1. A rallying cry for people who think the United States has been "taken over" by anti-American socialists, foreigners, liberals, Marxists, minorities, etc.
The phrase is typically used by white male conservatives who oppose any type of change they perceive as a "threat" to their "way of life." Instead of providing a specific plan for improving the country or the government, they imply that the nation has been "kidnapped" by evil people who hate America and want to destroy freedom.
Unanswered questions: A) Who is "we"? B) Where do "we" want to take the country back to?
2. A phrase that implies our current government is somehow "illegitimate" despite the election of November 2008 when a majority of Americans voted for Obama and the current Congress.
The phrase is typically used by white male conservatives who oppose any type of change they perceive as a "threat" to their "way of life." Instead of providing a specific plan for improving the country or the government, they imply that the nation has been "kidnapped" by evil people who hate America and want to destroy freedom.
Unanswered questions: A) Who is "we"? B) Where do "we" want to take the country back to?
2. A phrase that implies our current government is somehow "illegitimate" despite the election of November 2008 when a majority of Americans voted for Obama and the current Congress.
ED: "We've got to take back our country. Otherwise those people in Washington will force our children to become Communist Muslim freedom-hating slaves of Obama. The rest of us will be forced to live in secret FEMA concentration camps. Just you wait and see!"
CINDY: "You've been watching Fox News again, haven't you?"
CINDY: "You've been watching Fox News again, haven't you?"
by Peter Kobs July 06, 2010
Get the Take back our countrymug. 1. An imaginary economic system that will magically replace millions of jobs lost to outsourcing, downsizing and low-wage overseas competition.
2. A feel-good term used by politicians to distract attention from their own immense policy failures.
3. Something that's always "just around the corner" if we only "do the right things."
2. A feel-good term used by politicians to distract attention from their own immense policy failures.
3. Something that's always "just around the corner" if we only "do the right things."
Michigan's governor said we must prepare for the New Economy by turning 400,000 unemployed auto workers into video game programmers and pastry chefs. That's the ticket!
by Peter Kobs May 03, 2010
Get the New Economymug. 1. Television that encourages viewers to hate, despise and fear "the enemy." George Orwell predicted the rise of Hate TV in his novel "1984." Usually found on the cable channels, Hate TV is the fastest-growing type of pseudo-news. Key characteristics include:
- Scapegoating (blaming a small group for the problems of all)
- Fear-mongering (raising the specter of impending tyranny)
- Simplistic thinking (condensing complex issues into a few hate-filled slogans)
- Truthiness (presenting rumors as established fact)
- Repetition (to give lies the ring of truth)
- Stereotyping (along racial, ethnic or religious lines)
- Assault Interviewing (attacking guests who disagree with the party line)
- Pandering (filling a studio with partisan crowds who will cheer or boo on cue)
- Thematic Aggregation ("packaging" a variety of fears, prejudices and hot-button issues under a common theme)
- Code Words (using substitutes for common racial slurs, insults, etc.)
- Multi-Media Marketing (combining TV with publishing, radio, websites, etc. to reinforce the core message)
- Narrowing (redefining the boundaries of "acceptable belief" to ostracize moderates)
- Movement Hype (promoting a specific group of people as the only "true" Americans)
- Event Manipulation (exaggerating the size, impact or diversity of a protest or political rally)
Hate TV inevitably leads to greater political polarization, up to and including acts of violence against the perceived "enemy."
- Scapegoating (blaming a small group for the problems of all)
- Fear-mongering (raising the specter of impending tyranny)
- Simplistic thinking (condensing complex issues into a few hate-filled slogans)
- Truthiness (presenting rumors as established fact)
- Repetition (to give lies the ring of truth)
- Stereotyping (along racial, ethnic or religious lines)
- Assault Interviewing (attacking guests who disagree with the party line)
- Pandering (filling a studio with partisan crowds who will cheer or boo on cue)
- Thematic Aggregation ("packaging" a variety of fears, prejudices and hot-button issues under a common theme)
- Code Words (using substitutes for common racial slurs, insults, etc.)
- Multi-Media Marketing (combining TV with publishing, radio, websites, etc. to reinforce the core message)
- Narrowing (redefining the boundaries of "acceptable belief" to ostracize moderates)
- Movement Hype (promoting a specific group of people as the only "true" Americans)
- Event Manipulation (exaggerating the size, impact or diversity of a protest or political rally)
Hate TV inevitably leads to greater political polarization, up to and including acts of violence against the perceived "enemy."
"Did you hear about that guy who crashed is plane into the IRS building in Austin, Texas?"
