To me, it is political babble-speak that is dangerously wrapped up in a pretty red, white and blue flag, flaunted in the face of idiot bubble heads who think, “Golly, how can a bill with the word ‘Patriot’ be a bad thing? Damn right I am behind it. I don’t even know what it is, but only a commie, pinko, Streisand-lovin’ faggot would vote against it. Count me in!”
What is next? The “Mom And Apple Pie Act”? The “Support Our Troops Amendment?” The “Liberty Bell Nuclear Test Act”?
It is sickening to me in an Orwellian way. It seems to me that the military industrial complex has really gotten it’s double speak and propaganda down to a science, at least in the US.
I think we’re becoming the former Soviet Union. Along with the naming schemes outlined in the thread, I’ve noticed my eyebrows becoming much bushier, and my wife is wearing a scarf on her head a lot.
Seriously though, the names do have an ominous and authoritarian tone to them.
Something more accurate and less jingoistic, maybe? “Domestic Security” or “Domestic Defense” instead of “Homeland Security,” for instance.
And what’s so patriotic about the “Patriot Act”? “Anti-Terrorism Powers Act” describes the same thing but without the flag-waving, though these days calling it the “Unpatriot act” would be more accurate.
I don’t have too much trouble with the name “patriot act”. A lot of what the act is designed to do is make people feel better that the government is doing something to make us safer. So, they gave it a trendy name. Don’t bother me.
My feelings on this may be influenced by the fact that I have yet to hear a single good reason why the Patriot act is bad that hasn’t been easily debunked. But, that’s not for this forum.
I do dislike the “Homeland Security” department. It’s just tacky. “Domestic Security” would be much better. I’m not too up in arms against it, though. We’ve got bigger problems to worry about than tacky names in government.
Ranks right up there with “People’s Republic of (pick a country)”, “The (blah-blah) Liberation (Front, Army, Brigade)”, “Freedom Fighters” (read “terrorists”), etc.
Regrettably, it seems that organizations–or in this case laws and departments–that use these sorts of patriotic-sounding words in their titles are covering up some sort of egregious behavior or philosophy.
The previously mentioned Homeland/Fatherland sound for the first half. No one in America EVER mentioned the word Homeland to refer to their country before this act. And yes, I can speak for the entire country. I have them over for tea twice a month.
And the fact that it does NOT increase security for the second half. America is too big and too free to ever have security. Did not a wise man once say the price of liberty is eternal vigilance? Real Americans choose freedom over security. And yes, I do get to make that decision for everyone else.
I’m another who doesn’t like them. They might not be full-fledgedly Orwellian, but certainly close. I agree with rjung about the title of the Homeland Security…it should be Domestic Defense, or something along those lines.
The fist time I heard of “Homeland Security” I thought it was some kind of security company, like maybe they install buglur alarms, or transport valuable goods in armoured trucks. I’d definitely go with “Domestic Defence” on that one.
The “Patriot Act” bugs the shit out of me. There’s nothing patriotic about giving the government more power. Something like “The Emergency Anti-Terrorism Act” would have been a far more honest name.
I guess that I’m OK with “Homeland Security,” altho’ I’ve never, ever, heard anyone refer to the US as their “homeland.”