Do you ever get the feeling that there are conversations we almost can’t have or aren’t able to have because some words can no longer be said, at all? Or conversations that we can’t have because the question to be asked has been artificially polarized, or the actual issue conflated with ancillary points?
Let’s jump in the fire right out of the gate. Take the words “America first.”
Notice the second word is NOT capitalized. In this sense, we here at Only America are using these words in their ordinary dictionary manner. That is, to say, simply putting the United States of America, and its citizenry’s interests and priorities, first. The simple combination of two words, “America,” and “first,” does not necessitate affinity to or association with any political slogan, movement, or candidate, past, present, or future. In other words, if someone says, “put America first,” such a comment or utterance should not define that person in anyone’s eyes, for now or for all eternity. It is much more beneficial in any conversation, in any interaction, to our communities, to society and to our country, … to the world as a whole, to simply ask, “well, what exactly do you mean?” We all need to recognize that American citizens can very appropriately favor things which benefit the United States of America first and foremost, and yet still be “citizens of the world,” who consider global implications and humanity on a greater scale.
More importantly, we all need to recognize that no one person or group of persons can simply co-opt a word or phrase, make it their own, and tell us it means something other than what it means. It restricts societal discourse and prevents us from having Healthy Discussions, and instead causes us to become reactionary and pre-judge the use of ordinary, English words. To be clear, this is not to say that one should be unable to object to such words or phrases when used in reference to a specific political slogan, movement, or candidate. But this brings us to another point, as a society, we have become so reactionary and conditioned that we presume vastly unrelated things upon hearing certain words and phrases. Again, with reference to the example of “America first” as a phrase that has become a negative trigger for many, we must be willing to accept that people are not monolithic. That is, we must be willing to accept that someone might be supportive of one or more specific positions associated with such a trigger phrase, without being a supporter of a politician or group that adopts the phrase as a slogan. Similarly, we all must be able to accept that someone might be supportive of one or more specific positions or theories associated with “democratic socialism,” without being a supporter of a specific politician or group that uses such an identifying phrase or term.