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What Does "Homeland" Mean to You?
I was getting my daily dose of NPR this morning when Morning Edition's listener letters segment came on. One comment from Linda Lewis from Branson, Mo., really resonated. She was complaining that when NPR interviewed Homeland Security advisor Frances Townsend about the new National Intelligence Estimate that the interviewer had "bought into" the language of "protecting the homeland."
Ms. Lewis complained: "I wasn’t alive during World War II, but I associate “the homeland” with Nazi propaganda. It’s fascistic and offensive." She prefers "U.S" or "America."
For me, too, the word "homeland" conjures a kind of
antediluvian primitive nationalism
(tribalism) based on blood and soil, not a people united by their
devotion to political ideals like liberty and free speech.
|7.19.07 @ 10:19AM|#
This is what you get when "Defense" no longer has any relationship with the concept of "protection."
|7.19.07 @ 10:20AM|#
Yes, it is primitive. That is what makes it so apt for today's
America.
As I look around, blood and soil seem much more likely comonalities
between me and the rest of my volk, than do any antiquated notions
of free speech as a unique American attribute. After all, I can
speak resonably freely many other places in the world, but only in
America can I participate in an undertaking like the Iraq war.
|7.19.07 @ 10:22AM|#
What Does "Homeland" Mean to You?
"If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a
human face - forever."
-George Orwell
|7.19.07 @ 10:24AM|#
I never understood why they didn't call it the Dept. of Domestic
Security or Interior Security or something. "Homeland" does sound
very Nazi-esque, and completely at odds with American usages.
Probably Cheney's idea.
crap-action-jackson|7.19.07 @ 10:25AM|#
Every time I hear the word used in the current context, I can't
help but think of Nazi Germany. It is such a strong effect it's
difficult for me to imagine the same thought doesn't occur to every
adult saying or hearing it too.
It's such a strong association (isn't t?!?) that I also can't help
but wonder if the term wasn't deliberately chosen specifically
because of that association. Probably wasn't, but what a bad
choice.
|7.19.07 @ 10:25AM|#
"...the word "homeland" conjures a kind of antediluvian
nationalism (tribalism) based on blood and soil, not a people
united by their devotion to political ideals like liberty and free
speech."
It sucks being oppressed doesn't it? Thanks for reminding me.
I was going to write what I really think but remembered I've lost
my right to speak freely. Waaaaaah.
|7.19.07 @ 10:25AM|#
The name'Homeland' scares me.Soon they'll be useing the term 'The Great Patriotic War'.
|7.19.07 @ 10:27AM|#
If we're going to use "Homeland" we should at least use the original Heimatland.
Sean|7.19.07 @ 10:29AM|#
"Patriotism denotes positive and supportive attitudes to a
'fatherland' (Latin patria < Greek patris, πατρίς), by
individuals and groups. The 'fatherland' (or 'motherland') can be a
region or a city, but patriotism usually applies to a nation and/or
a nation-state."
Uh, my parents are from Queens.
Derrick|7.19.07 @ 10:33AM|#
I always wondered why the department was created. Isn't it the job of the Department of Defense to protect the "homeland?" What have they been doing this whole time?
|7.19.07 @ 10:36AM|#
Doesn't "Dept of Homeland Security" translate pretty closely to "Gestapo" or "Stasi?" Literally?
|7.19.07 @ 10:36AM|#
It depends on how you use the word patriotic.Stalin used the term in the war against Nazi Germany.A war he helped start and then used to occupy half of Europe.
|7.19.07 @ 10:38AM|#
This is what you get when "Defense" no longer has any
relationship with the concept of "protection."
Or when "defense" is a euphemism for "war". To me, changing the
name of the War Department to the Department of Defense was a huge
first step towards self-delusion.
War is necessary sometimes, but you have to remember that military
capability can be easily abused. Pretending that your preemptive
expeditionary war, whether justified and necessary or not, is
merely an act of "defense" and not one of "war" is willful
ignorance.
