Latest Obama era language edict: 'Drug war' dies, like 'war on terror'

Just a quick Obama Era Language Update and review for you. So you don't say anything politically out of line over the weekend. And end up getting Rick Wagonered or something.

OELUs (pronounced oelus) are a relatively new phenomenon in this country. They began emerging shortly after Jan. 20 to help depict change to believe in. Because, you know, words have meaning. And consequences.

For instance, we used to have "toxic assets," which were real estate properties worth much less than everyone pretended during the EOS (Era of Speculation). These properties have been renamed "legacy assets," meaning real estate properties worth much less than everyone pretended during the EOS but now we're trying to sell them. As in "pre-owned cars."

We used to have the "war on terror," which got its name from the fact that terrorists were killing people and we were killing terrorists, historical activities previously associated with "wars" involving people killing each other.

A variant of "war on terror" was "global war on terror," often used to help convince other nationalities on the globe to join the conflict because things in Bali, Madrid and London had developed a way of blowing up unexpectedly.

These phrases are out now because war is not good or popular. Talking is less violent. And it's another way to differentiate the Obama Change Crowd from the EBG (Evil Bush Gang). Today, the war on terror has become an "overseas contingency operation" (OCO).

Also, acts of terror are no longer acts of terror. They are "man-caused disasters," according to Homeland Security Director Janet Napolitano, who happens to be a member of the gender not covered by that term.

The newest change involves the war on drugs, so called because for many years now people have been killing each other or themselves over or with illegal drugs. (See "war on terror" above.)

But now the drug war is gone. Poof. Finito. Just like that.

Obama's new drug czar, Gil Kerlikowske, Seattle's ex-police chief, finds the words "drug war" too bellicose ("warlike in manner") for his tastes.

"Regardless of how you try to explain to people," Kerlikowske tried to explain to the Wall Street Journal people,"it's a 'war on drugs' or a 'war on a product.' People see a war as a war on them. We're not at war with people in this country."

Indications are the Obama administration intends to deal with the illegal drug situation as a public health issue requiring treatment more than enforcement. So, look for vaccinations against drive-by shootings and muggings.

Also, remember that surge of thousands of U.S. troops into Iraq by President Bush that Sen. Obama said would never work? Well, just so you know, the new surge of thousands of U.S. troops into Afghanistan ordered by President Obama is not really a surge. It's a bolstering. An increase. Wouldn't want any Ticket readers to be caught out.

We'll try to keep you posted on other linguistic developments on the politics front. (Oh, wait, that's kind of a combat term.) We'll keep you posted on linguistic developments involving the discussion of politics and language issues related thereto.

— Andrew Malcolm

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Photo: Chris Kleponis / AFP / Getty Images (Kerlikowske with VP Biden, who invented the term "drug czar" when it was a war on drugs).

Comments

[Pom Pom Girl]

Well, Obama did admit to using drugs as a teen. He dishonorably would not admi if he sold drugs, stole for them and would not specify what drugs he used. It would be insteresting if the press actually hounded him about all of his drug past.

[Pom Pom Girl]

Interesting that Slow Joe is at this announcement, with his constant verbal gaffes he seems to be the poster chilld for either drug or alcohol abuses latter day effects.

[Pom Pom Girl]

Consider Joe Bidens Past Actions ANd Statements

In September 1987, Joe Biden's Presidential campaign ran into problems when he plagiarized a speech by Neil Kinnock, who was then-leader of the British Labour Party.

It was also discovered that, when he was a law student at Syracuse Law School, he had plagiarized a law review article. While the then-dean of the law school, as well as Biden's former professor, played down the seriousness of the incident, they did find Biden drew "chunks of heavy legal prose directly from" the article in question. Biden said it was unintentional due to his not knowing the proper rules of citation, (after 4 years of college one should know the rules of citation) and Biden was permitted to retake the course after receiving a grade of F, which was later dropped from his record.

When questioned by a New Hampshire resident about his grades in law school, Biden had inaccurately recalled graduating in the "top half" of his class when he actually graduated 76th from a class of 85, and he also falsely stated that he had received a full scholarship, and had earned three degrees. The truth is that he had received two majors, History and Political Science, and a single B.A degree, as well as a half scholarship based on financial need, not academic achievement .

When he was confronted with these truths, Biden withdrew from the nomination race on September 23, 1987, saying his candidacy had been overrun by "the exaggerated shadow" of his past mistakes.

These embarrassing moments, brought to you by Joe Biden, is yet another reason to ask The President, the Democrats and the media whether they want Joe Biden just one heartbeat away from the Presidency!

[Alan Angeles]

"OELUs" is actually " Newspeak," a fictional language in George Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four.

[Mathew]

The drive by shootings etc are chiefly not a product of drugs, but of prohibiton (just like gang violence when alochol was outlawed). Drugs are illegal, making them very profitable. Gangs fight over terrority and profits. Legalize, regulate and tax, and most of the violence will dissapear.

Don't believe me? When was the last time coors, and Budwieser got into a shootout?

[DrBanks]

Thanks, Andy, for your characteristically clear reportage and analysis. As a NYC resident, I, for one, have not abandoned the hope that sanity and reason will reapear someday on the left coast. Unfortunately, it is too late for that realization for my two friends killed (what is the PC Obama-word for "killed") in the World Trade Center "overseas contingency operation" of 2001.
BTW, is there another, softer Obama-word for what Nancy Pelosi is doing? Or is it still lying.

[Christine Beatty]

"man-caused disasters" is as apt a description of religious-based terrorism I've ever heard, considering that Islam is a patriarchal religion. I'd say that pretty much covers the US economic meltdown too, seeing Phil Gramm and his cohorts (Leach and Bliley) are men too.

[Gonzo Democracy]

The War on Poverty = The War on Poor People

Like my man Tupac said, "Instead of a War on Poverty, they got a War on Drugs so the police can bother me!"

[Jeff in Miami Beach]

Semitics matter, especially when people are dying. The war on drugs has been a total disaster. Dealers again are making the Forbes richest people list. Harry Reid was quick to say the war in Iraq was totally lost, then of course he was wrong (less than accurate, subversive in the US war effort, traitorous words). But the war on drugs we are fighting a well funded, ruthless, well trained enemy. China solved their drug problem by killing all the users and traffickers, I am not sure the ACLU would let that happen in the US. The only way to stop it is legalize all drugs and sell them at liquor stores or pharmacies. Make it available, not advertised, not glamorized and treat it as an addiction problem. It would not affect my life if they made it all legal. Yes we will have a ton of OD’s, health issues etc related to this but consider it just thinning out the gene pool. So if someone wants to shoot up with Drano laced with opium great, one less person to collect Social Security.