Actor William Shatner scolded members of parliament in the European Union over reports that they planned to address the &#8220;gendered language&#8221; in the iconic introduction to his science fiction fan-favorite television series: &#8220;Star Trek.&#8221;
GB News <a href="https://www.gbnews.com/politics/eu-news-gender-neutral-language#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported on the initiative</a>, which was apparently inspired by a 61-page document — titled &#8220;Toolkit on Gender-sensitive Communication&#8221; — which was published by the European Institute for Gender Equality.
In addition to advising against the use of phrases like &#8220;no-man&#8217;s land&#8221; — suggesting &#8220;unclaimed territory&#8221; as an alternative — the document addressed the problematic goals of the Galactic Federation, namely &#8220;to boldly go where no man has gone before.&#8221;
According to the group&#8217;s findings, statements such as that one created an environment where &#8220;women may be subject to invisibility or omission.&#8221;
Shatner, who delivered the line as part of the introduction of each &#8220;Star Trek&#8221; episode, was not convinced.
&#8220;Presentism at work yet again,&#8221; Shatner began by registering his complaint about the attempt to apply today&#8217;s values to a show that was created in a very different time and culture.
&#8220;Why start at Trek?&#8221; the actor asked in his X post, suggesting that there were certainly more important historically significant documents that should be addressed first.
&#8220;Isn’t it better to start at the beginning and redo foundation material such as the Magna Carta, religious writings, works of Shakespeare before worrying about a silly TV show opening that reflects social commentary of the time?&#8221; he asked. &#8220;If people are offended by 6 seconds of dialogue recorded in 1966 without a modicum of understanding of the social issues at the time there’s bigger issues that they need to deal with first — like educating themselves.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
😳👇🏻Presentism at work yet again. Why start at Trek? 🤨Isn’t it better to start at the beginning and redo foundation material such as the Magna Carta, religious writings, works of Shakespeare before worrying about a silly TV show opening that reflects social commentary of the… <a href="https://t.co/P0okn5rYca">pic.twitter.com/P0okn5rYca</a>
&mdash; William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) <a href="https://twitter.com/WilliamShatner/status/1751999415215141282?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
One person responded to Shatner by asking is the EU planned to ban the words of American astronaut Neil Armstrong next.
&#8220;Neil Armstrong must be spinning in his grave … &#8216;One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.&#8217; Will he be canceled for leaving out an &#8216;a&#8217;? Is the word &#8216;mankind&#8217; misogynous? We live in foolish times.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Neil Armstrong must be spinning in his grave… “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”. Will he be canceled for leaving out an “a”? Is the word “mankind” misogynous? We live in foolish times.
&mdash; Ry Brooks (@RyBrooks) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyBrooks/status/1752002671521812770?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Late Night With Solomon Society

William Shatner Scolds EU Over Plan To Censor Gendered Language In Iconic ‘Star Trek’ Intro

European Union

Gender

Political Correctness

Star Trek

William Shatner

Chicago&#8217;s new Mayor Brandon Johnson might actually be worse than his predecessor Lori Lightfoot. At least she provided <a href="https://twitter.com/TimJDillon/status/1437832101143867393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1437832101143867393%7Ctwgr%5E4a2d104686d73b1809ed6d7eb5718ee13f169e1b%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fdailycaller.com%2F2021%2F10%2F08%2Ftim-dillon-lori-lightfoot-yelp-segment%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">comic relief</a> as the city went into decay. With Johnson, all you get is a lecture about the importance of policing speech, not the streets.
The latest chastisement from Johnson came on Thursday when he reprimanded a reporter who used the word &#8220;mob&#8221; to describe, well, a mob of teenagers looting a local convenient store last weekend.
&#8220;That’s not appropriate. We’re not talking about mob actions,&#8221; Johnson said about those who called it a &#8220;mob.&#8221; &#8220;We have to be careful when we use language to describe certain behavior. There’s a history in this city, and, I mean, to refer to children as like baby Al Capones is not appropriate.&#8221;
Instead, he encouraged us all to say &#8220;large gatherings.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson minimizes mass looting over the weekend
He scolds a reporter for using the term “mob” and says we should instead call them “large gatherings” <a href="https://t.co/fXGY3MgcKV">pic.twitter.com/fXGY3MgcKV</a>
&mdash; End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) <a href="https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/1687159177104277507?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 3, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
It&#8217;s not the first time that Johnson has been angry with how the media talks about such violence.
After one <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bedlam-as-hundreds-of-teenagers-inundate-downtown-chicago" target="_blank" rel="noopener">April weekend</a> during which throngs of teenagers rampaged in the streets, jumped on cars, and beat up at least one innocent couple, the Chicago mayor blamed government leaders for &#8220;disinvestment&#8221; and compared the behavior to his young child jumping down the flight of stairs.
He told the press that it “is not constructive to demonize youth who have otherwise been starved of opportunities in their own communities.”
&#8220;Have you ever taught middle school? I have,” Johnson <a href="https://news.grabien.com/story-chicago-mayor-elect-defends-looters-demonizing-children-is-wrong" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asked</a>. “Have you ever raised young people? Do you understand the risk that young people take just because they’re young? Do you know that home plate is at the bottom of my stairs? I found that out when my son was sliding down those stairs trying to score.”
He went on to say that youngsters “make silly decisions! They do. So we have to make sure that we are investing to make sure that young people know that they are supported.”
Here&#8217;s what all that &#8220;silliness&#8221; looked like: 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🚨<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a>: Chaotic Scene Unfolds in Downtown Chicago as Teenagers Vandalize Cars and Gunfire Erupts 
📌<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chicago?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chicago</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Illinois?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Illinois</a> ⁰ There is currently a significant police response taking place in downtown Chicago due to a large group of teenagers causing chaos. They have been… <a href="https://t.co/n7xhBpsTKs">pic.twitter.com/n7xhBpsTKs</a>
&mdash; R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) <a href="https://twitter.com/rawsalerts/status/1647457314494971910?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
As for this latest looting, Johnson appeared to be dismayed that Chicago police arrested individuals.
Police reportedly provided warnings before taking action — something he admits is abnormal.
“That’s a unique approach. You know, many people expect us to treat people undignified. My administration is different,” Johnson said. “Unfortunately, arrests were made. Unfortunately, some damage was caused. And the level of sensitivity and patience that our officers expressed, I’m appreciative of that. That is constitutional. That is a system of care.” (emphasis added)
Unfortunately? The follow-up <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/nearly-40-minors-arrested-disorderly-gathering-looting-chicago" target="_blank" rel="noopener">question should</a> have been about why only 40 individuals out of nearly 400 were arrested. Of course, the answer is likely because cops were directed not to arrest these individuals in the name of equity and restorative justice.
But, if you&#8217;re a journalist who does decide to ask Johnson about the lawlessness and lack of support for police, be careful how you phrase it — you&#8217;re likely going to get a stern talking-to about your word choices rather than a straightforward response from the Windy City mayor.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – AUGUST 3: City of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson introduces Billie Eilish during Lollapalooza at Grant Park on August 3, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois.

