Words mean things, at least they used to. It is refreshing to note undocumented migrants are once again properly identified as illegal aliens. It is difficult to pin-point the exact time in history where words lost meaning and a concerted effort to subvert our English language ensued.
My awakening to the phenomena occurred with President Clinton’s famous line of defense, “it depends on what the definition of is, is.”
Our former governor burdened us with ambiguous words written in his executive order 22-02. DEI, (diversity, equity, inclusion), was ushered into every aspect of government and our lives. Unfortunately, the very meaning of the words has been subverted to accommodate social engineering.
Diversity means racial quotas, equity replaced equality striving for sameness of action and thought, and inclusion became forced acceptance of LGBTQ doctrine and transsexuality as the norm.
President Trump removed DEI from the federal bureaucracy with a recent executive order. A dust-up with our state is bound to ensue. I would suggest all those vociferously opposing “King Trump’s” executive action also vociferously oppose “King Inslee’s” similar but opposite executive order 22-02.
Birthright citizenship is another current battle hinging on the meaning of words. In this case, it is the meaning of “jurisdiction.” In part, section one of the Constitution’s 14th Amendment states: All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and the state wherein they reside.
It is interesting to note that children born to diplomats in the U.S. are not citizens of the U.S. as their parents are under the jurisdiction of the country they represent. That begs the question: Are children born to parents who entered the country illegally subject to the jurisdiction of the country they came from or U.S. jurisdiction? Only time and the Supreme Court will tell.
In 1949 an interesting novel decrying the changing of words and history was written. It is a good read in this brave new world. I recommend reading George Orwell’s “1984” to one and all. The parallels to today are spooky.
Gregory Riplinger
Centralia
