No political slogan in recent memory is as vaporous, meaningless, and divisive as Take Back Our Country. Shouted repeatedly by the Tea Partiers like a battle cry to the Alamo of future Armageddon, regarded as a last chance to save America, and grossly understated, yet overstated, its negative message is what Orwell warned us about in his essay On Politics and the English Language.
Recently, I asked my 12-year old child what he thought of the slogan's internal meaning. He said, "It sounds like they want to get the country back from the president." I honestly believe it is in retaliation for earlier commentary by democratic free thinkers who argue power is unfairly in the favor of elite business, and they dared to proclaim anti-Bush sentiments. Whatever the logic behind this vapid and useless statement, it has caused irreparable harm to our feelings of community, and helped create a negative political atmosphere beyond anything previously experienced. This slogan insinuates that some of us are in possession of something we do not own, the country. Like Palin's little crosshair map, it is incendiary in nature, destructive, and completely negative and erroneous.
In Texas, we are subjected to a Republican battle for a Senate seat. I don't care for either candidate...to me one is just as phony as the other. David Dewhurst, successful businessman, spokesman, rancher, lieutinent governor, is running against lawyer Ted Cruz. Dewhurst must have a huge war chest; we have to look at his message nearly everytime we are in front of a television. He is definitely going to balance the budget, take our country back, and hurl us in reverse to the much better 1950's as soon as he gets full power. The words, "Take Our Country Back" slip from his lips as easily as a wad of snot, and sound equally as obscene.
You can tell he will do what he says he will. Dewhurst always keeps his word, even though he isn't brave like his father--according to his own television testimonial. But, I promise, if someone pressured him to explain his slogan, his response would echo across the top of an empty barrel. He lacks, as well as the TeaParty, no possible logical response. The country is not taken.
Since it is an election year, I encourage everyone to get back into George Orwell. Think about the world, the words used, and the connection between what is realistic, and what is voluminous wisps of vaporous BS. We are Americans, and we have unlimited media resources. We can educate ourselves to recognize the ridiculous. Our country already belongs to us...it hasn't slipped into the grip of something horrible. We have a president that cares, and we have a congress that is only concerned with preserving itself. Remember...1984 by George Orwell. Read his Politics and the English Language before you study this important novel again. It will all make sense... then you will be disgusted too.
