Buzz, Slogans, and Other Misconceptions

A long time ago, I had the pleasure of speaking to a group of young friends from time to time who were interested in hearing what an old man had to say about everything. Politely and respectfully, one of the group once told me that he was struck by my self-assurance. I use the word ‘struck’ to avoid placing any judgment on the subtext of his comment. He understandably did not want to offend me by even the slightest implication that my self-assurance was a function of arrogance. I knew then (as I still do) that there is a fine line between self-assurance and arrogance as perceived by people who are not aware of the firm distinction between arrogance and self-assurance. Yet, I place humility aside when I feel it’s necessary to do so, as I’m about to do now. 

Although the implicit meaning of the slogan Black Lives Matter is effective, it is an offensive slogan. Policemen who have killed black men in the fog of violence (or fear thereof), do not deliberately kill black men because their lives don’t matter. Hyperbole is not an argument.

Threats, ominously chanted in the tone of deep male voices in the dark of night, evoke the spectra of a Medieval death squad. The slogan, “What do we want?…Dead Cops!” is spine-chilling and profoundly un-American.

‘Systemic Racism’ is at best an expression designed to incite hatred. 

‘Defund the Police’ is a criminal’s most fervent dream and a windfall for anarchists.  

‘Resistance,’ ‘Social Justice,’ and ‘Colonialism’ are terms straight out of threadbare collectivist indoctrination. Most history and social study university professors know exactly what I mean by that.

‘Xenophobia’ is a word used to promote prejudice against white people ─ especially old males. 

‘Imaginary Politics’: Unfortunately, the exponents of political imagination are not aware ─ or is it, “not woke”? ─ in terms of the reality of a society without police.    

‘White supremacists’ are the counterparts of Black Militants and a few other ‘people of color.’

‘Nazi’ is a one-word, all-purpose word employed to instantly quell an adversary’s political arguments.

‘A Fair Share of Taxes’: Exactly how is a ‘fair share of taxes’ determined?

‘White Privilege?’ I wouldn’t know about that. I’m white, but have been poor most of my life.