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https://www.techdirt.com/2025/07/01/the-moral-imperative-of-clear-language/>
"I need to say something that will make many of you deeply uncomfortable: your
refusal to call fascism “fascism” is not sophistication—it’s complicity.
When Donald Trump posts explicit orders for “REMIGRATION” and “Mass Deportation
Operations” targeting American cities because they are “the core of the
Democrat Power Center,” that’s not “controversial immigration policy.” That’s
mass deportation directed against political opponents. When federal troops
deploy against American civilians exercising constitutional rights, that’s not
“enhanced law enforcement.” That’s military occupation. When the systematic
dismantling of democratic institutions gets described as “political
polarization,” that’s not nuanced analysis—it’s linguistic evasion that enables
the very thing it refuses to name.
The sophisticates hate this clarity. They prefer the safety of euphemism, the
comfort of complexity that never quite arrives at moral judgment. They speak of
“concerning developments” and “troubling trends” while democracy burns around
them. They perform nuanced understanding while fascism consolidates power
through their very refusal to name it.
But here’s what they don’t understand: authoritarianism thrives in ambiguity.
It requires linguistic fog to operate. It depends on our unwillingness to call
things by their proper names. Every euphemism is a small surrender. Every hedge
is a tiny collaboration. Every refusal to speak plainly is a gift to those who
profit from confusion."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
