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Arguably, the most effective propaganda word this century in the US has been the right-wing's use of the word "woke".
The United States began as a 'liberal' idea based on the enlightenment evolution, which could be called 'woke' - that each person [of some people] should have political power and a say in who the rulers were, rather than the only governing they knew before, monarchy.
The US has further progress toward 'equal rights'. Slavery was eliminated, and the constitution amended to remove racial equality [in theory]. In practice, racist laws continued for a century, and then were further removed in the Civil Rights acct.
More progress resulted in women gaining the right to vote, though the Equal Rights Amendment for gender equality hasn't been passed.
The government further took measures to increase equality of opportunity to reduce the legacy effect of that past racism, helping the country be more equal, though the effects still are a problem. They took various measures to help with equal treatment of groups. Gay people got an equal right to marry.
Some right-wing people have fought this progress along the way, They have been defeated over and over for 240 years. They had no good arguments. Yet recently - by using one word, "woke", the forces against the American value of equality, against that progress - have found it a rallying cry for unquestioning opposition to that progress. They don't have to defend, say, the racism - just to chant the word "woke". That's all "woke" means - opposed to progress toward equality.
They hide what they're for - discrimination, bigotry, injustice - by not talking about what they're for, and instead just 'attacking 'woke''. No debate about 'that is wrong discrimination', just 'woke woke woke woke woke'. They can point at any person, any institution, any law or policy they don't like, and demand right-wingers attack it by saying 'woke'.
It's a very effective propaganda word for the political power of the group's leaders. It keeps the masses in their group feeling they are united fighting for a cause, 'against woke', not having to be rational about the issue. Past bigots have lost when they were against groups like the KKK against blacks - now they barely mention groups, just "woke".
There has been a backlash before - the regional capital of racism, the south, changed parties from the Democrats who passed the civil rights act, to the Republicans who welcomed the backlash with the "Southern Strategy". But there wasn't a unifying propaganda, with the word "woke". They had to us convoluted propaganda like "dog whistle" politics Will some Americans come t their senses what "woke" is, simply opposition to American values of equality?
The United States began as a 'liberal' idea based on the enlightenment evolution, which could be called 'woke' - that each person [of some people] should have political power and a say in who the rulers were, rather than the only governing they knew before, monarchy.
The US has further progress toward 'equal rights'. Slavery was eliminated, and the constitution amended to remove racial equality [in theory]. In practice, racist laws continued for a century, and then were further removed in the Civil Rights acct.
More progress resulted in women gaining the right to vote, though the Equal Rights Amendment for gender equality hasn't been passed.
The government further took measures to increase equality of opportunity to reduce the legacy effect of that past racism, helping the country be more equal, though the effects still are a problem. They took various measures to help with equal treatment of groups. Gay people got an equal right to marry.
Some right-wing people have fought this progress along the way, They have been defeated over and over for 240 years. They had no good arguments. Yet recently - by using one word, "woke", the forces against the American value of equality, against that progress - have found it a rallying cry for unquestioning opposition to that progress. They don't have to defend, say, the racism - just to chant the word "woke". That's all "woke" means - opposed to progress toward equality.
They hide what they're for - discrimination, bigotry, injustice - by not talking about what they're for, and instead just 'attacking 'woke''. No debate about 'that is wrong discrimination', just 'woke woke woke woke woke'. They can point at any person, any institution, any law or policy they don't like, and demand right-wingers attack it by saying 'woke'.
It's a very effective propaganda word for the political power of the group's leaders. It keeps the masses in their group feeling they are united fighting for a cause, 'against woke', not having to be rational about the issue. Past bigots have lost when they were against groups like the KKK against blacks - now they barely mention groups, just "woke".
There has been a backlash before - the regional capital of racism, the south, changed parties from the Democrats who passed the civil rights act, to the Republicans who welcomed the backlash with the "Southern Strategy". But there wasn't a unifying propaganda, with the word "woke". They had to us convoluted propaganda like "dog whistle" politics Will some Americans come t their senses what "woke" is, simply opposition to American values of equality?