VM|7.19.07 @ 10:42AM|#
jim -
Geheime Staatspolizei = Secret State Police
Stasi might be closer - Staatssicherheitsdienst (Ministerium für
Staatssicherheit - Ministry for State Security)
Heimat, detsijl. Heimat.
The Wine Commonsewer®|7.19.07 @ 10:44AM|#
For me, too, the word "homeland" conjures a kind of
antediluvian nationalism (tribalism) based on blood and
soil.....
I sort of thought that's what THEY wanted you and I to think when
they coined the terminology. Like Linda Lewis, when I hear
Homeland I see Brownshirts. [turns and spits]
Well sometimes I get a visual of that dumpy little town called
Homeland. It's out in the farmland off of Hwy 74 next to Romoland,
which all the kids call Homoland--Homeland, that is, not
Romoland.
sv|7.19.07 @ 10:45AM|#
thanks for saying what has been glaringly obvious but taboo to
say in print for too long. much like almost everything else the
bush administration has done, it seemed at first like a devilishly
clever idea - subtly excluding those like me whose loyalty lies
with the american flag but whose originating culture and blood is
not, as a 1st-generation immigrant in my case, tied to this
soil.
i say 'at first' because they seemed to have gotten away with
propagating a naked symbol of their program of statist
authoritarianism and mild but growing proto-fascism, but now
america is finally noticing all these red flags as the bush
initiatives are revealed to be falling apart or just gravely
misguided.
a step too far in the direction of re-naming the more honestly
titled 'War Department' as the 'Defense Department'. Maybe in the
final desperate year of Bush, we'll get a Ministry of Information
to combat 'liberal media bias.'
Baslim|7.19.07 @ 10:46AM|#
I've been talking about the scaryness of this "Homeland" talk for years with people, and always get looked at like I'm a wacko. After reading this threat its nice to know that I'm not the only person in the to think this way.
VM|7.19.07 @ 10:46AM|#
"I sort of thought that's what THEY wanted you and me to think
when they coined the terminology."
they will train their blue eyed men to be young
believers...
steveintheknow|7.19.07 @ 10:47AM|#
"Homeland" as a qualifier definitely reeks of imperialism. What
else are you supposed to "defend" anyway? Isn't that the
job of, you know, the "military"?
Of course if we must have one, I definitely prefer "Motherland", or
"Holyland", or "Stankonia", its whatever.
Orwell\'s Disappointment|7.19.07 @ 10:48AM|#
If it were called the Department of Domestic Security, critics
would say that such a department's duties are obviously wholly
redundant with the FBI's.
"Homeland" makes you say dumb emo shit about Hitler instead.
The government is smarter than you.
(And "antediluvian" doesn't mean "old in a way I don't like,"
thesaurus boy.)
ed|7.19.07 @ 10:49AM|#
Right...
I propose we forbid the use of "national" and "socialist" as
well.
They make me have scary dreams.
Bhh|7.19.07 @ 10:49AM|#
Like emboldening, homeland is a word I'd never heard used before in my 30+ years of american english. I think Dubs just made it up and they decided to run with it.
|7.19.07 @ 10:49AM|#
Glad to see I'm not the only one who gets creeptastic Nazi vibes from the phrase.
|7.19.07 @ 10:52AM|#
Yup, I thought the same thing when I first heard the phrase and
also wondered how this wasn't the job of the Dept. of
Defense.
But I also remember when Pres. Clinton called the White House, "The
Peoples House". How long before we have the "Peoples Homeland
Security"? I'm guessing sometime in late January of 2009.
|7.19.07 @ 10:52AM|#
It makes me think about the Indians (american variety) who lost their homeland. Not very good at homeland security.
|7.19.07 @ 10:52AM|#
lets call it the Department of Fred or Fred's Department if you like..."feelings, nothing more than feelings..."
|7.19.07 @ 10:54AM|#
Jammer | July 19, 2007, 10:24am | #
I never understood why they didn't call it the Dept. of Domestic Security or Interior Security or something. "Homeland" does sound very Nazi-esque, and completely at odds with American usages.
