CNN writer vexed by conservatives' use of leftist terms

CNN appears unwilling to admit that Americans have grown antipathetic to certain leftist terms on account of the loathsome and/or meritless concepts they signify.

Instead, to make sense of the ongoing backlash to leftist terms and concepts such as "woke," "critical race theory," and "equity," senior CNN writer John Blake has penned an article explaining why Republican "verbal jiu-jitsu" is to blame.

Blake defined "verbal jiu-jitsu" as a "form of linguistic combat in which the practitioner takes a political phrase or concept popularized by their opponent and gradually turns into an unusable slur."

An example would be the Biden administration and Democratic establishment's hostile use of the term "MAGA" as a modifier for those populist conservatives and Republicans whom they wish to mark as extremists.

Blake suggested that the adoption of new terms or turns of phrase by those with differing worldviews is a means to "avoid taking opposing arguments head on and instead redirect their opponents' momentum to beat them."

The CNN writer presumed further that terms like "critical race theory" are radioactive, not because of their original, intended meaning, but because of their misuse.

Accordingly, "critical race theory" is not met with derision and contempt because it references a leftist theory that reduces people to their immutable characteristics, presumes nasty motivations in the most innocuous of behaviors, accuses the United States of being institutionally racist, and saddles persons with irredeemable guilt on the basis of their pigmentation. It is instead derided because Republicans dared to describe that pernicious leftist theory with the correct terminology.

"Mention almost any touchstone phrase adopted by the left in recent years ... and it has been redefined or tarnished by conservatives," wrote Blake, later equating today's conservatives with the Democrats of yesteryear who supported segregation.

Robin DiAngelo, the University of Washington associate professor who penned the book "White Fragility," told Blake that "diversity" and "equity" are the next terms to be tarnished by virtue of their prospective utterance by deplorables.

Whereas Merriam-Webster notes the historic meaning of "equity" as concerning justice and proportional fairness, Blake expressed his resentment over American conservatives' acknowledgment of its meaning as now intended by leftists in both policy and practice, suggesting that they have "sought to reframe 'equity.'"

Rather than nondiscriminatory equal treatment, as is meant by "equality," "equity" has come to mean preferential treatment, doled out on the basis of perceived fairness. In the context of critical race theory, equity demands preferential treatment on the basis of race.

McGill University defines equity thusly: "Equity, unlike the notion of equality, is not about sameness of treatment. Equity denotes fairness and justice in process and in results. Equitable outcomes often require differential treatment and resource redistribution so as to achieve a level playing field among all individuals and communities."

"The difference between equity and equality is that equality is everyone get the same thing and equity is everyone get the things they deserve," said so-called racial justice activist DeRay Mckesson.

While verbal jiu-jitsu appears to mean simply taking leftists like Mckesson at their word, DiAngelo concluded that the right's correct usage of leftist terms like "critical race theory" serves to "silence the conversation and protect the status quo."

Blake highlighted why Republicans' use and comprehension of woke terminology is cause for concern.

If able to name the concepts, then conservatives can take action and introduce legislation to nip the corresponding initiatives in the bud.

Blake stressed that Democrats must get better at "jiu-jitsu" soon or risk losing the 2024 election.

The CNN article was roundly ridiculed online, with some X users quipping that the so-called verbal jiu-jitsu bouts ahead may be one-sided, particularly if Democrats continue to have trouble defining terms as fundamental as "woman."

Robby Starbuck suggested that Blake's article would have been better titled "Democrat policies prove unpopular when scrutinized."

Spectator editor Stephen Miller asked, "Are you okay?"

Mark Hemingway, senior writer at RealClearInvestigations, tweeted, "Next thing you know, those dastardly Republicans will be saying pronouns are sex and number specific!"

Scott Horton, director of the Libertarian Institute, attempted to capture the liberal thought process behind the CNN piece, writing, "Why is it that every word we use to describe the way we think ends up toxic to everyone else? It's the conservatives! They're cheating by reminding people what horrible, humorless scolds we are! Not fair!"

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