We normally don’t think of language as a weapon, but it can be. In fact, there is no end to the way in which it can be used to hide the truth and serve evil. You’re probably asking yourself how this is possible? Isn’t language just a bunch of words? How could language hurt or influence a person? The answer lies in the way our minds work. Richard M. Weaver, the great conservative writer, expressed it well when he titled one of his books “Ideas Have Consequences.” Indeed they do. The way our minds perceive things is critical. We can be steered away from truth by a single word or phrase.

It’s All in the Wording. A Federal Offence Ignored

 Here’s an example. Recently a U.S. presidential candidate used an unsecured home server to collect and send confidential information. This was a criminal act. Yet the F.B.I. changed the description of her actions from “criminal negligence” to “extreme carelessness.” In this case, the choice of words was critical. All of a sudden a federal offence became a mistake anyone could have made. Her crime magically became a harmless personal error. By the way, she still hasn’t been punished for her crime. Language won and justice lost.

Plenty of Canadian Examples

 We have plenty of examples here in Canada. “Mankind” becomes “People kind” reducing a commonly used word to meaninglessness. Illegal immigrants crossing our borders become “irregular entrants,” and dangerous terrorists readmitted to Canada become “foreign fighters.” But they are still terrorists. You can change the name, but not the truth.

Our Struggle with Political Correctness

 Much of this is happening because of our decades long struggle with political correctness. PC language came from extreme feminism, the far left and Islamists, all of who wanted to conceal their purposes and hide the truth. Political correctness is both propaganda and lying since it seeks to change the nature of things by changing our perception of reality. There are thousands of examples, so we don’t need to repeat them all here. Suffice it to say that it is both pervasive and damaging.

Weaponizing Language, An Even Worse Crime

 Hiding the truth is bad enough, but when language is weaponized it is even worse. One way this is done is by labelling. When the progressive left doesn’t agree with someone or doesn’t like them, it slaps a label on them to silence them. This reduces them to inferior status, marginalizes them and criminalizes their behavior. Not sure about transgenderism? You’re a “transphobe.” Don’t think we need Gay Pride parades anymore? You’re a “homophobe.” Dismayed by Islamism and its violence? You’re an “Islamophobe.”

Silencing Conservatives, Crushing Free Speech

 In almost every aspect of our lives the far left and liberal progressives have weaponized language for their purposes. Their aim is to silence conservatives and anyone else who believes in common sense, reality and objective truth. Labelling makes us untouchables. In their quest to marginalize us, and remove all opposing points of view, they have enlisted language as their ideological nuclear weapon.

And this goes much deeper than anyone can imagine. In Europe it has reached a critical phase. The European High Court recently made it a crime to criticize Islam. But in a free society we should be able to criticize any belief system we want to. It is the job of the defenders of that belief system to convince us that we are wrong. In Sweden you can be jailed for criticizing immigration policy on the internet. In England patriotic sentiment is considered white nationalist crime, and citizens are surveilled in ways that would have been unimaginable decades ago when the U.K. was a freer and greater land.

The Tyranny of Weaponized Language

 Weaponized language is responsible for this new tyranny. With the tools of shame, fear and labelling, the forces of radical liberalism are taking our right to free expression away from us.  One repressive law after another is being enacted to muzzle us, and modifying language is how they do this. As citizens of a democracy it is our duty to resist, and, if we love Canada, we will. Below are some suggestions to help set you on the right path to resisting weaponized language. We hope you will use them.

1. Speak plainly.Refuse to use politically correct language, and don’t support government rules or regulations that force you to do so.
2. Follow the examples of others.The most famous is Jordan Peterson, but there are many others as well. Support them in their fight against linguistic fascism.
3. Refuse to let people intimidate you into using language only they approve of. Whatever else you do, don’t label others and certainly do not use any of the “phobe” terms. They are not legitimate or accurate.