Probably Cheney's idea.
Mreh Mreh Mreh, Hitler was right, Mreh Mreh
|7.19.07 @ 10:57AM|#
orwell's disapointment,
probably there are functions of the Dept. of Homeland security that
are arguably reudundant with the FBI. Other functions were
previously done by INS.
Others could belong to the FAA etc.
Ever since 9/11 we have used clever rhetoric and bombast and other
demegogary (sp?) to justify spending a few hundred billion dollars
on chasing down some common criminals who had one day of success by
catching us where we weren't looking.
Rather than "war on terror" we could call it "increased security
and vigilance" and rather than "homeland security" we could just
call it "security" or "domestic security."
Then we could take a breath and adress the situation in a serious
minded way, proportionate to the actual danger.
ps. the actual danger is not destruction of the United States.
Instead it is the occasional destruction of a tiny fraction of our
infrastructure combined with far fewer deaths than occur due to
speeding on our nation's roads in any given year.
crap-action-jackson|7.19.07 @ 10:59AM|#
Orwell's Disappointment: "Homeland" makes you say dumb emo
shit about Hitler instead.
Touche
|7.19.07 @ 11:00AM|#
But dis is vuy ve named it ze "HOMELAND". It ez all part ov our overall plan. It... it... MEIN FUREUR! I CAN WALK!
Edward|7.19.07 @ 11:00AM|#
English has many more words derived from Latin (often via French) than other Germanic languages. That "homeland," a perfectly good Germanic word conjurs up visions of Nazi terror, while "domestic," a word derived from Latin is acceptable, is a testament to the extent that Nazi Germany (as opposed to Stalinist Russia) has become the touchstone of evil for the Western world.
|7.19.07 @ 11:02AM|#
what do you expect from an outfit that originally christened our invasion/belligerent occupation of Iraq as "Operation Iraqi Liberation" (O.I.L.)?
The Colonel|7.19.07 @ 11:02AM|#
[aside]
We apologise for Dr. Strangelove's behaviour. He apparently is
still suffering from the Mine Shaft Gap.
[/aside]
But he has become silly. Much too silly.
SPD|7.19.07 @ 11:05AM|#
It's a great term to inspire the easily frightened. "Homeland" =
the land where our homes are. The homes those radical Muslims want
to invade. They will rape our wives and turn our children against
us. The entire continent is like our home, don't you see?
It is collectivist scare tactics at their finest. Bush XLIII may
not be a particularly intelligent man, but his handlers are
God-damned geniuses at keeping the population on edge.
|7.19.07 @ 11:05AM|#
I hate the word Homeland almost as much as I hate that "God Bless America," became our national anthem after 9/11.
|7.19.07 @ 11:06AM|#
If you're a libertarian, is there any term that could be used to name a government security bureaucracy that would not seem scary to you?
|7.19.07 @ 11:07AM|#
Hmm. I heard the same thing this morning on NPR and thought,
"Really?"
It never struck me as anything other than an emotional appeal. I
think of Motherland in a Nazi context, but not homeland. Is my
german blood making me blind to imperialism?
|7.19.07 @ 11:09AM|#
Dan T.
"department of defending our precious property rights against any
and all commers, including the rest of the government"
Its a little wordy, but it would work for me.
Bhh|7.19.07 @ 11:09AM|#
That's another annoying thing although it started in the
80s.
Instead of Operation Torch or Operation Overlord we get Operation
Infinite Freedom or Operation Flawless Freedom Plan or Operation
Enduring Permanant Global Peoples Freedom Revolution.
SPD|7.19.07 @ 11:11AM|#
Why not just "Department of Counter-Terrorism" or something less touchy-feely? The current name is paternalistic in nature, as if to imply, "We'll keep you safe from the bad, bad men. Just relax and remain quiet and unassuming. We're going to have to borrow some of your civil liberties so we can -- no no, it's OK! It's OK, we'll give them back later, we promise, shhhhh...."
