Isn’t “bipartisan” still partisan?
Am I the only one offended by the word bipartisan? Isn’t it a bit of an over-simplification? Even if we were all republicrats, isn’t there more than two sides to every issue? When describing a measure, this word seems to carry with it a positive connotation of inclusiveness, but it’s all a farce. It suggests all sides have been represented and are satisfied, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. As a libertarian, on the outside always looking in, the word couldn’t be more belittling…
Speaking of, doesn’t the term “little person” sound a little ridiculous too? Like the pinnacle of political-correctness? Sure, midget has fallen out of favor — understandably so — but dwarfism is a real condition (most often achondroplasia). Why adopt such a ridiculous nicety when dwarf is accurate, inoffensive and concise (unlike “little people“)? After a little poking around, it’s nice to know that the Little People of America tend to agree, even calling they’re news section Dwarfblog. Here’s what they had to say in their FAQ:
Such terms as dwarf, little person, LP, and person of short stature are all acceptable, but most people would rather be referred to by their name than by a label.
I couldn’t agree more with their sentiment, but person of short stature? Seriously? That’s right up there with “differently-abled” — a phrase bending and contorting reality to the point of madness. Now, I’m not saying we need to bring back the word retarded (though the term still has medical value today), but “disabled” has performed flawlessly as an umbrella term for all of these disparate conditions, both physical and mental.
Say you go blind in a freak laptop explosion (hey, it can happen). I feel for ya. It sucks. You’re now disabled. Get over it and call a spade a spade. You’ve lost an ability. Unless you somehow managed to develop x-ray vision in the accident, you’re not differently-abled. It’s not the end of the world, however, and I’m sure you’ll find ways to compensate. There’s no sense in diluting the blow with bullshit happyspeak.
On a lighter note: on the subject of derogatory labels — a fun topic indeed — I stumbled upon an interesting anecdote. After a few [dozen] beers last week in Bethesda, my father somehow happened on the subject of the lineage of the word “jay-walking”. After a little research, it turns out that around the turn of the last century, jay was a derogatory term for hick. When drivers of horseless carriages began motoring down the streets, it was these elite early adopters who coined the insult.
Somehow the phrase has stuck, even though bumpkins throughout the country have managed to put an end to the offensive, abrasive jay-word. A number of minority groups have had great success shaping a subset of American English to their wimbs. When will the libertarians, the greens — hell, even the commies and the über-religious wingnuts — when will we stand up and band together against this bipartisan scourge?!