Chicago Mayor Stays Focused On Policing Speech, Not The Streets

Brandon Johnson

Chicago

Liberalism

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/george-washington-university" target="_blank" rel="noopener">George Washington University</a> is getting a new nickname after students complained that the “Colonials” mascot was offensive.
The university, located in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/washington-d-c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Washington, D.C.</a>, announced that its new moniker will be the “Revolutionaries” after months of debate and complaints that the term “Colonials” was “extremely offensive” to the “nation and world at large.”
&#8220;This is an exciting day for the George Washington University Revolutionaries,&#8221; <a href="https://gwtoday.gwu.edu/its-revolutionaries?fbclid=IwAR13-QoIca7ZJ26UozSZrQwobQghrzea5I6CPD8jS5HgRtE68xw2PbRmjb0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Mark Wrighton, the president of the school. &#8220;I am very grateful for the active engagement of our community throughout the development of the new moniker. This process was truly driven by our students, faculty, staff and alumni, and the result is a moniker that broadly reflects our community—and our distinguished and distinguishable GW spirit.&#8221;
The term “Colonials” was chosen in 1926 and referenced many of those in the original 13 colonies who <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/american-revolution" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fought for independence</a> from the British from 1775-1783. Other names floated as replacements included Ambassadors, Blue Fog, and Sentinels. 
An announcement video featuring school alumnus and NBC host <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/chuck-todd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chuck Todd</a> focused on the school’s commitment to making change around the world. 
“We are a truly global community, shaping the future of the world every day. We are always pushing, always learning. We are excited by new people, new experiences, new ideas, and new ways of thinking. We are in the center of power where our energy and drive fuels Washington, D.C., and beyond. We are dedicated to changing the world for the better,” a narrator said in the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=964422694894332&amp;ref=sharing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a>, which featured footage of Vice President Kamala Harris at the university. 
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1684938422021000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2-zHdFAayHoZkU-_PcCeh4">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
The push to change the name began in 2018 when more than 500 students submitted a petition linking the school&#8217;s mascot to “systemic oppression.”
“The use of ‘Colonials,’ no matter how innocent the intention, is received as extremely offensive by not only students of the University, but the nation and world at large. The historically, negatively-charged figure of Colonials has too deep a connection to colonization and glorifies the act of systemic oppression,” the students <a href="https://www.sa.gwu.edu/gw-mascot" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. 
The school said it received more than 47,000 responses during its search for a new name. “To have 47,000 points of feedback from the GW community is a testament to the pride people have in this institution, and we are proud to offer them a new moniker that will propel us as we move ahead in our third century,” said Vice President for Communications and Marketing Ellen Moran.
George Washington University was chartered in 1821 by Congress.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL: FEB 17 VCU at George Washington

George Washington University Unveils New Nickname After Complaints Of ‘Extremely Offensive’ Moniker

George Washington University Unveils New Nickname After Complaints Of 'Extremely Offensive' Moniker

American Revolution

Education

George Washington University

U.S.

Washington D.C.