Tym|7.19.07 @ 11:15AM|#
I cannot stand zee name "Homeland" because it zounds zoh much
like zee "Fatherland". Most people I know vee think it zounds like
Nazism but I guess the goverment haz vays of making you vlike
it.
No offense to anyone I am part German.
|7.19.07 @ 11:21AM|#
Glad to see I'm not the only one who gets creeptastic Nazi
vibes from the phrase.
You can put me in that same hopper.
|7.19.07 @ 11:26AM|#
Orwell's D: I love thesauruses (thesauri)! In any case, the
first definition of antediluvian obviously refers to the mythical
period before Noah's Flood. The second definition is below:
2. very old, old-fashioned, or out of date; antiquated; primitive:
antediluvian ideas.
On second thought, primitive would have been a better
choice.
|7.19.07 @ 11:28AM|#
Ron,
Snarky comments don't have time to consult dictionaries! That's
pre-911 thinking!
Edward|7.19.07 @ 11:31AM|#
If you saw a biker with a hammer and scikle insignia on his helmet, you would probably think he was some idiot lefty caught in a time warp. If you saw the same biker with a swastika on his helmet, you would probably consider him a dangerous white-power creep who vandalizes synagogues and beats up gays. The word "homeland" is wearing the swastika.
|7.19.07 @ 11:36AM|#
You know guys, Mr. Bailey has fulfilled Godwin's Law with his initial blog post - why are we continuing to comment?
|7.19.07 @ 11:41AM|#
The word "patriotic" is based on what they're trying to do with homeland, 2,000 years from now, perhaps english speaking peoples will refer to the patriotic among them as "homelandistic".
|7.19.07 @ 11:41AM|#
NPR listeners always get their panties in a bunch over sill
crap. "This sounds like something some fascist might have done" is
about as legitimate a complaint as "Mike Chertoff's looking at me
wrong."
Grow up.
The Wine Commonsewer®|7.19.07 @ 11:42AM|#
they will train their blue eyed men to be young
believers...
well, not all of them. Besides, blue eyed people and Siamese cats
came from the 12th Planet to colonize earth and to exploit the
riches of the race of man called Adam who called their home Eden.
Their legacy, is, well, us. :-)
Adam wasn't good at Homeland Security either.
Minion of URKOBOLD|7.19.07 @ 11:45AM|#
WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO HIDE, ABDUL?
PERHAPS YOU ARE NOT WEARING ANY PANTIES?????
HIER YOU CAN
PURCHASE SOME.
|7.19.07 @ 11:49AM|#
"NPR listeners always get their panties in a bunch over sill
crap. 'This sounds like something some fascist might have done' is
about as legitimate a complaint as 'Mike Chertoff's looking at me
wrong.'"
Interesting you refer to Chertoff, who apparently is
looking at you wrong, at least if his gut is any indicator. The
Dep't of Homeland Security is probably a bad name, but I think
we're used to absolute bullshit coming from gov't types these
days.
|7.19.07 @ 11:51AM|#
Edward: I asked "Why aren't Nazi swastikas and Communist hammers and sickles equally offensive?" back in '03.
|7.19.07 @ 11:54AM|#
"This sounds like something some fascist might have done"
is how I characterize any government activity. Sometimes I put
"commie" in the place of "fascist" to alleviate the monotony.
|7.19.07 @ 11:55AM|#
For all of us who are offended at the admin's attempt to
manipulate us with paternalistic fear-mongering nationalistic
language, there are millions who bought it hook line and
sinker.
And then you have traditionally liberal media outlets like NPR
attempting to appease these saps (who don't even listen to NPR
because they consider it boring and elitist) by accepting and using
the language of our great leaders and giving right-leaning
interviewees a disproportionate amount of air time, which they
validate by treating stupid money-grubbing authors like profound
thinkers.
The Wine Commonsewer®|7.19.07 @ 11:55AM|#
Abdul, you have a point. Obviously referring to Bushitler as a
Nazi is ridiculous.
