When the right talks about the 'liberal' media, they are not using the word 'liberal' in a strictly political sense. And we don't get it. We continue to squirm with angst over this, stomping our feet saying, "It's NOT true!"

The right does have their own understanding of this, though; for them everything about the media packaging is up-to-date -- the way it looks, the way the people dress, the language used, the topics covered, the "morality" reflected. For these folks (many of whom live from a reactionary religious point-of-reference), 'liberal' means PERMISSIVENESS, as in loose, so-called unChristian, open sexuality, equality of women, disrespectful children, and the glorification of negatives (like drinking, sex, delinquence, crime, lack of piety) . And there is considerable validity in that view. We need to correct this misuse of the word liberal by saying, go ahead, hold your opinion but USE THE CORRECT WORD which in many cases is PERMISSIVENESS in media rather that Liberal Media!

We speak two languages in this country and it is hurting us -- one based on the dictionary most of the time, but also on the dominant meaning of words used in our own progressive community. The other is based on alternative definitions of words, a few from the dictionary but more often the made-up jargon created in rightwing think tanks!

We need to take back language by seeing this clearly and when appropriate, correcting the misuse of language as we would correct a child who speaks incorrectly.

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The future belongs to those who believe
in the beauty of their dreams.--Eleanor Roosevelt