The language police are at it again.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has decided that it needs to restrict language to fulfill its duty as the top federal science and technology office charged with staying ahead of &#8212; or at least keeping up with &#8212; China. Really.
NIST has put out a new guide telling federal employees they shouldn&#8217;t use the words &#8220;blacklist&#8221; or &#8220;whitelist.&#8221; Why? They carry racial connotations.
And workers should never use terms &#8220;that assign a gender to inanimate objects, such as male/female connectors.&#8221;
NIST&#8217;s &#8220;Inclusive Language Guidance&#8221; lays out to scientists what words and phrases or OK. The guide says:
<ul>
<li>Consider that biased terms, such as blacklist/whitelist, also may introduce comprehension issues.</li>
<li> Avoid terms such as master/slave that perpetuate negative stereotypes or unequal power relationships.</li>
<li>Avoid identifying an individual’s gender unless necessary for comprehension, or using terms that assign a gender to inanimate objects, such as male/female connectors.</li>
<li>Avoid descriptive terms that are condescending or reductive in favor of language that the groups being described would prefer.</li>
</ul>
Jennifer Huergo, a NIST spokesman, <a href="https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_ec382ad8-d3f1-11ed-99e0-ffca7120e7e9.html">told</a> The Center Square the guidance &#8220;was created primarily for the benefit of NIST staff experts who participate in the development of documentary standards as expert collaborators and leaders.&#8221;
&#8220;Use of inclusive language helps to avoid potential gaps in understanding that could arise from the use of colloquial or idiomatic expressions that are rooted in particular historical events or regional dialects,&#8221; she said.
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-15662">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
The NIST guide follows another from the liberal language police. The ultra-woke are coming for more words and phrases like “jump the gun,” “roll with the punches,” and even “deadline,” claiming they’re just too “violent.”
For the record, the word “deadline” was first recorded in 1864 during the Civil War. As both sides captured prisoners of war, a “do not cross” line was traced around prisons, and guards were ordered to shoot anyone that might cross the “dead line.”
And by the way, “jump the gun” has nothing to do with violence. The term comes from sporting contests like foot races, delineating when a runner started too early or “jumped” the starting gun, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/language-police-target-jump-the-gun-roll-with-the-punches">reported</a>.
But never mind all that. The word cops have deemed them offensive and demand new softer terms be used. For instance, they say the phrase “kill two birds with one stone” — which originated in China in the 1600s — must be replaced with “feed two birds with one scone.”
The new guide, titled “Evolving From Violent Language,” was created by Anna Taylor, a communications director and “diversity, equity, and inclusion champion” at the technology company Phenomenex.
“The guide is for those who would like to replace mostly violently framed idioms with more positive and inclusive language,” Taylor <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11714189/Latest-phrases-branded-offensive-violent-undertones.html">told</a> The Daily Mail.
The guide offers new acceptable phrases:
“I won’t avoid it any longer” for “I’ll bite the bullet.”
“We’re going to launch” for “we’re going to pull the trigger.”
“Can you send me an email?” for “can you shoot me an email?”
“That was a bit excessive” for “that was overkill.”
“Let’s not focus on that anymore” for “let’s not beat a dead horse.”
But wait. It&#8217;ll get dumber. On that, you can count on. The wokesters will never stop.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
Joseph Curl has covered politics for 35 years, including 12 years as White House correspondent for a national newspaper. He was also the a.m. editor of the Drudge Report for four years. Send tips to josephcurl@dailywire.com and follow him on Twitter @josephcurl.

Computer monitor and keyboard, chains wrapped around keyboard

Federal Agency Discourages ‘Blacklist,’ ‘Male/Female,’ ‘Master/Slave’

General

language

Politics

Woke Culture

Yet another college campus is being subjected to the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gone-with-the-wind-publisher-calls-the-book-harmful" target="_blank" rel="noopener">endless demands</a> of woke censors who insist on ridding everyday speech of words that they deem offensive. 
This year&#8217;s <a href="https://brand.msu.edu/storytelling/inclusive-guide" target="_blank" rel="noopener">version</a> of Michigan State University&#8217;s style guide includes a supplemental “inclusive” style guide for communications department staffers which includes a list of terms to avoid, such as “female” and “America,” as well as terms relating to Christian holidays, like “Christmas trees,” “bells,” and “bunnies.” 
The guide lists words to avoid under four categories: “Gender and Sexuality,” “Race and Ethnicity,” “Global Identity,” and “Disability,” but MSU also said that the “inclusive” guide “is not comprehensive in scope.”
“In alignment with strategic efforts that advance diversity, equity and inclusion, the supplemental Inclusive Guide is a resource that provides best practices for communications on an increasingly diverse global campus,” the university <a href="https://brand.msu.edu/storytelling/inclusive-guide">said</a>. 
Under the &#8220;Gender and Sexuality&#8221; section, MSU advocates for using terms that support radical gender theories. In an effort to avoid “assuming” someone’s biological sex, MSU recommends avoiding the word “female” because it “reduces women to their assumed biological anatomy.” MSU made no mention of avoiding the term &#8220;male,&#8221; however. “Nickname” can also be considered offensive because it “implies that a person’s name is a substitute for their legal name,” MSU claimed. 
A <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20230401084737/https://brand.msu.edu/storytelling/inclusive-guide/global-identity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previous version</a> of the style guide warned communications staff against using “majority religious imagery and language,” especially during the winter and spring seasons. Those problematic words, according to the university, include: “merry,” “Christmas trees,” “wreaths,” “holly,” “bells,” “gifts,” “reindeer,” “bunnies,” “eggs” and “chicks.” Instead, MSU encourages staffers to use the phrases “wishing you a wonderful winter/spring break” or “best wishes for the new year.&#8221;
The &#8220;inclusive&#8221; style guide — which doesn’t apply to academics, medical, legal, or other specialized categories — was updated in recent days, deleting references to those specific words. Now it simply says, “Avoid references to religious imagery and language. Use terms like ‘wishing you a wonderful winter/spring break’ or ‘best wishes for the new year.’”
The previous version of the style guide also cautioned communications staff against using the word “America” when referring to the United States. That warning has been removed in the most recent update.
Under the “Disability” label, MSU writes that it’s wrong to use “ableist language,” which includes words such as: “crazy,” “insane,” “bonkers,” “nuts,” “psycho,” “demented,” “senile,” “loony,” “lunatic,” “psychotic,” “addict,” “invalid,” “vegetable,” “paralyzed,” “lame,” “madhouse,” “tone-deaf,” “spazzing out,” “braindead” or “blindly.”
The terms &#8220;obese,&#8221; &#8220;obesity,&#8221; and &#8220;overweight&#8221; were also labeled problematic by MSU. The university prefers its staff to use &#8220;higher weight&#8221; or &#8220;larger-bodied.&#8221;
“MSU’s inclusive communication guide is a resource for communications professionals and leaders to strengthen the sense of belonging among our diverse university community,&#8221; MSU Deputy Spokesperson Dan Olsen told The Daily Wire. &#8220;Recently, some have expressed concern about the perception that the university is banning the use of specific terms. We want to be clear: that is inaccurate. That said, we recognized it was important that we update the guide to ensure our intent matches the guidance provided in the document.”