However, Homeland Security is a stupid name for a redundancy that
was invented (IMO) so that the government could appear to be doing
something productive about the terrorist threat.
The name does have a Nazi feel about it as do the Border Patrol
checkpoints on US soil that are miles from the border on all the
major and not-so-major highways and byways of the great
southwest.
The iconography is very clear in my mind. Sure, you may get waved
right through but the very real threat that you will be waved to
the search lane and asked for your papers pleeeeze is a
bit chilling.
Personally, I'm way more offended by the Border Patrol checkpoints
than the name of an inept and inane Department of Homeland
Security.
Maybe it's because the checkpoints are concrete and the traffic is
stopped and US Officers peer into your vehicle and sometimes
questions are asked, all of which happens without probable cause
and without a warrant. Now THAT pisses me off. Mrs TWC keeps the
mantra going all the way to the front of the line shut up, keep
you big mouth shut, do not say anything to these guys, just calm
down, shut up.....
And it's nothing new, didn't originate with Herr Bush, it's been
going on for decades but nobody noticed until recently.
It almost like most of us seem to think that NSA appeared out of
thin air on September 12, 2001. Well, not exactly.
[takes a big breath]
|7.19.07 @ 12:10PM|#
You know guys, Mr. Bailey has fulfilled Godwin's Law with his initial blog post - why are we continuing to comment?
T-Nad-
Purely to make you ask questions like that.
Tym|7.19.07 @ 12:28PM|#
Tym,
You haff relatives in Germany, ja?
Not that I know, my German relatives came to the US in like the
1820's. In fact my German great grandfather fought on the US side
in WWI.
I do have known relatives in Sweden though.
SPD|7.19.07 @ 12:37PM|#
I do have known relatives in Sweden though.
Are they hot?
You know what, I'm just going to stop asking questions now. Sorry,
everyone!
|7.19.07 @ 12:49PM|#
While we're at it, we ought to stop referring to a "Patriot" act. Same thing, a name that makes you sound antipatriotic if you try to criticize it. Call it by it's true acronym, "U.S.A.P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act". Really. Say each letter.
|7.19.07 @ 12:55PM|#
Remember the 2000 census. All those question people were
complaining about, and the government reassured us that it would
not be used by law enforcement. Guess who holds that information
now?
The creation of DHS gave the government the ability to gather
information across most important agencies that might have
previously needed a warrant. The Bush admin philosophy is spying =
security. More domestic security = more domestic spying.
|7.19.07 @ 12:58PM|#
I once had a blog called "Motherland of the Doomed"
....
perhaps not germane....
|7.19.07 @ 1:11PM|#
When they announce the creation of the Ministry of Love, I'm moving to South America; great skiing in the Andes, and less pretense on the part of the juntas.
|7.19.07 @ 1:25PM|#
It is precisely being "grown up," which makes us savvy to the
government's use of certain words in its effort to direct public
opinion. Words matter. And their use in public debate creates
boundaries for our thinking.
Here's an idea, though-- ok, maybe it's not as dramatic as throwing
all the tea overboard-- let's just stop using the words. In this
magazine, at the coffee shop, in all our day-to-day conversations,
refuse to use the words "homeland," "war on terror," "Iraqi
freedom," etc. Don't do it. Make it obvious. (The word,
"so-called," is a great lead in.) Maybe it'll catch on.
As has already been pointed out, the so-called department of
homeland security itself was never much more than a bunch of of
fluff to make it appear that the government is doing something.
Post 9/11 high level policy discussion: "We must convince the
people [read that, sheep, ignorant masses, or similar] that we're
taking action, that we're on top of this. I know, let's rearrange
the bureacracy, consolidating and streamlining for better
coordination and communication." Sound familar? This is not an
uncommon approach in any political plan to "fix" government.
Kaa|7.19.07 @ 1:29PM|#
I read somewhere on the net an excellent description of the
difficulties the German journalists had with trying to translate
Department of Homeland Security into German. Most straightforward
translations sounded to almost all people like the name came
directly out of Goebbels' mouth. But I lost the link... anyone has
any pointers?
