Monday, June 28, 2010

Strange Words for Strange Days : Chronicles: A Magazine of American Culture

Strange Words for Strange Days : Chronicles: A Magazine of American Culture

by Clyde N. Wilson

[Subscribe online to Chronicles: A Magazine of American Culture. Click here for details].

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Charity.

Old version: Open-handedness toward our neighbour in need.

New version: Getting the government to spend other people’s money on politically favoured groups, at home and abroad.

All Men are Created Equal

OV: We are all made in the image of God and deserve respect. (Besides, an Englishman over here is just as good as an Englishman over there and we want none of your prissy dukes and earls who never did an honest day’s work.)

NV: The government should force people to pretend that we are all alike and interchangeable.

Serial Killers

OV: None of the notorious serial killers of the 20th century were Southern white men.

NV: When shown in the movies, all serial killers must be Southern white men.

National Defense

OV: Guarding the country against attack.

NV: Killing foreigners for Democracy.

Justice

OV: What is fair and right.

NV: What produces the most lucrative outcome for politically favoured minorities.

Truth

OV: What accords with reason and evidence.

NV: What produces the best outcome for politically favoured minorities.

Famous Person

OV: Someone who has done something noteworthy.

NV: Someone who is on television a lot.

Constitution

OV: What was ratified by the people to define and limit government.

NV: What changes society in a way that judges want.

Promoting the General Welfare

OV: Doing what seems best for society.

NV: Reimbursing the richest people in the country for their bad investments which harmed society.

Free Trade

OV: Minimising government interference and taxes on the free exchange of goods so that different peoples may mutually prosper from comparative advantage.

NV: Shipping people and money around so that certain interests who produce no goods may get even richer.

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