Michigan State University

MSU Warns Against Using Terms ‘Female,’ ‘America,’ ‘Christmas Trees’ In New ‘Inclusive’ Style Guide

MSU Warns Against Using Terms 'Female,' 'America,' 'Christmas Trees' In New 'Inclusive' Style Guide

Actress <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jennifer-aniston">Jennifer Aniston</a> says that modern audiences take issue with some of the jokes on the classic hit NBC comedy “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/friends">Friends</a>.”
The iconic series premiered in 1994 during a very different time. “There’s a whole generation of people, kids, who are now going back to episodes of ‘Friends’ and find them offensive,” Aniston told the Associated Foreign Press, per <a href="https://www.indiewire.com/2023/03/jennifer-aniston-friends-offensive-new-generations-1234823537/">IndieWire</a>. 
“There were things that were never intentional and others … well, we should have thought it through, but I don’t think there was a sensitivity like there is now,” the 54-year-old star continued. 
“<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/comedy">Comedy</a> has evolved, movies have evolved,” Aniston added. “Now it’s a little tricky because you have to be very careful, which makes it really hard for comedians, because the beauty of comedy is that we make fun of ourselves, make fun of life.”
The “Murder Mystery 2” actress went on to say how mockery was more tolerated back when the series was on TV. The last episode of &#8220;Friends&#8221; aired in 2004.
“You could joke about a bigot and have a laugh. That was hysterical. And it was about educating people on how ridiculous people were, and now we’re not allowed to do that,” she said. “Everybody needs funny! The world needs humor! We can’t take ourselves too seriously. Especially in the United States. Everyone is far too divided.”
Making politically incorrect jokes isn&#8217;t the only controversy surrounding “Friends.” Series co-creator Marta Kauffman apologized for a lack of “diversity” in the series, specifically because the six main cast members were all white.
“I’ve learned a lot in the last 20 years,” Kauffman said of only casting black actors in small parts. “Admitting and accepting guilt is not easy. It’s painful looking at yourself in the mirror. I’m embarrassed that I didn’t know better 25 years ago.”
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-10214">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
She went on to pledge $4 million to aid black students at her alma mater, Brandeis University, as a form of atonement. 
“It took me a long time to begin to understand how I internalized systemic racism,” she said at the time. “I’ve been working really hard to become an ally, an anti-racist. And this seemed to me to be a way that I could participate in the conversation from a white woman’s perspective.”
Kauffman also apologized for “misgendering” a character’s trans-identifying father during one of the episodes. “We kept referring to [Helena] as ‘Chandler’s father,’ even though Chandler’s father was trans,” she <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/next-on-the-friends-apology-tour-co-creator-regrets-misgendering-chandlers-dad">said</a>.
“Pronouns were not yet something that I understood, so we didn’t refer to that character as ‘she.’ That was a mistake.”

The 30th Santa Barbara International Film Festival – Montecito Award

Jennifer Aniston Says ‘A Whole Generation Of People’ Think ‘Friends’ Is ‘Offensive’ Now

Jennifer Aniston Says A 'Whole Generation Of People' Think 'Friends' Is 'Offensive' Now

Comedy

Entertainment

Friends

Jennifer Aniston

Television

Earlier this year, Stanford University <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/youre-not-american-thats-offensive-youre-a-u-s-citizen-stanford-u-declares" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released a &#8220;harmful words&#8221;</a> list that includes dozens of everyday sayings and verbiage that it deemed hateful for one social justice warrior reason or another.
For many, it was a sign that the Left had gone one step further into insanity. Unfortunately, that kind of speech code is nothing new. In fact, it seems to be ripped right out of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg&#8217;s playbook from 45 years ago.
The official title of the Stanford project is &#8220;The Elimination of Harmful Language Initiative&#8221; and billed as a “multi-phase, multi-year project to address harmful language in IT at Stanford.&#8221; The list included suggestions such as ditching the word &#8220;blind study&#8221; and instead saying &#8220;masked study.&#8221;
Why? Well according to The Harvard of the West, the frowned-upon word &#8220;unintentionally perpetuates that disability is somehow abnormal or negative, furthering an ableist culture.&#8221; Then it suggests ditching words like &#8220;pow wow&#8221; and even the word &#8220;American.&#8221;
It also instructed those using the manual to avoid gendered language in essentially all forms of communication — ie. saying &#8220;mail person&#8221; instead of &#8220;mailman.&#8221;
This attempt to control the conversation is nothing new. As mentioned, &#8220;RBG&#8221; as she is affectionately known by her fans, co-authored a book on the topic in 1977 titled &#8220;Sex Bias in the U.S. Code.&#8221;
Thanks to one classic newsletter from conservative icon <a href="https://www.phyllisschlafly.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/PSCA_PSR_26_12_199307.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Phyllis Schlafly in 1993</a>, Americans were warned that RBG&#8217;s radical views would be a detriment to the nation as she was being nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court by President Bill Clinton.
&#8220;How does it happen that a Supreme Court nominee whose only experience in private law practice was seven years as general counsel to the ACLU came to be praised by almost everyone as a &#8216;moderate&#8217; and a &#8216;centrist&#8217;?&#8221; the mother-turned-activist said in &#8220;The Phyllis Schlafly Report&#8221; for July 1993. &#8220;My theory is: This just proves how easily men are fooled by a skirt. They deduced that Ruth Bader Ginsburg is &#8216;moderate&#8217; because she isn’t a loud-mouth frizzy-haired, bra-burning, street demonstrator.&#8221;
Indeed, the best-selling author went on to fully expose Ginsburg for the extremist that she was.
&#8220;In fact, Ginsburg’s writings betray her as a radical, doctrinaire feminist, far out of the mainstream,&#8221; the conservative said at the time. &#8220;She shares the chip-on-the-shoulder, radical feminist view that American women have endured centuries of oppression and mistreatment from men.&#8221;
That was no exaggeration.
In &#8220;Sex Bias in the U.S Code,&#8221; RBG and her co-author suggested that the U.S. remove more than 20 words or phrases from all U.S. laws and substituted them with the sort of language advocated by Stanford today.
According to Schlafly, the activist-turned-judge went far beyond changing merely language. In &#8220;Sex Bias in the U.S. Code,&#8221; Ginsburg also advocated an entirely gender-neutral society in which women were drafted to combat, prisons were sex-integrated, prostitution was legalized, and the practical elimination of all single-sex organizations and places of education.
Though it&#8217;s doubtful the current woke army draws their inspiration on these matters to RBG, it should be noted that all of those goals are being pushed by progressives in America as we speak.
The gendered language aspect is already widely accepted. It&#8217;s only a matter of time before they start demanding the other items with the same zeal.
Ideally, Republicans give more pushback to that insanity than they did in the early 1990s.
That year, RBG was confirmed to the Supreme Court by a vote of 96-3 with 40 GOP senators casting their support. However, granted that America recently had dozens of Republicans support changing the definition of marriage, that dream doesn&#8217;t seem likely. Worse, we have no Phyllis Schlafly nowadays to sound the alarm on liberal loons either.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Stanford, Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Stanford’s New ‘Harmful Word List’ Is Right Out Of Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Playbook From 45 Years Ago