Kaa
|7.19.07 @ 1:36PM|#
It is precisely being "grown up," which makes us savvy to
the government's use of certain words in its effort to direct
public opinion. Words matter. And their use in public debate
creates boundaries for our thinking.
Here's an idea, though-- ok, maybe it's not as dramatic as throwing
all the tea overboard-- let's just stop using the words. In this
magazine, at the coffee shop, in all our day-to-day conversations,
refuse to use the words "homeland," "war on terror," "Iraqi
freedom," etc. Don't do it. Make it obvious. (The word,
"so-called," is a great lead in.) Maybe it'll catch on.
Only if Reason agrees to change its name to The
Journal of Selfishness Rationalization
VM|7.19.07 @ 1:43PM|#
Kå:
not as far as this moose remembers. "Heimatschutzministerium" is
the word, at any rate.
DanT: we'll rename the magazine "DEMAND KURV!!!"
|7.19.07 @ 1:43PM|#
O Fatherland!
I was the lucky gal who got to sing that one in front of hundreds
of people... I even saluted. Every mention of the DHS cues my
Cabaret memories and it makes me sick.
This is the first thread I've ever seen Godwin'd before it
began.
Bee|7.19.07 @ 1:45PM|#
I'm with you, TWC. I loathe the border crossing "theater".
You're a frigging hour from the border, for god's sake. It snarls
traffic, and is a none-too-subtle reminder of Who's Boss Around
Here.
Ron's post makes me feel a little less isolated. I'd always thought
"Homeland" sounded kinda Nazi-ish, but other people I mentioned
that to just fixed me with blank, puzzled stares. I figured it was
just me that was disturbed by the name. I am glad I am not the only
one who got the willies from the word "Homeland".
|7.19.07 @ 1:45PM|#
I couldn't agree more. "Homeland" has always rubbed me the wrong way. Just another slab of fear-mongering and propoganda Bush has thrown at the drooling American people to swallow.
|7.19.07 @ 1:47PM|#
Homeland Security is a stupid name for a redundancy that was
invented (IMO) so that the government could appear to be doing
something productive about the terrorist threat.
Stupid grandiose names for government projects is low on the list
of problems with the government that we should worry about. Soybean
subsidies are a bigger problem.
No offense to you liberals out there, but you're way too obsessed
with appearances. Stop crying about what a thing is sounds
like and start doing something about what it does.
And by doing something, I don't mean making a giant puppet out of
paper mache or forming a peace sign out of naked fat chicks on a
beach.
By the way, real Stasi agents laugh at the Dept of Homeland
Security.
REAL STASI AGENT|7.19.07 @ 1:51PM|#
ACTUALLY WE LAUGH AT ABDUL.
JA JA. LAUGH.
SNICKER.
CHORTLE, EVEN!
|7.19.07 @ 1:56PM|#
BTW, the difference between "Homeland" and "Fatherland" is that
your home is where you live, whereas your Father is someone who
spawned you and thus has authority over you.
So yeah, the terms both end in "land" but beyond that any
resemblence to the Third Reich beyond that is somewhat
hyperbolic.
|7.19.07 @ 1:56PM|#
I've got to start previewing these comments, sorry for the redundant "beyond that'.
|7.19.07 @ 2:02PM|#
Lawdy, Vm, more death by kitten cuteness? I can't take much more
o' this!
Anyway, the sick feeling came from singing such a pretty little
melody while heil hitlering. Just raising my arm that way gave me
the willies.
Besides which, I tried out for Sally Bowles... I didn't want to be
Freulein Kost!