"Yeah, he killed two people, including a father who served in Vietnam."
"Well, Hate TV is saying he was a patriot and should be congratulated for standing up to the government."
"Scary stuff...What's next -- public lynchings in prime time?"
"Yeah, he killed two people, including a father who served in Vietnam."
"Well, Hate TV is saying he was a patriot and should be congratulated for standing up to the government."
"Scary stuff...What's next -- public lynchings in prime time?"
by Peter Kobs April 09, 2010
Get the Hate TVmug. 1. An idealized town, hamlet or village built solely for propaganda purposes -- usually by a totalitarian or autocratic government.
The most famous example is Kijŏng-dong ("Peace Village"), a mostly uninhabited village located in North Korea just beyond the demilitarized zone. It was built in the 1950s to encourage South Koreans to defect to North Korea. (Fat chance.) Officially, Kijŏng-dong is a 200-family collective farming town with all the amenities. In reality, it is used to house DPRK soldiers who patrol the DMZ. The world's tallest flagpole stands nearby.
2. A Propaganda Village is a real-life version of a "Potemkin Village." According to myth, Russian ministry Grigory Potyomkin tried to impress Empress Catherine II in 1787 during her visit to Crimea by building fake peasant buildings (facades only) along her travel route. Historians now believe this was a rumor drummed up by Potyomkin's enemies. What he really did was get local peasants to spruce up their homes in advance of the monarch's visit.
The most famous example is Kijŏng-dong ("Peace Village"), a mostly uninhabited village located in North Korea just beyond the demilitarized zone. It was built in the 1950s to encourage South Koreans to defect to North Korea. (Fat chance.) Officially, Kijŏng-dong is a 200-family collective farming town with all the amenities. In reality, it is used to house DPRK soldiers who patrol the DMZ. The world's tallest flagpole stands nearby.
2. A Propaganda Village is a real-life version of a "Potemkin Village." According to myth, Russian ministry Grigory Potyomkin tried to impress Empress Catherine II in 1787 during her visit to Crimea by building fake peasant buildings (facades only) along her travel route. Historians now believe this was a rumor drummed up by Potyomkin's enemies. What he really did was get local peasants to spruce up their homes in advance of the monarch's visit.
by Peter Kobs June 10, 2010
Get the Propaganda Villagemug. 1. A scenic route around Michigan's Upper Peninsula, which is also known as the "U.P." or "Yoop." Motorcyclists are especially fond of this semi-wilderness experience.
2. An alternative route from Wisconsin to lower Michigan. Instead of slogging through the heavy traffic of metro Chicago, adventurous drivers can take the "Yoop Loop" over the top of Lake Michigan and then across the Mackinac Bridge to lower Michigan. Longer, yes, but way more beautiful.
3. A generic term for any trip that takes the traveler through Michigan's Upper Peninsula en route to somewhere else -- one of the great undiscovered pleasures of the North Country.
2. An alternative route from Wisconsin to lower Michigan. Instead of slogging through the heavy traffic of metro Chicago, adventurous drivers can take the "Yoop Loop" over the top of Lake Michigan and then across the Mackinac Bridge to lower Michigan. Longer, yes, but way more beautiful.
3. A generic term for any trip that takes the traveler through Michigan's Upper Peninsula en route to somewhere else -- one of the great undiscovered pleasures of the North Country.
"Don't drive through that traffic mess in Chicago. Let's take the Yoop Loop instead."
"What if our car breaks down and we're attacked by bears?"
"It's better than being attacked by gang bangers on the Dan Ryan Expressway!"
"What if our car breaks down and we're attacked by bears?"
"It's better than being attacked by gang bangers on the Dan Ryan Expressway!"
by Peter Kobs September 09, 2009
Get the Yoop Loopmug. 1. The belief that you should reject anything proposed by another political party or group, no matter what it is or how it might benefit others.
2. A kneejerk reaction to anything that isn't "ideologically pure."
3. The attitude that you can honestly reject an idea even if you don't what it is -- or that you can reject a proposal without even reading it -- simply based on its origin.
2. A kneejerk reaction to anything that isn't "ideologically pure."
3. The attitude that you can honestly reject an idea even if you don't what it is -- or that you can reject a proposal without even reading it -- simply based on its origin.
Melvin is a perfect example of Rejectionism. He condemned the latest health care plan before it was even released -- in fact, before it was even written.
by Peter Kobs August 04, 2009
Get the Rejectionismmug. Someone who makes money by stealing books from the local public library, then reselling them online, after removing the security tags and identifying marks.
by Peter Kobs February 08, 2009
Get the Book Crookmug.