“National Journal’s Hirsh: Time for a moral sanction against gun metaphors similar to the ‘N’ word,” Jeff Poor wrote at the Daily Caller on January 21st:
National Journal’s Michael Hirsh wants to raise the bar on decorum to an entirely new level. On Thursday’s MSNBC airing of “Hardball,” Hirsh told host Chris Matthews certain “gun” terms should be stricken from political discourse and referred to instances where Minnesota Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann and former Republican Nevada senatorial candidate Sharon Angle used such off-limits language.
“Well we don’t want any more duels and thankfully that was the last one,” Hirsh said. “[B]ut the point I was trying to make is you can draw a line particularly in the use of certain kinds of metaphors. The use of gun metaphors – killing, murdering, taking out, which was another metaphor for a – Michele Bachmann used in one of her statements, Sharon Angle – the Nevada Senate candidate’s now infamous comment about quote, unquote, ‘second amendment remedies’ to deal with the problem Harry Reid, her opponent.”
AdvertisementHis proposal? Make such language inappropriate in the same racial slurs are inappropriate.
That’s the kind of language I think we got to have a hard think about now,” Hirsh said. “Do we really want to continue to use that kind of language at these levels? Or, should there be kind of a social sanction, not a legal one, but a moral sanction in the way that we’ve stopped using certain epithets like the ‘n’-word public forums. Stop using that kind of language, those kinds of metaphors.”
The BlogProf today: “NYT’s Frank Rich: ‘If You Put A Reloaded Gun’ Up To Palin Would She Know About Bill Ayers?‘”
Of course she would — to borrow from another famous Stalinist, her source was the New York Times.
Personally, I’m beyond tired now about this whole civility debate. People need to be held accountable for their actions, period. To try to blame what some nut does based on what someone else said or wrote is ridiculous. I can’t help but notice that the people who constantly cry for this “New Tone” are the same people who call the Tea Party terrorists without blinking an eye.
Sarah Palin knows about loaded guns. Does Frank Rich?
No, really, I’m curious. Sometimes it seems that the majority of people using gun metaphors use them incorrectly… because they have no idea what they’re talking about.
That guy shouldn’t shoot off his mouth so much… uh…, I mean he shouldn’t go off half cocked… uh, … . Maybe he shouldn’t have such a hair trigger… uh…
Damn!
Charlie
Meet the “New Tone”.
Same as the “Old Tone”.
Well begun, Charlie, but keep your powder dry, it’s only the first volley. This guy’s just a flash in the pan. He’s all cocked and primed, but he doesn’t have enough balls to ramrod this through, lock stock and barrel. And when the smoke clears, he’ll be pretty far off the mark. Just another smooth bore, and he writes for a…wait for it…magazine.
Who’d a thought they’d try to kill the First Amendment with civility?
While I deeply appreciate the Dr. Strangelove nod at the end of this article, I must point out that in that movie the leader of the USSR is Premier Kisov, not Stalin. Therefore, the metaphor should be that the Russians (and Frank Rich) are not Stalinist, but Kisovist.
I think Kisovist is actually a more appropriate way to describe the American political Left than Stalinist. As the link to Mr. Welch’s article points out, during the Great Purge Stalin was ordering the execution of 1000 people a day. While American progressives are annoying, they’re nowhere near that kind of evil. Heck, most of them are against the death penalty.
However, their social engineering and reality defying economics are a total farce, and in that regard describing them as Kisovist seems entirely appropriate.
If anyone wants to fight with me about it, remember, “You can’t fight in here! This is the War Room!” ;p
So, did Hirsh & Matthews denounce Chuck Schumer for saying of House Republicans not passing a “clean” bill funding the FAA: “It’s the issue of hostage taking. It’s as if someone puts a gun to your head and says ‘give me your money’”
Funny how these civility discussions never come up when leftists talk about snuffing out tea party terrorists and bomb throwers.
The Left is again accusing conservatives of being violent, and even using terror in politics.
As conservatives retreat from the field of verbal
battleconfrontationpolite insistence, our only choice is to “go code” so as not to offend anyone.=== ===
[excerpt] Without “target”, we will only be able to “direct our attention to”. Without “attack”, we will be left with “raise our concerns in respectful ways”. We will sink below the waves of hyper-civil discourse, while our
oppositionfriends of differing viewpoint use these sameweaponssymbols against us withdevastatingmore than a bit of uncomfortable effect.We have prepared for this eventuality. We now implement Contingency Plan 36.
Turn your official word processor to mode “P36″. All uses of “target”, “attack”, “oppose”, “crush”, “eliminate” and numerous other violent words will automatically be replaced with “bunny”. This will seem awkward and ungrammatical at first, but you will quickly adapt.
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Link: Metaphorically Speaking