It's been 15 years, I'm over it.
almost
Y'alright, Dan T.? You seem to be having some trouble with your
trolling today. *feels Dan T.'s forehead*
|7.19.07 @ 2:22PM|#
I like that one! What the hell is that white thing, anyway? Is it an evil hamster?
|7.19.07 @ 2:35PM|#
I for one, have been referring to DHS as the Heimatssicherheitsamt ever since it was created. It just seemed appropriate.
|7.19.07 @ 2:38PM|#
Do you mean Mr. Stephen Crane, or am I being ignernt.
I'm petite, which means many things are over my head.
Fluffy|7.19.07 @ 2:55PM|#
Dan, give it a rest. No one is directly analogizing the US to
Nazi Germany here.
We're merely pointing out that the people who came up with the name
for the DHS are tone-deaf, and they're a particular variety of
tone-deaf: they're apparently unaware when they stumble onto names
and slogans with a fascistic ring to them. If they had designed
uniforms for DHS personnel with twin lightning bolts on them, it
wouldn't have proven that Bush or anyone else is an actual Nazi. It
would merely have proven that they were dumbasses whose sense of
patriotic aptness leads them down some old familiar paths
aesthetically.
Everyone is chiming in about it because the term apparently rang in
a lot of ears the same way. It's important to keep in mind, of
course, that we aren't the target audience here. The target
audience was supposed to think "Department of Homeland Security"
was a cool-sounding name. Since a good part of that target audience
apparently doesn't puke a little when they hear the Republicans
talk about Jesus, maybe they actually DO think it's a cool
name.
|7.19.07 @ 3:16PM|#
Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to
all other countries because you were born in it.
George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950)
|7.19.07 @ 3:21PM|#
VM,
Ah hah. I see.
I'd like a grape nehi, please.
Fluffy,
puke a little when they hear the Republicans talk about
Jesus
Heh. Yep, that sounds about right :)
The Owner\'s Manual|7.19.07 @ 3:21PM|#
Homeland/country reflects two mindsets.
It's the difference between the national anthem and America the
Beautiful, between flying the national ensign and tying a yellow
ribbon, between fighting for what you have and inheriting it.
It's the dichotomy of those who earn their country and those who
take it for granted.
The Wine Commonsewer®|7.19.07 @ 3:25PM|#
I don't mean making a giant puppet out of paper mache or
forming a peace sign out of naked fat chicks on a beach.
Abdul wins the thread! LOL
|7.19.07 @ 3:26PM|#
That squirrel [VM 2:15] needs a tattoo and a pack of Pall Malls
rolled up in the sleeve of his t-shirt.
"When I lose your comment, it stays lost. Got it?"
The Wine Commonsewer®|7.19.07 @ 3:29PM|#
My cats would dispatch that ugly squirrel on the gate post
haste.
Heimatssicherheitsamt
Won't work for me, I can barely pronounce mid-size American English
words that are spelled correctly.
|7.19.07 @ 3:30PM|#
God-damn, but I hate that fucking word. And I think Fluffy is right - this administration and its minions sometimes make astoundingly bad choices in symbolism, not because they're fascists in embryo (although some are) but because they're morons. People with any common sense would have blown Abu Ghraib into orbit with C4 and replaced it with a memorial, for example, instead of handing it over to the military and intelligence services to house enemies of the state.
The Wine Commonsewer®|7.19.07 @ 3:34PM|#
Bee, thanks. The worst BP checkpoint bonehead move was when the one in Temecula (Rainbow) on I-15 had a five hour wait on New Years Eve three or four years ago. Traffic was backed up half way to San Diego. I believe that it was literally backed up for 20 miles.
The Wine Commonsewer®|7.19.07 @ 3:36PM|#
People with any common sense would have blown Abu Ghraib
into orbit with C4 and replaced it with a memorial, for example,
instead of handing it over to the military and intelligence
services to house enemies of the state.
Well said.
Edward|7.19.07 @ 3:38PM|#
Ron,
Thanks for the link to the previous discussion. I think communist
symbols are less offensive than Nazi symbols because however much
communists have to answer for--and they have a lot to answer for--
some communists were always involved in what most people would
consider just causes. Nazis never were.