Stanford's New 'Harmful Word List' Is Right Out Of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Playbook From 45 Years Ago

College

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Social Issues

Stanford

Liberals are so thin-skinned that words constantly wound them. Deeply. So they&#8217;re constantly redefining words to ease their pain.
Enter Stanford University. The vaunted California institute of higher education has published an index of &#8220;harmful language&#8221; as part of an initiative to eliminate and replace words it deems offensive.
The Elimination of Harmful Language Initiative is a &#8220;multi-phase, multi-year project to address harmful language in IT at Stanford,&#8221; according to the <a href="https://login.stanford.edu/idp/profile/SAML2/Redirect/SSO?execution=e1s2">guide</a>. The guide&#8217;s purpose is to eliminate &#8220;many forms of harmful language,&#8221; including &#8220;racist, violent, and biased (e.g., disability bias, ethnic bias, ethnic slurs, gender bias, implicit bias, sexual bias) language&#8221; on Stanford&#8217;s websites.
The guide has 10 &#8220;harmful language&#8221; sections: ableist, ageism, colonialism, culturally appropriative, gender-based, imprecise language, institutionalized racism, person-first, violent and additional considerations. The guide was rolled out in May, but has been gaining notoriety in recent days.
One word the university deems inappropriate is &#8220;American.&#8221;
Americans shouldn&#8217;t say they&#8217;re &#8220;American.&#8221; Instead, they should say they are &#8220;U.S. citizens&#8221; because &#8220;American&#8221; often refers only to &#8220;people from the United States only, thereby insinuating that the U.S. is the most important country in the Americas.&#8221;
“Immigrant” is also verboten. Instead, use “person who has immigrated.” Also, best to use four words to replace one word.
The university wants to do away with the word &#8220;abort,&#8221; as in to end something. Stanford says to use &#8220;cancel&#8221; or &#8220;end&#8221; to avoid the moral connotations of abortion. &#8220;Child prostitute&#8221; becomes &#8220;child who has been trafficked&#8221; so as not to imply the child has chosen the profession.
And &#8220;Karen&#8221; is out. Instead, use &#8220;demanding or entitled white woman.&#8221;
The &#8220;ableist&#8221; section also raises some eyebrows. The university asks people to use &#8220;accessible parking&#8221; instead of &#8220;handicap parking&#8221; and &#8220;anonymous review&#8221; instead of &#8220;blind review&#8221; (although, to be fair, blind people aren&#8217;t really going to see the term &#8220;blind review,&#8221; are they?).
&#8220;Blind review,&#8221; Stanford says, &#8220;intentionally perpetuates that disability is somehow abnormal or negative, furthering an ableist culture.”
People also shouldn&#8217;t say &#8220;tone deaf&#8221; but rather &#8220;unenlightened.&#8221; And &#8220;addict&#8221; is such a horrible word. Say &#8220;person with a substance abuse disorder,&#8221; please.
“Gangbusters” is banned because the university says it “invokes the notion of police action against ‘gangs’ in a positive light, which may have racial undertones.” And &#8220;beat a dead horse&#8221; “normalizes violence against animals,&#8221; the index says.
Colleges are where most fragile liberals reside. In 2020, a college professor declared &#8220;low-hanging fruit&#8221; racist (even though the Oxford Dictionary defines the phrase as “a thing or person that can be won, obtained, or persuaded with little effort.”
&#8220;For African-Americans, if you say ‘low-hanging fruit,’ we think lynching,” said Mae Hicks-Jones, an adjunct faculty member of Elgin Community College in Illinois, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/curl-pc-police-finally-scalp-the-redskins-move-on-to-low-hanging-fruit">reported</a>.
“Grandfathered” is also racist, she said, according to a report in The College Fix. To Hicks-Jones, the phrase “grandfathered in” is reminiscent of a grandfather clause, which privileged white people’s right to vote over that of black people during the Jim Crow South.
What words are next? No one knows. But somewhere &#8212; right now &#8212; a team of professors is compiling another list of offensive words. That much you can be sure of.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
Joseph Curl has covered politics for 35 years, including 12 years as White House correspondent for a national newspaper. He was also the a.m. editor of the Drudge Report for four years. Send tips to josephcurl@dailywire.com and follow him on Twitter @josephcurl.

