I, for one, am not really sorry to see 2023 go.
There has been a lot to digest in the past year, and I remain hopeful we’ve digested almost all that could possibly come up. It seems language is one of the casualties of the last year. There are new meanings to old words, definitions that have had to be relearned and new words created.
Here are just a few of them.
“Closed.” As in the border, particularly the southern border, is closed. See, I’ve always thought that meant not open, but now I understand that to be incorrect. Thankfully, though, since our southern border is “closed,” and the thousands of people pouring through our border really aren’t, we don’t really have a threat. We don’t have drugs, diseases or sex trafficking going on down there.
That certainly is good news, because I was afraid there was.
“Irregular migration.” In conjunction with “closed,” we now have “irregular migration,” a term recently created by our president’s Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
And thank goodness he did, too.
Those who came here legally — and paid in time and money — and waited their turn to become citizens were foolish. The term of illegally entering our border used to be, well, “illegal.” But that was mean. Then it became undocumented, but that apparently was bad as well. Now, it’s just irregular, and it sounds so much better. But since the border is closed, the term sadly seems so unnecessary. After all, who will we call irregular if there isn’t anyone entering irregularly?
“Bidenomics.” Thank goodness for this new word, which means when I get gas or go to the grocery store, the cost of everything really hasn’t gone through the roof. For a while now, I was afraid normal things were getting too expensive. Thankfully, I can put that fear behind me. Our president and many mainstream media types have reminded me I just don’t understand how this is good for me.
So now trips to the grocery store are not nearly as frightful. I understand how good things really are now. It is confusing, though, to hear some of the president’s advisers suggest he stop using the term Bidenomics.
I guess those idiots don’t understand Bidenomics either.
“Student loans.” This really was good news, and I’m so glad they have changed the meaning of “loan.” See, when I grew up, I always thought if I borrowed money and signed a pledge to pay it back, I actually had to pay it back. So I always did. Now, student loan actually means a gift to be paid back by people working and paying the bills of others as well. Fingers crossed, though, perhaps our government could also apply this logic to loans for new cars, boats and houses? Wouldn’t that be grand.
I’ve read where some people reject the notion that some degrees aren’t worth anything and are almost useless. Poppycock. Those so-called “useless” degrees gave the student the college experience plus, as a bonus, some student debt, too, but someone else may have to pay it back for me because it is unfair.
I don’t know about you, but I’m proud to see those young people protesting and screaming about things they don’t understand and know nothing about. They look remarkably similar to those we elect to send to Washington.
And we know how sharp those folks are.
But now — and it’s so unfair — some companies have concluded college today may be overrated, and some say they will no longer recruit on some campuses. They may even hold them accountable for stupid things they scream or post online.
Well that’s just crazy.
Why wouldn’t a company want to come to a school to recruit from a list of students who hate capitalism, success and hard work, feel entitled, but have a room full of participation trophies?
I sure don’t know.
I’m certain the satire of all this will be lost on those who are convinced things are going well.
It’s not, and we can do better.
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John McCroskey was Lewis County sheriff from 1995 to 2005. He lives outside Chehalis and can be contacted at musingsonthemiddlefork@gmail.com.