Fluffy|7.19.07 @ 3:43PM|#
Oh, since I forgot to say it in my post above:
Leaving aside the fascist image associations for a moment, we also
have to address the fact that "Department of Homeland Security" =
"Freedom Fries".
There are two types of people in the world: Those who heard the
term "freedom fries" and laughed AT it, and those who heard the
term "freedom fries" and laughed WITH it. The people who laughed
WITH it probably think "Department of Homeland Security" is a real
tough, serious sounding name. You know: dumbasses.
Jennifer|7.19.07 @ 4:41PM|#
Did a quick Google search of the Hit and Run archives (and mine
wasn't the only comment in this vein):
Jennifer | August 24, 2004, 5:51am | #
I was surprised by the choice of the word "homeland" because that's
the term used by the white-supremacist right-wing militias out
West. Does anybody remember the old Mad TV parody "Homeland
Improvement?"
Still, I guess it's better than 'blood and soil.'
|7.19.07 @ 6:47PM|#
I am going to start calling the U.S.A.P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act the "Us
A Pat Riot Act"...
It has a nice ring to it!
Us? A pat riot? Act!
Terry Michael|7.19.07 @ 7:54PM|#
My reaction to "homeland" is visceral. My right arm pops up, parallel to the ground. My mouth starts emitting these words: "Homeland, homeland, uber alles." What kind of lunatic came up with "Dept. of Homeland Security?" Obviously, one of the many geniuses who currently govern our country and have no sense of the history of that word's association with Nazi genocide. Be thankful there are only 550 days left of the Bush Barbarians.
Mike Laursen|7.19.07 @ 8:05PM|#
Apparently, the name was proposed by someone on the Hart-Rudman Commission. Anybody have more details?
|7.19.07 @ 8:25PM|#
It gives me comfort that I am not alone in my dislike for the use of 'Homeland'. I was not, however, surprised by Bush's choice of the term.
|7.19.07 @ 11:12PM|#
I never understood why they didn't call it the Dept. of
Domestic Security or Interior Security or something. "Homeland"
does sound very Nazi-esque, and completely at odds with American
usages.
How about "the Committee for State Security"?
Gets away from the Nazi thing completely.
|7.19.07 @ 11:13PM|#
My reaction to "homeland" is visceral. My right arm pops up,
parallel to the ground. My mouth starts emitting these words:
"Homeland, homeland, uber alles."
Mein too!
|7.20.07 @ 8:41AM|#
The redundancy with the Defense Dept., is because "Defense" is
the softer name for what was the War Dept. Homeland Security covers
most government agencies that are involved with blocking attcks on
the domestic front that are not military functions.
Yes, this mishmash department was created so that the white house
and congress could say they were doing something about the
organzational problems in the security and intelligence agencies
that at least looked productive. Also, Homeland Security was a
bipartisan effort, if memory serves the Dems (who had the nominal
majority in Senate) were pushing hard for its creation. As well as
making airport security screeners federal employees under Homeland
Security's auspices (I believe Daschle said "You cannot
professionalize if you do not federalize").
|7.20.07 @ 10:15AM|#
When I first heard "Axis of Evil" I thought of Lex Luthor, John Bly, Darth Vader, and Magneto gathered around a table in the Legion of Doom's fortress.
Mike Laursen|7.20.07 @ 11:09AM|#
Looks like the Heritage Foundation started using the phrase "Homeland Security" long before any government agency had that name.
ed|7.20.07 @ 2:51PM|#
I'll break up the party by noting that few Americans outside this little circle jerk are terribly concerned with or frightened by the term Homeland Security. We may as well fret over the word "Service" in Internal Revenue Service.
|7.23.07 @ 11:52AM|#
And so, by comparison, "Homeworld" should bring to mind the
"Imperial Death March"? Does "Self-defence" = "Zenophobia", too? I
guees one cannot be concerned with protecting himself and his
family without being a racist or biggot... even on Reason.
However, I think the USAPATRIOT Act is a POS and the function of
Homeland Security is redundant and a money pit.
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