Hands holding American flag

You’re Not ‘American.’ That’s Offensive. You’re A ‘U.S. Citizen,’ Stanford U Declares

Don't Be 'American.' You're A 'U.S. Citizen,' Stanford University Declares

Stanford University

The Cambridge Dictionary recently updated its definitions of &#8220;man&#8221; and &#8220;woman&#8221; to include people whose gender identity doesn&#8217;t correspond with their biological sex.
The <a href="https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/man" target="_blank" rel="noopener">definition</a> of &#8220;man&#8221; in the online version includes a second meaning: &#8220;an adult who lives and identifies as male though they may have been said to have a different sex at birth.&#8221;
The example sentences alongside the definition include:
<ul>
<li>Mark is a trans man (= a man who was said to be female when they were born).</li>
<li>Their doctor encouraged them to live as a man for a while before undergoing surgical transition.</li>
</ul>
The <a href="https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/woman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">definition</a> of &#8220;woman&#8221; also includes a second definition that similarly reads &#8220;an adult who lives and identifies as female though they may have been said to have a different sex at birth.&#8221;
One of the example sentences includes, &#8220;mary (sic) is a woman who was assigned male at birth.&#8221;
Christopher Rufo, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute, brought attention to the news in a Twitter post on Monday.
&#8220;Cambridge Dictionary just dropped a new definition of ‘woman,’&#8221; Rufo tweeted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Cambridge Dictionary just dropped a new definition of &quot;woman.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/qDb17DJP5H">pic.twitter.com/qDb17DJP5H</a>
&mdash; Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) <a href="https://twitter.com/realchrisrufo/status/1602429144905973761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Rufo also observed that the new definition used the pronoun &#8220;they&#8221; to describe a woman instead of &#8220;she.&#8221;
&#8220;Notice that the dictionary writers say ‘*they* may have been.’ They couldn&#8217;t bring themselves to write &#8216;she may have been,&#8217; because they know they&#8217;re lying. That&#8217;s the tell,&#8221; he tweeted.
British commentator Adam Brooks also blasted the revised definitions.
&#8220;Oh wow, the @CambridgeWords dictionary definition of a woman is shocking, how did we get here?&#8221; he tweeted. &#8220;Surely women aren’t happy with this?&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Oh wow, the <a href="https://twitter.com/CambridgeWords?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CambridgeWords</a> dictionary definition of a woman is shocking, how did we get here?
Surely women aren’t happy with this? <a href="https://t.co/18FlgJEMwH">pic.twitter.com/18FlgJEMwH</a>
&mdash; Adam Brooks 🇬🇧 (@EssexPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/EssexPR/status/1602436361314762752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In addition to new definitions of &#8220;man&#8221; and &#8220;woman,&#8221; the dictionary offers an interesting explanation of the term &#8220;gender.&#8221;
&#8220;[A] group of people in a society who share particular qualities or ways of behaving which that society associates with being male, female, or another identity,&#8221; the Cambridge Dictionary&#8217;s <a href="https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/gender" target="_blank" rel="noopener">definition</a> says.
One of the example sentences reads, &#8220;&#8216;The gender that you identify with isn&#8217;t always the same as your biological sex,&#8217; he explained.&#8221;
Other words related to gender have also been updated. For example, the term &#8220;male&#8221; is <a href="https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/male" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defined</a> as &#8220;belonging or relating to men,&#8221; while one of the example sentences reads, &#8220;He is one of the most prominent trans male athletes today.&#8221;
An <a href="https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/female" target="_blank" rel="noopener">example sentence</a> for &#8220;female&#8221; reads, &#8220;She was the school&#8217;s first trans female athlete.&#8221;
The personal pronoun &#8220;ze&#8221; is also included in the dictionary. It is <a href="https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/ze" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defined</a> as &#8220;a personal pronoun sometimes used instead of &#8216;he&#8217; or &#8216;she&#8217; because it does not show a particular gender.&#8221;
The word &#8220;sex&#8221; is <a href="https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/sex" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defined</a> as &#8220;the physical state of being either male, female, or intersex,&#8221; while &#8220;intersex&#8221; is <a href="https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/intersex" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defined</a> as &#8220;having a body that is between male or female, or relating to this state.&#8221;
A Cambridge Dictionary spokesperson <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11533295/Cambridge-Dictionary-accused-kowtowing-woke-activists-updating-definition-woman.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the Daily Mail that the change for the definition of &#8220;woman&#8221; occurred in October.
&#8220;They carefully studied usage patterns of the word &#8216;woman&#8217; and concluded that this definition is one that learners of English should be aware of to support their understanding of how the language is used,&#8221; a statement read. &#8220;The first definition at the entry for &#8216;woman&#8217; remains unchanged and continues to be &#8216;an adult female human being.'&#8221;

Finger pointing to word in dictionary – stock photo

Cambridge Dictionary Adds Woke Definitions Of ‘Man’ And ‘Woman’

Cambridge Dictionary Adds Inclusive Definitions of ‘Man’ And ‘Woman’

