Your least favourite 'political' terms and phrases

[Astaroth]

Here are mine:


MSM (= 'mainstream media') -- favourite word of conspiracy theorists and those who desire to be "different" from the majority of the people just for the heck of it. Also often used by bigots.


politically incorrect -- almost exclusively used by neo nazis, racists and other bigots.


"cui bono?" (idiots tend to misspell it 'qui bono') -- another favourit phrase of conspiracy theorists. Immediately "explains" everything: (I think) he benefits from this? He must be responsible! In other words, simple solutions for simpletons.


"We are deeply concerned that..." -- Phrase used primarily by politicians who are unwilling to do anything whatsoever about war/the environment/natural catastrophes/genocide but who want to voice their pointless "concern" to show their electorate and allies that they supposedly care. Most commonly heard from UN Secretary-Generals and German Ministers of Foreign Affairs.


"I'm not a .../I don't have a problem with.../... BUT" -- another phrase used almost exlusively by bigots and the likes. I mean, I'm not a racist, but it's obvious that!!


"race card" -- utilised to discredit minorities and actual concerns. Who needs counter arguments when you can just say "Stop using the race card"?


What are yours?

[Andreius Pretorianus]

wow you really hate nationalist people do you ?

Anyway,I hate when people start bringing statistics and quotes from biased sites(be it extreme left or right).

Statistics are a joke in my opinion,made for somone s agenda.They re not the real deal

[Denny Crane!]

I'm not a racist but that was a really good post and good idea for a thread.

My biggest pet hate is the word Neo Liberal. The term is now the domain of a very fancy form of conspiracy theory in which anything bad happening in the economy is because of these string pullers. It is silly and a way out for people who want a simple single answer to what is unfortunately a very boring and very complicated world with diverse reasons for why things happen the way they do.

[athanaric]

"Racist" and "Racism" - perhaps the most misused words in modern politics. Used almost exclusively by idiots and liars nowadays, in order to "poison the well" and silence opposition. Dito with "Nazi".

+1 for "qui [sic] bono". And any other mis-spelt gratuitous Latin/German/French word ("Seig [sic] Heil" etc). Typically used by morons. Also agree with the OP on "deeply concerned".

"Controversial" - used to infer that a particular person, movement, party, or medium is evil.

Anything with "Zionist" - used pretty much only by people who hate Jews in general and Israel in particular (unless it's self-referential, of course). Rule of thumb: when people say something negative about "zionists", they always mean The Jew^TM.

Any genderism. Probably most virulent in German and less so in other languages; "Politiker_innen" or "Herr Professorin" anyone? I mean, you have to have committed intellectual seppuku to be advocating any of these.

In American politics: "slavery". Slavery is a - global - social phenomenon, not a concrete event unique to North American history. Morons.


There's gotta be a lot more.

I'm not a racist but that was a really good post and good idea for a thread.

lol +rep

[Astaroth]

Anything with "Zionist" - used pretty much only by people who hate Jews in general and Israel in particular (unless it's self-referential, of course). Rule of thumb: when people say something negative about "zionists", they always mean The Jew^TM.

Any genderism. Probably most virulent in German and less so in other languages; "Politiker_innen" or "Herr Professorin" anyone? I mean, you have to have committed intellectual seppuku to be advocating any of these.

I completely agree that "zionist" is so overused by people who try to veil their anti-semitism.

As for the genderisms: I think that in many situations (especially verbally), it makes sense to directly address both groups, e.g. as in "Studentinnen und Studenten". But I agree that it often goes too far and especially in official documents or laws it becomes extremely complicated and annoying if both forms are constantly used. Things like Student*innen are also silly.

[Ace_General]

"Racist" and "Racism" - perhaps the most misused words in modern politics. Used almost exclusively by idiots and liars nowadays, in order to "poison the well" and silence opposition. Dito with "Nazi".

+1 for "qui [sic] bono". And any other mis-spelt gratuitous Latin/German/French word ("Seig [sic] Heil" etc). Typically used by morons. Also agree with the OP on "deeply concerned".

"Controversial" - used to infer that a particular person, movement, party, or medium is evil.

