primary race.

Language matters. Use it wisely.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

79 replies

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"Elites" is a Right-Wing Slur Word [View all] MineralMan Jan 2020 OP

I grew up thinking 'elite' was a good thing even though I and my family comradebillyboy Jan 2020 #1

Well, it can be a positive adjective. "elite athletes," for example. MineralMan Jan 2020 #2

As Bill Maher once said, PatSeg Jan 2020 #13

This is just one of the many problems that comes with an embrace of "populism." The Valley Below Jan 2020 #21

Very well said PatSeg Jan 2020 #29

Bravo comradebillyboy Jan 2020 #60

Libertarians love the elite... czarjak Jan 2020 #67

Excellent point Pacifist Patriot Jan 2020 #3

+1. Judo means the "Gentle Way" yonder Jan 2020 #61

It has also become a left-wing slur word, but with a slightly different nuance. The Velveteen Ocelot Jan 2020 #4

Linguistically, it's an adjective, anyhow. MineralMan Jan 2020 #5

Hillary turned an adjective into a noun PatSeg Jan 2020 #15

Yes, she did. It has become a common thing to convert an MineralMan Jan 2020 #17

And that is how language changes PatSeg Jan 2020 #22

I'm not sure how much doing that happened until recently. MineralMan Jan 2020 #25

Oh yes, Newspeak PatSeg Jan 2020 #37

That usage was also part of Newt Gingrich's effort to MineralMan Jan 2020 #39

I remember that PatSeg Jan 2020 #47

As Democrats We Need to Avoid Using Republican Vocabulary McKim Jan 2020 #50

I think that it was the work of Frank Luntz as part of Newt's Contract on America. BKDem Jan 2020 #57

Could be, but it was Newt who encouraged their use. MineralMan Jan 2020 #59

Yes. Luntz was hired by Newt. Newt was the front man. BKDem Jan 2020 #70

Yup, and its influence has endured. MineralMan Jan 2020 #71

Republicans: Stupids....I like it Rorey Jan 2020 #40

Liberal as a noun has been around for at least 100 years. TwilightZone Jan 2020 #51

I never really got into the white wine jberryhill Jan 2020 #46

Post removed Post removed Jan 2020 #6

That's not how it's typically used, though. MineralMan Jan 2020 #8

"Elites" was the original projection bucolic_frolic Jan 2020 #7

It's all part of a deliberate use of certain words that was started MineralMan Jan 2020 #9

And you know PatSeg Jan 2020 #19

Yes! Rorey Jan 2020 #43

The problem isn't who we are PatSeg Jan 2020 #48

Yeah, we use liberal a lot too. pwb Jan 2020 #10

It wasn't Limbaugh, although he popularized such usages. MineralMan Jan 2020 #11

Liberal as a slur dates back to Reagan. TwilightZone Jan 2020 #14

Oh man, this has burned my ass since I was like 20 Cosmocat Jan 2020 #12

The use of the term "elite" is meant to instill resentment. Happy Hoosier Jan 2020 #16

Populist politics at work. MineralMan Jan 2020 #18

Indeed. They deployed it against Obama regularly. (nt) ehrnst Jan 2020 #20

I've even seen posters here lecturing others about what words we should or shouldn't use, lest we cwydro Jan 2020 #23

+1 BeckyDem Jan 2020 #27

More of a populist term Apollo Zeus Jan 2020 #24

Yes, absolutely it is. MineralMan Jan 2020 #28

It is about class distinctions and its not a right wing slur. BeckyDem Jan 2020 #26

It has become a right-wing slur and a left-wing slur. The GOP and right-wing media The Velveteen Ocelot Jan 2020 #31

It looks like I wasn't direct enough in my OP in condemning its use MineralMan Jan 2020 #34

Maybe. I thought it was pretty clear, but The Velveteen Ocelot Jan 2020 #35

Sometimes I wonder whether people read MineralMan Jan 2020 #36

It's been a right-wing slur since Reagan. TwilightZone Jan 2020 #49

Nonsense. BeckyDem Jan 2020 #77

How about far left? It's used as a slur on here often Bradshaw3 Jan 2020 #30

If you'll think about it, you'll see that I am doing just that here. MineralMan Jan 2020 #32

A condescending non-answer Bradshaw3 Jan 2020 #38

Neither of those two things involves changing a part of speech to another. MineralMan Jan 2020 #41

See #4. The Velveteen Ocelot Jan 2020 #33

So much wrong with that post Bradshaw3 Jan 2020 #42

So, kindly enlighten me. The Velveteen Ocelot Jan 2020 #52

Ad hominem attacks aren't enlightening Bradshaw3 Jan 2020 #78

Correct now and.... JoeOtterbein Jan 2020 #44

Thank You! LiberalLovinLug Jan 2020 #66

'We know best; you know nothing.' The Mouth Jan 2020 #72

Funny you should mention that melman Jan 2020 #74

There's a lot of that going around this primary season. KPN Jan 2020 #45

To me MAGATS think they are the superior ones. LakeArenal Jan 2020 #53

We love stereotypes and lumping people together as much as anyone. TwilightZone Jan 2020 #54

Indeed. As Ruth Bader Ginsburg has often said, "Words matter." PatrickforO Jan 2020 #55

I was listening to Joe Madison JustAnotherGen Jan 2020 #56

Per the Merriam Webster Dictionary of "elites" it's the rethugs that are elitists iluvtennis Jan 2020 #58

Language does matter and the word is not necessarily a slur. aikoaiko Jan 2020 #62

Remember Chimp W. Bush? Harker Jan 2020 #63

To me elites are those who are country club members, fly in private jets have 2nd and 3rd kimbutgar Jan 2020 #64

They doth protest too much... SKKY Jan 2020 #65

I don't know how they get away with accusing us as elites LiberalLovinLug Jan 2020 #69

Elite was a positive word until Conservatives decided to make it a slur. Sloumeau Jan 2020 #68

How about "ruling class"? Odoreida Jan 2020 #73

Not that I'm aware of. MineralMan Jan 2020 #75

Fascist Anti-intellectualism and the Cult of Individualism Thomas Hurt Jan 2020 #76

Language does matter Gothmog Jan 2020 #79