World

Google has reportedly paused an &#8220;inclusive language&#8221; function that replaces words in Google Docs that it deems politically incorrect.
In a Tuesday afternoon statement to The Daily Wire, Google spokeswoman Jenny Thomson compared the feature to a &#8220;thesaurus or spell checker,&#8221; noting that Google is &#8220;committed to making Google Docs helpful for everybody.&#8221;
&#8220;It’s a form of AI that uses language understanding models, based on millions of common phrases and sentences, to automatically learn how people communicate and suggest changes,&#8221; she explained.
&#8220;However,&#8221; she noted, &#8220;inclusive language suggestions—an assisted writing feature—can over or undercorrect certain phrases. We&#8217;re looking more carefully at the inclusive language suggestions and have paused those for further review while we continue to improve this feature.&#8221;
The feature would reportedly show pop-up warnings about supposed non-inclusive words like “policeman,” “fireman” or “housewife,&#8221; <a href="https://nypost.com/2022/04/25/google-unveils-woke-writing-feature-for-inclusive-language/?utm_source=reddit.com">according to The New York Post</a>. The publication reported that the feature might suggest the word &#8220;humankind&#8221; instead of &#8220;mankind&#8221; or “police officer” instead of “policeman.”
Writers for Vice <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/v7dk8m/googles-ai-powered-inclusive-warnings-feature-is-very-broken">who tested the feature</a> reportedly found that the words &#8220;annoyed&#8217; and &#8220;Motherboard&#8221; were flagged for being non-inclusive, while a wildly racist transcription of an interview with former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke was not flagged.
Meanwhile, according to Vice, the feature suggested that Martin Luther King Jr. should have said civil rights leaders should act with &#8220;the intense urgency of now&#8221; rather than &#8220;the fierce urgency of now&#8221; in his acclaimed &#8220;I Have a Dream&#8221; speech.
It also suggested former President John F. Kennedy should have swapped &#8220;for all humankind&#8221; for the phrase &#8220;for all mankind&#8221; in his inaugural address, according to Vice, and that Jesus Christ should have used the word &#8220;lovely,&#8221; &#8220;great,&#8221; or &#8220;marvelous&#8221; rather than &#8220;wonderful&#8221; in the Sermon on the Mount.
The feature, which was not currently in place on Google Docs as of noon on Tuesday, comes as conservatives increasingly look to create alternative options to woke corporations, businesses, and social media platforms, such as the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/by-conservatives-for-conservatives-new-credit-card-offers-alternative-to-americans-fed-up-with-woke-businesses">new credit card Coign</a>, the social media platform <a href="https://gettr.com/onboarding">GETTR</a>, former President Donald Trump’s <a href="https://truthsocial.com/">Truth Social</a>, and the global internet infrastructure company, <a href="https://rightforge.com/">RightForge</a>.
News that it has been paused followed criticism that the feature was intrusive, woke and &#8220;very broken,&#8221; as Vice reported.
Transgender activist Debbie Hayton suggested that Google&#8217;s inclusivity feature was Orwellian, tweeting, &#8220;Don’t you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
&quot;Don’t you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it.&quot;
– George Orwell<a href="https://t.co/D9An9jPgOc">https://t.co/D9An9jPgOc</a>
&mdash; Debbie Hayton 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 (@DebbieHayton) <a href="https://twitter.com/DebbieHayton/status/1518666954051096578?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Google’s new word warnings aren’t assistive, they’re deeply intrusive,&#8221; Big Brother Watch&#8217;s Silkie Carlo told the <a class="class" href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/04/23/big-brother-sorry-big-person-correcting-google/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">Sunday Telegraph.</a> &#8220;This speech-policing is profoundly clumsy, creepy and wrong, often reinforcing bias.&#8221;
<div class="AV61e05d9cf42b9f6865533ef7">
<div id="aniBox">
<div id="aniplayer_AV61e05d9cf42b9f6865533ef7-1650986594510">
<div id="aniplayer_AV61e05d9cf42b9f6865533ef7-1650986594510gui">
<div id="av-container" class=" av-desktop hide-controls">
<div id="av-inner">
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

Screen Shot 2022-04-26 at 11.29.31 AM

Google Pauses ‘Woke’ Feature That Suggests ‘Inclusive Language’ To Users

Google

Wokeness

Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro issued a stark warning on Thursday, saying that corporations that chose to &#8220;exit the free market&#8221; and push ideology over business should prepare to &#8220;f*** around and find out&#8221; what would happen to them.
Shapiro argued that any business choosing to wade into politics — specifically politics beyond what directly impacted their business — should be prepared to be treated as a political entity rather than simply as a business.
&#8220;If corporations choose to exit the free market by seeking media and legal dispensation from anti-market Leftists pushing radical social values, don&#8217;t count on those of us who love free markets to defend you. F*** around and find out,&#8221; Shapiro began in a brief Twitter thread.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
If corporations choose to exit the free market by seeking media and legal dispensation from anti-market Leftists pushing radical social values, don&#39;t count on those of us who love free markets to defend you. F*** around and find out.
&mdash; Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro/status/1517123140987543553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Corporations have an interest in lobbying on issues that directly impact their business,&#8221; Shapiro <a href="https://twitter.com/benshapiro/status/1517123360731410437">continued</a>. &#8220;If they choose to engage in politics outside their purview, they will be treated with all the aggression inherent to the political sphere, and they will deserve it.&#8221;
Shapiro went on to say that even businesses that did choose to go down that particular road could still turn back.
&#8220;Go apolitical again, and we&#8217;ll all be happy to go back to business. Turn into a propaganda and lobbying wing for the most radical activists, and be treated in kind,&#8221; he said.
Shapiro&#8217;s comments come as the Florida legislature considers stripping Disney of its protected tax status and ability to self-govern — a move prompted by the corporation&#8217;s pushback against the recently-passed Parental Rights in Education law. (Disclosure: The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/introducing-dw-kids">has</a> announced plans for children’s entertainment content.)
Disney <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/disney-florida-bill-banning-sexuality-gender-discussions-for-little-kids-should-never-have-passed">issued a statement</a> immediately following the law&#8217;s passage, saying, &#8220;Florida’s HB 1557, also known as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, should never have passed and should never have been signed into law. Our goal as a company is for this law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts, and we remain committed to supporting the national and state organizations working to achieve that. We are dedicated to standing up for the rights and safety of LGBTQ+ members of the Disney family, as well as the LGBTQ+ community in Florida and across the country.&#8221;
The Florida State Senate <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/breaking-floridas-senate-passes-bill-to-end-disneys-self-governance/">passed a measure</a> on Wednesday that would put an end to the company&#8217;s ability to self-govern.
&#8220;The measure potentially delivers a blow to the company’s operations in the state,&#8221; The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/florida-senate-passes-bill-to-eliminate-disneys-special-tax-district-11650473902">reported</a>. &#8220;The special district, created in 1967 and known as the Reedy Creek Improvement District, exempts Disney from a host of regulations and certain taxes and fees related to emergency services and road maintenance.&#8221;
Governor Ron DeSantis (R-FL) explained his support for stripping Disney of its protected status, saying, &#8220;I don’t support special privileges in law just because a company is powerful and they’ve been able to wield a lot of power. I think what has happened is there’s a lot of these special privileges that are not justifiable, but because Disney had held so much sway, they were able to sustain a lot of special treatment over the years.&#8221;