Anything with "Zionist" - used pretty much only by people who hate Jews in general and Israel in particular (unless it's self-referential, of course). Rule of thumb: when people say something negative about "zionists", they always mean The Jew^TM.

Any genderism. Probably most virulent in German and less so in other languages; "Politiker_innen" or "Herr Professorin" anyone? I mean, you have to have committed intellectual seppuku to be advocating any of these.

In American politics: "slavery". Slavery is a - global - social phenomenon, not a concrete event unique to North American history. Morons.


There's gotta be a lot more.



lol +rep

Well, in America, AIPAC (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America...airs_Committee) is one of the most powerful lobbying groups in Congress (about on par with the NRA) and there is, at least by world standards, very hawkish and pro zionist ideas promoted and prevalent among american jews (and this isnt a partisan thing, they are equally repersented in both parties) . And then you have evangicals and the christian right support the Hawkish Isreal lobby and the Neo-conservatives join in, so in American politics if your on the right, and your not for a very pro-Israel and Hawkish Foreign Policy, you are accused of being anti Semitic.

Here is a passage from a book "The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy" by Stephan Waltz, a dean of International Affairs at Harvard:

IPAC's success is due to its ability to reward legislators and congressional candidates who support its agenda, and to punish those who challenge it. ... AIPAC makes sure that its friends get strong financial support from the myriad pro-Israel PACs. Those seen as hostile to Israel, on the other hand, can be sure that AIPAC will direct campaign contributions to their political opponents. ... The bottom line is that AIPAC, which is a de facto agent for a foreign government, has a stranglehold on the U.S. Congress. Open debate about U.S. policy towards Israel does not occur there, even though that policy has important consequences for the entire world.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Isr...Foreign_Policy
http://www.amazon.com/Israel-Lobby-U.../dp/0374531501

[sumskilz]

Here is a passage from a book "The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy" by Stephan Waltz, a dean of International Affairs at Harvard:

Yeah the US has a lot of powerful ethnic lobby groups, but that AIPAC is the one you hear about most, and that you're quoting from a book that claims AIPAC was responsible for the war in Iraq, kind of supports athanaric's point.

[Ace_General]

Yeah the US has a lot of powerful ethnic lobby groups, but that AIPAC is the one you hear about most, and that you're quoting from a book that claims AIPAC was responsible for the war in Iraq, kind of supports athanaric's point.

I have no problem with jews and I dont take every point the books make (though AIPAC was very hawkish towards the Iraq war) I just find it disturbing the level of support and hawkishness that evangelical protestants and conservative Jews give towards Isreal and the support it has in our government

This is not even a partisan problem, or one that is purely a Jewish Issue, but instead is just as much a problem among pro-Israel Evangelical conservatives and Neo-Conservatives who ally with AIPAC and the effect that whole group has on US Foreign Policy.

Though also, I do find it slightly disturbing that in national security postions having Jews in posts relating to the middle east while they may be a conflict of loyalty due to religious and ethnic ties to Israel, while literally for almost any other ethnicity, or even having good friends overseas is seen with heavy suspicion by the US government in National Security Jobs.

And going on what Caduet talked about, look about the whole spat over the German Poet Gunter Grass who was called an Anti-Semnite because he Critized the German government for selling Submarines and Cruise missile technology that will most likely be used to create a always at Sea Israeli Nuclear force and called for shedding some light on Israel's nuclear program.

Honestly, as an American born in the 90's I see compelling Strategic reason why the US should give so much aid and support to Israel in the 21st century,nor Saudi Arabia or think of our relationship with Iran and Russia as antagonistic.

[Caduet]

Anything with "Zionist" - used pretty much only by people who hate Jews in general and Israel in particular (unless it's self-referential, of course). Rule of thumb: when people say something negative about "zionists", they always mean The Jew^TM.

Anything with "Anti-Semite" - used pretty much only by Zionists (who may or may not be Jews, so kinda dumping on your whole retarded premise right there) who wish to shut down any criticism of Israel by instantly linking them to the Nazis, despite Nazis being more cool with Zionism than most people who don't support everything Israel gets up to.

[DarthLazy]

Not strictly political, but the abuse of language, example seen in the use of the term "least favorite".

[Denny Crane!]

