Don’t use the language of the left. It just emboldens them and makes us lose: “Today, on the political left, we’re making up new norms all the time: calling people “Latinx,” announcing our pronouns, capitalizing ‘Black.’ “
A year or two ago, none of us had ever heard of “deadnaming.” Today it’s the digital equivalent of pissing on someone’s grave. You can already see which norms are in the process of cohering today, in real time: erasing any metaphorical references to physical or mental disabilities (“lame,” “crazy,” etc.) from our vocabularies; acknowledging “stolen lands” before every meeting; recognizing people’s declared mental disorders as identity markers conferring upon them special accommodations and sympathies; narrowing our definition of consent to sex to exclude adults who are significantly younger than their partners, or who are employed in a less powerful position within the same industry, or who belong to an identity category purportedly lower on the power continuum.
Every time someone is compelled to apologize for violating such a norm, that norm is soldered more firmly into the structure of our collective consciousness as an accepted part of the new moral order. A year ago, almost nobody capitalized “black” in reference to “Black people.” Today, it’s part of the style guide of most major news outlets. In a year, you’ll probably be called a racist if you don’t do it in your personal communications. Each one of those steps was and will be accompanied by countless call-outs and apologies.
…The path we’re tumbling down is slippery and steep, and we’ve already picked up momentum. There’s only one way to break our fall. Fortunately, it’s easy and straightforward: Stop apologizing.
-Leighton Woodhouse (Magic Words. Stop apologizing)
The Left’s main weapon is redefining our common language and, as Woodhouse observes, adding new words that only they know. They then gaslight you into believing that you’re already supposed to both know what they are and have agreed to their definitions and usage.
Don’t let them make you look like a jerk – push back.
Appropriate responses to demands to apologize can be “Go pound sand” and the ever-delightful “Up Yours.” Quick, simple to remember, and a sense of satisfaction when you see their faces as you say either.
(H/T: Leighton Woodhouse via Instapundit)