Ben Shapiro, host of his online political podcast The Ben

‘F*** Around And Find Out’: Ben Shapiro Issues Stark Warning To Woke Corps Putting Politics Over Business

Ben Shapiro

Comedian Bill Maher, currently touring in the southern United States, explained that he can never write off former President Donald Trump&#8217;s supporters because he&#8217;d have to hate &#8220;half the country.&#8221;
Speaking to <a href="https://www.al.com/life/2022/01/bill-maher-on-why-he-actually-loves-red-states-and-why-democracy-is-in-big-trouble.html">AL.com</a> just ahead of the first anniversary of the January 6 riot on Capitol Hill, <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/bill-maher-predicts-dems-will-get-thumped-in-2022-biden-hasnt-exactly-stuck-the-landing/">Maher</a> said that he believed American democracy was coming to a crossroads. &#8220;January 2025 is going to be where the rubber hits the road in this country. We’ve been heading towards this cliff for a very long time, and we always think we’re the country where it can’t happen. Well, we thought that about terrorism. We thought that about everything. We’re not exempt. We are the country where it can happen,&#8221; he said.
<a href="https://dailywire.com/news/bill-maher-liberal-media-scared-s-out-of-people-over-covid-democrats-afraid-to-leave-home/">Maher</a> addressed a series of questions in the interview — from political correctness in comedy to Twitter banning Congresswoman <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/twitter-permanently-boots-marjorie-taylor-greene-over-vaccine-misinformation/">Marjorie Taylor Greene</a> (R-GA) — and he explained why he loves performing in red states, particularly in the age of the COVID-19 pandemic.
&#8220;This country is falling apart at the seams. Half the people are not going to self-deport. You see these tweets and memes about owning and destroying the other side. Get over it. You’re not owning or destroying anybody. No one’s going anywhere. We have to learn to live together again,&#8221; Maher explained, saying that people seemed more willing to accept that in red states. &#8220;San Francisco, that’s going to be a little problematic for me. They’re a little too politically correct. There’s going to be a lot of groaning at some of the things I say, and that’s not what a comedy show is supposed to be. Political correctness has always been the enemy of comedy. That’s been my banner from the beginning.&#8221;
From the interview:
<blockquote>
You’re hitting a lot of Southern cities on this tour: Birmingham, New Orleans, Chattanooga, Jacksonville. You’ve said, during COVID, it’s harder to sell tickets in blue states, that liberal media are scaring people with their coverage, but “In red states, it’s all good to go” and people there are maybe more open to edgier humor. What do you like about performing in the South, and if anything, what surprises you about Southern audiences?
Bill Maher: I think you kinda just did my act for me there, all the things you mentioned. I attract mostly a liberal crowd, but liberal is different than woke. To me, woke, if we want to use that broad term, is something that is not an extension of liberalism. It’s very often the opposite of what an old school liberal like me believes. I’ve never been someone who was part of any specific party, per se. I usually vote Democratic, but it depends on the person. Certainly in the age of Trump, they’re never going to get me there with the Republicans. But there are many Republicans who are not Trump Republicans. And they have a good point, that there is that faction of the left that we will call woke who’s gone [off] the deep end.
You’ve talked about how it’s dangerous when we see people on the other side literally as the enemy, that we’re living in a “partisan hell” where trying to convince people to believe what you believe doesn’t work. When you were a kid, the adults never talked politics. It was considered impolite. But these days, when it’s oft-discussed and gets very impolite, how do you think we can tone it down the tribalism and ugliness?
Maher: You’re right. That is a theme I’ve hit many times, that we shouldn’t talk about it all the time. Facebook is the great example of that. Facebook, when it started was not political. It was just about sharing your photographs and talking about who got fat from high school days. It was your high school yearbook come to life. It was humble brags and cat pictures. Then it became arguing with some kid you were in chem lab with about ivermectin or the Supreme Court, or whatever. And this idea that we have to constantly be arguing politics with everybody &#8212; that’s what has to stop. Because when you take the politics out of the discussion &#8212; and this is coming from a person who made his living talking politics &#8212; you find that people are just people, and you can’t hate them. I constantly say it, you can hate Trump. You can’t hate all the people who like him &#8212; it’s half the country. And you can’t set yourself up as some sort of superior moral paragon, because this is your political belief, and somebody else has another one.
</blockquote>
Maher went on to defend Greene after her suspension from Twitter, arguing that if she was going to say something crazy on a public platform, the response should be for other people to call that out.
&#8220;I think the answer to bad speech is more speech. I’m certainly not the first one to say that. You can find that from esteemed people on the Supreme Court over the years, mostly liberals. That is the answer to bad speech. It’s not to stop it,&#8221; Maher explained, going on to note that Twitter&#8217;s early move to shut down the lab leak theory on COVID-19 was a perfect example of speech that should not have been shut down.
&#8220;They, for example, shut down debate on the lab leak theory and had to walk that back, so did Facebook. Now there’s no political dimension to how the virus started,&#8221; he added. &#8220;It is outrageous that they said you can’t even talk about the idea that this virus may have started in a lab. Why? It may have. It was always a possibility. Everyone now agrees that could be the origin of the virus. So just put that up as your lodestar. This is the company that said you can’t even talk about that. That’s dangerous. I don’t want that company making the rules about what we can and can’t hear. If Marjorie Taylor Greene said something nutty, then let people swarm her on Twitter and point out how nutty it is. And let’s let a thousand flowers bloom. But I’m never going to be the one who lines up with censorship, no matter who it is.&#8221;

Bill Maher Performs During New York Comedy Festival

‘It’s Half The Country’: Bill Maher Explains Why He Can’t Get Behind Hating Trump Voters

Bill Maher

Menu