Right is right but The Right is wrong Is the Linguistic Catch 22

[DaveJ]

I really apologize for dipping into this ultra moronic issue but wouldn't it really suck if the doom of U.S. civilization were simply the result of a flaw in our linguistic system. I spent (or wasted is more like it) 45 seconds of my life a few minutes ago listening to a local radio talk show host who when listening to a moronic caller who agrees with her, regardless of the depths of stupidity of the caller, will respond "right" if she feels the caller is in lockstep with the Right wing of the party. The Right Wing is not right but according to our language The Right equates to right on an audible level so regardless of the lack of sense The Right makes they will be able to take advantage of this flaw in our linguistic system and bring down civilized society as we know it.

We all know how lacking the Right Wing is in terms of morals and ethics but the problem is that I see little ability for us to win due to this linguistic flaw that exists in the English language. Sorry for being so pessimistic but I call'em as I see'em. We are doomed.

[TahitiNut]

1. ... and righteous, too.

:puke: (It's NLP.)

[BrklynLiberal]

2. Well, to us left-handed folks, the left is right. So there.

[Igel]

7. Isn't the left sinister? n/t

[DaveJ]

9. Yes, the Leftist Repugs are very sinister. nt

[Igel]

13. It's a pun.

The Latin word for 'left' gave us 'sinister'. (Although the word for 'right' only gave us 'dextrous', but the conceptual parallels are widespread, at least in European languages.)

The mapping onto moral terms doesn't just include 'right': overall left/right ~ bad/good.

[DaveJ]

3. Ok, sorry for the pessimism -- There is one simple solution

There comes a time when the advantage has to be given to the other team. In this case the Repugs have lived with the advantage of having this subconscious advantage but their time his over. I have a relatively low post count here but I will dedicate my time here to this single issue -- making Democrats the Right Wing! We are Right. From now on it should be politically incorrect to refer to Dems as the left, or Repugs as the right. As far as I'm concerned Dems are the Right! How about that? I know how utterly trivial this sounds but when its in the minds of even a very small percentage of voters it counts. The Democratic Party is the Right Wing.

[bluedawg12]

4. add an adjective

ever notice how the far right always adds an adjective?

Ex:
media elite
left wing media
left wing liberals

etc,etc.

So, I suggest disentangle, disconnect, the right wing from the word right meaning"correct".

Always say something like:

The radical right wing
Right wing extremists
Tax and spend conservatives
Fundamentalist right wing
Incompetent right wing policy, media, government, etc.etc.

Check out how the the radical right uses language.

http://www.duh.org/bullshit.html
Republican Talking Points Generator

[bluedawg12]

12. We are the peoples wing.

[OrlandoGator]

5. I call them "wrong-wingers". It works. n/t

[DaveJ]

6. They are left wing

Not necessary -- we are switching sides. They are the left wing, we are the right wing. I will dedicate my life to making this happen. This should be a major issue that Limbaugh et al can make fun of all they want. We cannot stand idly by while the Repugs have the advantage of being thought of as the Right in ANY context. We are the Right Wing.

[Igel]

8. Blame the French.

It's their fault.

Seriously.

[bluedawg12]

10. Just call them incompetent. n/t

[DaveJ]

11. Incompetent Left Wing Repugs -- We are the Right -- Sounds good ! n/t