Language Barrier

Bushybabble cannot be translated

by Alan Bisbort

Source: Hartford Advocate, February 17, 2005.

Gutting 30 years' worth of regulations that have cleaned up the nation's air and water as well as driven economic growth is called a "common sense approach" to environmentalism. Allowing power plants to pump disease-causing particulate matter into the atmosphere and contribute to global warming is known as a "clear skies initiative." (Indeed, this "clear skies" bill is being reintroduced by Sen. James Inhofe this week). Cutting funds to social programs that help the most vulnerable is a "moral" and "compassionate" approach to problem-solving. And so on.

It's all about language — euphemizing and softening truly evil concepts while demonizing or making heretical those words that were, when coined, aimed at the public good ("welfare," "Social Security," "liberal," "voting"). George Orwell warned us of this. In 1984, his "Newspeak" was "designed not to extend but to diminish the range of thought." In Animal Farm, his pigs' rules gave, by sleight of hoof, special privileges to a tiny segment of the population ("All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others"). And so on.

Take, for example, the group that promotes the agenda of the "specialty pesticide and fertilizer industry." This group, which refers to pumping poison into the ground to create mutant putting-green lawns as "Landscape Management," is called Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment, or RISE. That seems like a safe and "sound" name, doesn't it? Aren't you reassured? No? Why do you hate America?

Here in the Northeast, we are on RISE's hit list because the states, thinking of the public good, want to pass laws to allow towns to curb or ban altogether "cosmetic lawn care products" if they pose a threat to drinking water in aquifers, wells or reservoirs. That "sounds" reasonable, especially if you live in one of these towns. Alas, RISE President Allen James doesn't like this at all, nor does RISE's governing board, which includes representatives from Monsanto, Scotts, Dow and BASF. Five years ago, a town in Canada banned lawn pesticides because of water-safety issues, and ChemLawn nearly bankrupted the taxpayers with lawsuits. The case ended up in Canada's Supreme Court, which ruled that a town can indeed take steps, such as banning pesticides, if public health is compromised. Soon, 60 towns in Canada enacted such laws. RISE doesn't want Americans to get ideas like that.

RISE doesn't like the Endangered Species Act, either. James recently poured toxic language on it, declaring "the regulation of pesticides versus the Endangered Species Act continues to be a battleground that hampers our industry without benefit to the public."

You see? He's only interested in the "public benefit." Aren't you reassured? Why do you hate America?

It's always a "battleground" or "crisis" with these people. Like date rapists, they don't stop until their victims give up, give in or die. Fear is their stock in trade, money greases their skids, a compliant press gets their message out in an eyeblink, taking pains to avoid balance or dissenting voices in their dispatches. Meanwhile, the lies slide from the lobbyists' lips the way moist hot feces flows from a cow's sphincter.

You think I kid? Here's Bush "explaining" his Social Security privatization plan this week: "Because the — all which is on the table begins to address the big cost drivers. For example, how benefits are calculate, for example, is on the table; whether or not benefits rise based upon wage increases or price increases. There's a series of parts of the formula that are being considered. And when you couple that, those different cost drivers, affecting those — changing those with personal accounts, the idea is to get what has been promised more likely to be — or closer delivered to what has been promised. Does that make any sense to you?"

Language no longer matters because the press, by deadline, turned this gibberish into proof of the president's success at "selling" his plan. Whether it's pesticides, Social Security or war, the right-wing, corporate-funded noise machine is facilitating a revolution. It's not about reform or renovation. It's about revolution, complete change, no questions asked or allowed, because the revolution starts with our native tongue. And, because it's draped in an American flag and dabbed with Christian platitudes and innocuous slogans, it goes down like a milkshake. If you raise the red flag of reason, facts, statistics, testimony, your loyalty will be questioned.

All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others.

You dig?

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