Something has struck me over the past few months as I watch the republican hive-mind attempt to formulate their "true believe" dog-whistle code words for the Fall election.
And something jumped out at me: The repeated use of the word FAIL. This is the central word that republican cultists are now using to coalesce the message for the Fall, and one that may not make sense to you or I.
Why?
Because language does not function the same way for the "conservative" the way it does for the rest of us. Let me explain on the flip...
I've always been fascinated at the republican mind because it follows classic cult keyword signification. By this I mean they demonstrate fealty to the Dear Leader or the Cause by repeating keywords that other members of the cult recognize, but are not recognized in the larger population.
We can think of Antonin Scalia repeating the "broccoli" analogy, or the "Cornhusker Kickback." These terms are deeply loaded with significance for those caught in the right wing media bubble.
Each election cycle is distinct in the keyword signification, but the words are always there. And they always have very different meaning to the "conservative," and I put quotes around that word because it does not mean the same to us as it does to them.
Some of these keywords are more obvious.
"Real America" refer to white, Christians.
"Strict Constitutionalism" means legal rulings that favor the elite and power structure over the masses.
"I take him at his word that he is a Christian" means that Obama is not a Christian, and is a lying Muslim.
Many of the terms are grounded in a classic Christian persecution complex in which the Christian is under assault from dark and insidious forces dressed up to look like normal regular people.
This is why the "Manchurian Candidate" suspicions about Obama's real motivations (hidden from view) are constantly floated. It also explains why Obama is accused of not being American, or not sharing "American values" (another keyword).
This is the language of Christianist End Times hysteria. A variation of the "Left Behind" books in which imminent end-of-the-world battles are about to take place between GOOD and EVIL.
In this apocalyptic war (see Rick Santorum's hilarious video "Obamaville"), Obama is a code for Satan, the dark forces rising up against America/Jesus. Language must reflect this discourse, but embed the craziness lest it be seen as the cartoonish ridiculous teenage fever dream nightmare that it really is.
So to return to my original point:
Why "FAIL?"
This is the word Mitt Romney uses over and over to describe Obama's policies.
It is a word repeated by numerous right wing cult members, like Chuck Grassley recently on Twitter.
What does "FAIL" mean?
To you and I it refers to a policy critique. This is because we live in the real world. This is because you and I believe we elect politicians to enact policies to run the government in the interests of the United States of America.
Is that what "conservatives" believe? NOT EVEN CLOSE.
FAIL is the central keyword of the 2012 election for four reasons:
1. It requires no contextualization, nuance, or consideration of Obama's actual policies.
2. FAIL = PASS/FAIL = GOOD/EVIL. It forces a simplified binary that aligns with the very same forces of apocalyptic battle implied throughout right wing keyword strategy.
3. It aligns Obama with Bush as a continuum of government, and presents the conservatives as the "change the course" party
4. "FAIL" = "SATAN"
Let me expand on #4. For those of us unfamiliar with the New Testament, the notion of Satan trying, and failing to defeat Christ, is central to the battle between Good and Evil.
The splendid woman represents the grace of God. It was by grace that Christ was born, and by grace that he died and rose again to become our Saviour. Even now by grace we endure tribulation and have the victory over Satan who is furiously attacking us. Tribulation is to be expected in this world and "through much tribulation we must enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22).
http://www.simplybible.com.au/...
To cast Obama as Satan without calling him "Satan," the 2012 keyword is: "Fail."
So how do we combat this?
In my opinion, we use the very "Obama as Savior" fantasy the right always accuses us of using (and which, of course, we never actually use). Unlike Dubya, the failed prophet, we must advocate strongly that Obama rescued this country. He rescued the auto industry. He rescued the economy. He killed Bin Laden. And he saved us from the war in Iraq.
OBAMA SAVED US
It's scary to think, because we are so secular. It's language we would never normally use. It's tinged with a religious framework of Savior status.
But it is precisely the type of religious language keyword strategy that would unravel the demonization inherent in the "FAIL" strategy meant to align Obama with Satan.