Mr. President, please stop using the "Homeland" catch phrase

[theHandpuppet]

It totally creeped me out to hear "Homeland" being continually spouted from the mouth of Bush and the neocons, so when I heard you use that phrase in a news conference yesterday I was sorely disappointed.

This may be a trivial issue to many but it still creeps me out. Isn't "our country" or the "United States" good enough?

[Adelante]

1. It's a word

:shrug:

[texanshatingbush]

2. It's a word that always reminded me of "The Fatherland" of Nazi Germany.......

and it's a word selected by Bushcon as part of their "keep the citizens terrified and they will allow us to do anything" program.

"our country" will do just fine as a replacement, since it has been the commonly-used descriptor for most of our country's history.

Sorry to disagree with you, I mean no disrespect.

[Adelante]

3. I have no problem with being disagreed with

:hi:

[Sydnie]

4. I have to agree with you

It creeps me out as well and provokes the exact same response for me as it does for you.

We don't need that word to get us to listen or pay attention like blivet** did. It's time to stop using it.

[LittleBlue]

16. I thought the same thing

Every time I hear "homeland", I think "Fatherland" in a German accent.

[Lex]

6. Well, so is the n-word for that matter.

Words matter.

"Homeland" sounds like some kind of Nazi propaganda word.

[dem629]

8. Well, at least you're not overstating the case.

:eyes:

[Lex]

9. Over your head here.

nt

[dem629]

11. You are probably 1,000x smarter than I am.

No, make it 10,000x.

I am overwhelmed here.

[Adelante]

13. Yes, words matter and they do have power

But a word such as the n-word is never neutral; it's hate speech directed against human beings. Words such as homeland, fatherland, motherland or whatever have both positive and negative uses. We can all pick out words we don't like for one reason or other, but I think giving them outsized importance is a danger, too. I don't like the idea of purging the language of words I don't like just because I don't like them or they creep me out.

[Lex]

14. I don't think anyone suggested "purging the language of words I don't like"

on this thread, but instead suggested that some words can carry a very negative connotation, especially when wielded by a politican.

But no one suggested the language should be purged of certain words because they are creepy.

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

20. It does, and I've never liked it, but it's not exactly something I'm losing sleep over.

[dem629]

10. Yep. And people opposed to it are giving it more power by dwelling on it.

Great.

[Political Heretic]

5. I agree. Not a big deal, but I would love it we could retire that creepy term

Too much like the "Fatherland" to me. :scared:

[hisownpetard]

7. My sentiments, exactly.

[lunatica]

12. 'National Security' does the job very nicely

'Homeland Security' is pure propaganda and a deliberate manipulation of language. The Bush administration tested all their marketing of war material on focus groups. Not only did they tell us so, but they actually told us they timed the selling of the Iraq war propaganda to start in the Fall because the Summer isn't a good time to launch a major selling campaign. They tested all their wording. Remember 'Enduring Freedom', or the short lived use of the word 'Crusade' in the war? They dropped that one because of the history of the Crusades in the Middle East.

We're getting a lot more savvy about the use of language. We're getting much smarter about the use of wedge issues and class warfare and slogans. Let's stay that way.

[texanshatingbush]

17. Yep...the Bushcons were very adept at using loaded words....

I stopped my freeper brother cold by commenting that calling something the "Patriot Act" didn't leave much room for honest disagreement. He had no comeback. It was that obvious to even a dedicated "19 percent-er" like himself.

[OwnedByFerrets]

15. I agree...bothers the hell outta me too.

[Peacetrain]

18. Big supporter of the President here.. Hate that term

[Vinca]

19. Every time I hear "homeland" I think of Adolph Hitler. nt