Not strictly political, but the abuse of language, example seen in the use of the term "least favorite".

Bloody hell. Every thread there is always one. Astaroth is German (fair enough living in the UK) and so I reckon his English is pretty damn good actually. And there is nothing actually wrong with the term least favourite. It is an odd one when you analyse it but it is absolutely not an abuse of language. I am not even sure it is technically possible to abuse language since in its most base form it is a communicative tool with no set rules and lexical shifts are common over centuries, decades and hell even from year to year.

[DarthLazy]

Bad example then, sorry about that. This is the sort of twisting of words I am talking about.

In slang, the act of isolating youths for extended periods of time is called lockup, 23 and 1, dark room. In official language, it’s isolation, seclusion, segregation, room confinement. InNew York, the act of isolating youths is called punitive segregation. In Illinois, it’s labeledconfinement. In California, it’s BTUs.

https://news.vice.com/articles/solit...-in-us-prisons

[Denny Crane!]

Ah punitive segregation, I can get behind that, call it what it bloody well is. It is usually a political thing, or something that happens in public institutions. Occasionally though you get it in the corporate world such as "are you going to 'action' that?" as opposed to just saying 'do'. Stupid and pointless.

[Tiberios]

Mine are:

Racist - Is probably one of the misused words used to silende any criticism.

Fascist - People and even media abuse the word time and time again and most of the time it is applied completely wrong.

Nazi - Same as above.

Leftist - Same as the two above.

[Ace_General]

Gun Control- The right to bear arms shall not be infringed and I take the militia clause to actually refer to both the private ownership and organization of militias at the local and state level

Demi-Sexual- lolwut? Your only sexually attracted to people you have a deep emotional relationship with? As a college student I hear this alot from alot of more progressive women. I mean, sure if Im emotionally invest to a women then just some random hook-up, I have a better time weather its pants on or off activities, but it just seems to be a cop out to not be slutty while not seem old fashioned.

Also, all the new "sexualities" people are coming up with seem sorta hokey. Excuse me for sounding crude, but your either into one or the other or both. I mean, taking sex drive as a separate variable, gay-straight-bi logically covers pretty much everything, and it seems people are just making up stuff to feel different and new and important.


Also the whole gender identify. I dont get the whole idea that you can choose your gender or be confused about it. Its something your born with. 99% of the time, just look down and accept how you are made.

Pro-Choice: Just. No. For me, being raised with family being the most important thing in a mans life the whole abortion thing is about the most horrific thing in western society, especially now how it is just completely the womens choice instead of calling it what it is.


Then again, I might just be a backwards Catholic guy from the south side of Chicago

[Wulfburk]

Then again, I might just be a backwards Catholic guy from the south side of Chicago

Think you are right on that, at least.

[Dr Zoidberg]

Not so much a political term but rather an observation.

That old saying 'You are entitled to your opinion. But you are not entitled to your own facts.' has completely been thrown out the window in political discourse.

Everything is up for "debate"; everyone is apparently entitled to their own "version" of things that once would have been considered incontrovertible. Partisanship and bloody minded opposition for the sake of bloody minded opposition have replaced rational discourse, logic, and most importantly, facts.

It's depressing in the extreme.

[Gatsby]

Leftist and Rightist. Any idiot can immediately dismiss the whole majority of sane people who disagree with him by simply labeling them as either right or left of their fringe position. Some at least have the decency to chuck in other meaningless buzzwords such as "fascist", "multi-culti", "nazi" or "marxist".

[Azog 150]

Leftist and Rightist. Any idiot can immediately dismiss the whole majority of sane people who disagree with him by simply labeling them as either right or left of their fringe position. Some at least have the decency to chuck in other meaningless buzzwords such as "fascist", "multi-culti", "nazi" or "marxist".

This. 'Left' and 'Right' do my head in. Either as terms thrown at someone else, or as terms used to describe oneself. Leads to a complete bypassing of issues, and I can't get on board with any sort of political tribalism.

I'm sure there is a few others, but that's my main one.

[Astaroth]

I got something else: quoting anything by George Orwell. It's so incredibly cliché and is almost always supposed to support whatever conspiracy theory one propagates.