Bigotry Language Lesson #37

Okay, okay, say you're in conversation with someone that you don't know real well. You're not sure how they'll react to what you want to say. But it's bubbling up inside you like acid reflux from an RNC fund raiser dinner. You want to say it. You know you're going to. You feel it coming and there's no stopping it. Oh, what to do?

Well, as politically incorrect as you know what you're about to say is, simply disclaim it! This absolves you of your momentary transgression but gets your hate filled, racist, bigoted ass exposed to the rest of us so as to leave no doubt.

If you're a faith-based compassionate Christian who practices love for all of mankind as Jesus advocated, it's very important that you disclaim your view immediately before or after saying it. Like, "I would never go so far as to call so-and-so an asshole, but....," and then proceed to explain why they're an asshole. This is a very common tactic, particularly in political campaigns when you want to call your opponent an asshole in the kindest, gentlest way. Of course, you don't really mean it.

One of my favorite disclaimers is Rush Limbaugh. When called out for something inflammatory he said, Rush loves to respond with something like, "Lighten up folks. I was only joking." Rush is always joking, he just doesn't always include the disclaimer, that big joker!

But perhaps a real example better demonstrates the point. As illustration, let's take ahm, oh, say Bill Bennett, a prime leader of the conservative movement. Former Education Secretary under Ronald Reagan and first U.S. drug czar, Bennet forgot to take his Zantac on his radio show this week. Feeling the irresistable urge to spew his bubbling bigotry in the following example, he employs the classic double disclaimer! by sandwiching his remark between two repudiations. This is excellent because it leaves no doubt in the listener's mind that Bill Bennett doesn't seem to believe what he just said.

EXAMPLE:

The prefacing disclaimer: Bennett prepares us by saying he doesnn't believe in what he calls such "far-reaching, extensive extrapolations." Of course, this means the next thing he's going to do is extrapolate.

The point (or the act of tossing one's cookies): This is the part you cannot control. You just have to expose your hatred to us all with, "I do know that it's true that if you wanted to reduce crime, you could -- if that were your sole purpose, you could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down."

The follow-up disclaimer: "That would be an impossible, ridiculous, and morally reprehensible thing to do, but your crime rate would go down."

There, that was easy. You obviously don't believe what you just said, but you said it. And you didn't really transgress because you disclaimed yourself.

Praise Jesus, he still loves you!