The Illustrated Tea Party Dictionary
Ever wondered what "Real America" means? Or how precisely Sarah Palin defines communism and fascism? Look no further. Using misspelled Tea Party placards, from this excellent Flickr gallery, we've compiled the first comprehensive dictionary for this new dialect.
Here are 24 key words, and their associated misspelled placards, that are now charged with the fevered, dog-whistling undertones of Fox News and the new right.
Click on the images to enlarge.
(Further suggestions for the Illustrated Tea Party Dictionary are welcomed in the comments or by email.)
ACORN: Is a sinister organization which operates from a network of underground lairs to undermine democracy, and freedom through various nefarious means like getting poor people to vote. They were rightfully revealed as being... nice to very white people who try and trick them by Tea Party hero James O'Keefe.
America, the real America, Americans: this is code for white, conservative people who dwell within 49 of the 50 United States (Hawaii is suspicious), but preferably away from the coasts. Especially the east coast. America, the real America and Americans all love guns and God and hate abortion. Activities such as shooting things are American. Activities such as helping other people to do anything are un-American.
Birth Certificate: This is a code phrase often applied to the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, and is meant to indicate that he is not really American and cannot prove that he is by showing his birth certificate. The phrase continues to be used despite conclusive evidence that the President was born in Hawaii (see America, the real America, Americans).
Border, Borders: The borders define the edges of America, but not of the real America which is a more nebulous concept. It is at these borders that 'illegals' get into America and undermine America by working extraordinarily hard with no help at all from the Government or their neighbors, who all hate them.
Communism: Is used to define any plan or program, usually put in place by the government, that has any aspirations to help the poor. The word 'red' and the phrase 'redistribution of wealth' are also regularly applied. All are meant to imply that the ordinary business of a capitalist government, to provide the things that the free market does not, is sinister and evil. Draws on mythology created in the 1950s and 1960s.
Constitution, Constitutional: The constitution is a document that must be used to define and defend only right-wing actions. Anything liberal or progressive is 'unconstitutional', no matter how desperate the logic used to arrive at this conclusion. Torture, for example, is constitutional though 'cruel and unusual punishment', is specifically forbidden in the document. But the rescue of the financial sector was unconstitutional.
English: The Tea Party does not like immigrants with their filthy foreign ways and their unintelligible gibbering in their filthy foreign tongues. They want everyone to follow their example and echo the peerless use of language that figureheads like Sarah Palin demonstrate.
Fascism: Any decision that does not agree with a right-wing perspective, approved by democratically elected lawmakers in various arms of Government and signed into law by the democratically elected President, is Fascism. Obama is thus Hitler. Both men were apparently known for their moderate views and hosting of seders.
Freedom: Is defined as the rights of any individual to do anything, without government interference, as long as those things do not include falling in love with a member of one's own gender, or deciding to get an abortion.
Government, big Government, takeover by: The Government, like ACORN, is a sinister organization with secret aims to enslave all Americans by providing them with cheap, easy-to-access healthcare, helping students get reasonable loans and many other such disgusting ploys.
Hope: Is a universally bad thing, used to lure people into voting for a communist government that will eventually enslave them.
Kenya: Is a mysterious place where monsters roam, and devilish people plot to put one of their own into the White House and thus take over the world. It is a little like Mordor. But with black people in.
Liar: Anyone who does not completely agree with the Tea Party, and produces "evidence" of their contrary views, is a liar.
Mainstream Media: Like ACORN and the Government, the Mainstream Media is a nefarious cabal who, unbeknownst to most of the nation, meet in smoky dens to deliberately play down conservative ideas and promote liberal ones by using 'journalism' and 'objectivity'. Fox News, Rush Limbaugh and a select few others eschew these tools and are safely above the conspiracy.
Marriage, Sanctity of: Any mention of this phrase is code for 'I don't know what's right, but I know that gay people freak me out and and make me feel funny, and it just ain't right and it shouldn't be allowed'.
Maverick: Anyone who has read Ayn Rand and studiously applies conservative dogma and ideology to any situation by rote, however ludicrous the results in the real world, is a maverick.
ObamaCare: Is the evil tool by which Government, the Mainstream Media and ACORN will take over the country and turn it into a filthy, foreign place like Europe where people have access to medical care even if they cannot afford it and are almost never pushed into abject poverty by the misfortune of getting sick.
Patriotic: Any American, preferably a Real American, who supports all wars, decries all foreigners and attempts to help the poor, even if poor themselves, is patriotic.
Politicians: Are tools of the Government, ACORN and the Mainstream Media. Many of them are in on the conspiracy to take over America, and subjugate the Real America. Some Mavericks like Eric Cantor, Jim DeMint and John Boehner are fighting this conspiracy with the raw power of idiocy.
Plumber, Joe the: Code for any American who works in an average, blue-collar job and earns an average living doing so. Unless that American is swarthy of skin, in which case it does not.
Responsibility: Means spending whatever you like, screwing everyone you can over and refusing to perform even the meanest kindness towards anyone that is not you.
Socialism, Socialized: A sinister political system in which any consideration at all is given to anyone except the wealthiest and most privileged in society.
Taxes: Are an evil system of control used to pay for evil things like police forces, the army, street lighting and roads. Thus tax is a tool to help the Government, ACORN and the Mainstream Media turn America socialist or communist.
Your, You're: A totally arbitrary, communist, socialist, fascist distinction that is used to help hope-mongering, gay, liberal elites without birth certificates, Politicians, the Government, ACORN and the Mainstream Media take wealth, taxes and freedom and responsibility away from mavericks, Joe the Plumber, Patriots, America and the Real America and away to some post-ObamaCare Kenya.