One of the most creative tools in the world of words is applying euphemisms to the spoken or written word. The left is incredibly adept at this, giving us self serving, misleading names to various aspects and things in our society. I love words, having a modest but honest library in my office. I have discarded a number of books over the years that I thought would be intellectually challenging and easy to read. After just a few pages I toss ‘em when the authors delve into mind games through the use of words. I prefer authors who use plain vernacular to express an idea. I’ll provide a few examples of what I am talking about.
Let’s start with “ghost guns”. A descriptive designed to attach a supernatural and sinister cloud over firearms, mostly handguns, assembled by home bound gunsmiths. They are custom firearms, period. Next up is “undocumented immigrants” a clever and soothing way to say illegal aliens. The over-riding consideration is that they do not belong here, if they are here illegally, thus the illegal in their proper descriptive.
Another euphemism is “disenfranchised citizens” used to describe the lazy parasites that beg on our street corners. This also applies to folks who choose to drop out of society and live under blue tarps in our neighborhood fringes. They are also referred to as. “un-homed”. “Weapon of war” or “assault rifle” are examples of renaming self loading firearms to insinuate they are deadlier than the miscreants who come into their possession. A “correctional facility” is an attempt to insinuate the positive value of being in jail. Very little correction actually occurs there and they exist to remove society’s worst from our midst, if even temporarily. They are jails or prisons. When you shop for a car, you are either looking for a new or used vehicle. If it is used it is used but “pre-owned” sounds better. “Enhanced interrogation” is yet another example. It is designed to make us feel better when a prisoner is getting the hell beat out of him to gain information. When you “cook the books” you are lying about numbers and likely involved in theft or fraud. A “Gentleman’s Club”is either a brothel or strip joint. When you tell a child their favorite pet is “going to the farm” you are avoiding the truth about its demise. If a person “was not entirely truthful” he was lying. The “Golden Years”, well by now, you get my point.
A liberal media description of a home invasion may read as follows:
“An undocumented immigrant gained entry into a properly secured home last evening. He was greeted by the entitled owner who produced a high capacity firearm in an attempt to dissuade the unfortunate, disadvantaged immigrant. The immigrant resisted the heavily armed owner who then emptied the high capacity magazine into him, resulting in a needless display of excessive force on the part of the owner. It is reported the immigrant produced a small edged instrument, likely intended as a bartering tool, offering it in an exuberant manner, thus frightening the owner who relied on his white privilege to protect him from accusations of excessive force.”
Euphemisms are the American way, in use by most of us. I like them to create humor or disguise sarcasm. They are also useful in talking or writing about taboo subjects. Still, one needs to be careful. When a politician offers a cute euphemism for a process or happening, beware. Look just a little deeper and “do not check your senses at the door”. Of course, this advisory does not apply to humor.
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