# Not this dumb metaphor again **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 14, 2016, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-this-dumb-metaphor-again/759936 "2016-07-14T23:27:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2016, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-this-dumb-metaphor-again/759936/1 "2016-07-14T23:27:11Z")
I pit the press guy for Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) for using one of the dumbest metaphors and reminding us why all the violent metaphors we use can backfire. The title of one of his news releases: > [@](#): > > [After Orlando Tragedy, Maloney Introduces LGBT PRIDE Act to **Combat Violence,** Suicide in LGBT Community](http://seanmaloney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/after-orlando-tragedy-maloney-introduces-lgbt-pride-act-to-combat) You’re gonna “combat violence.” Brilliant! ---
**Author:** ![TipTapTwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/34f0e0/32.png) [@TipTapTwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TipTapTwo)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-this-dumb-metaphor-again/759936/2 "2016-07-15T04:49:32Z")
We shouldn’t fight fire with fire? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-this-dumb-metaphor-again/759936/3 "2016-07-15T11:47:22Z")
Tit for tat? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-this-dumb-metaphor-again/759936/4 "2016-07-15T11:58:57Z")
You got a what on the what, now? ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-this-dumb-metaphor-again/759936/5 "2016-07-15T12:05:22Z")
It’s a war on violence. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-this-dumb-metaphor-again/759936/6 "2016-07-15T12:07:30Z")
> [@TipTapTwo](#): > > We shouldn’t fight fire with fire? We should fight _everything_ with fire. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-this-dumb-metaphor-again/759936/7 "2016-07-15T12:26:27Z")
lance armstrong, noted progressive, concern trolling progressives again. Huzzah! ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-this-dumb-metaphor-again/759936/8 "2016-07-15T12:37:20Z")
When it has made the dictionary as one of the meanings, it is no longer a metaphor. And if you were really upset enough about it to Pit someone over it, I would question your sanity. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-this-dumb-metaphor-again/759936/9 "2016-07-15T12:41:58Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > When it has made the dictionary as one of the meanings, it is no longer a metaphor. > > And if you were really upset enough about it to Pit someone over it, I would question your sanity. But it could backfire! It already has! Look at this thread, I’m sure the press guy for Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) must be feeling the burn of this thread! ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-this-dumb-metaphor-again/759936/10 "2016-07-15T12:53:36Z")
maybe “lance armstrong” is a metaphor, which makes the title make sense. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-this-dumb-metaphor-again/759936/11 "2016-07-15T13:46:45Z")
\*\*combat \*\* verb com·bat \kəm-ˈbat, ˈkäm-ˌ\ : to try to stop (something) from happening or getting worse : to struggle against; especially : to strive to reduce or eliminate \<_combat_ pollution\> : take action to reduce, destroy, or prevent (something undesirable). “an effort to \*combat \*drug trafficking” It’s not even a metaphor, let alone a dumb one. But yes, something or someone is very dumb here. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-this-dumb-metaphor-again/759936/12 "2016-07-15T16:06:14Z")
I hate hate, just hate it. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-this-dumb-metaphor-again/759936/13 "2016-07-15T16:25:03Z")
So errant definition of “metaphor” aside, why did “Combat Violence” trip the OP’s trigger especially? Would it have worked better as “Oppose Violence” or “Combat Aggression” or “Quit Being so Mean”? ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-this-dumb-metaphor-again/759936/14 "2016-07-15T16:29:49Z")
We need to: Fight for peace disallow intolerance, Despise hatred Categorically reject all generalities. Silence the censors and speak out against propaganda. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-this-dumb-metaphor-again/759936/15 "2016-07-15T16:33:26Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > We need to: > Fight for peace > disallow intolerance, > Despise hatred > Categorically reject all generalities. > Silence the censors > and speak out against propaganda. And avoid cliche’s like the plague. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-this-dumb-metaphor-again/759936/16 "2016-07-15T16:41:24Z")
> [@naita](#): > > Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) must be feeling the burn of this thread! Maybe he’s feeling the Bern. > [@Lumpy](#): > > And avoid cliche’s like the plague. And excess apostrophes. ---
**Author:** ![Zyanthia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Zyanthia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyanthia)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-this-dumb-metaphor-again/759936/17 "2016-07-15T16:42:41Z")
Wait, I thought real men spoke cliche. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-this-dumb-metaphor-again/759936/18 "2016-07-15T16:45:15Z")
No, real men don’t eat quiche. Close, though. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-this-dumb-metaphor-again/759936/19 "2016-07-15T17:56:06Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > lance armstrong, noted progressive, concern trolling progressives again. Huzzah! The utter stupidity of this comment aside, my comments have nothing to do with Maloney’s political beliefs. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2016, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-this-dumb-metaphor-again/759936/20 "2016-07-15T17:57:42Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > When it has made the dictionary as one of the meanings, it is no longer a metaphor. But it shouldn’t be in the dictionary though. Do you think “literally” should mean “not literally” too? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-this-dumb-metaphor-again/759936.md?page=2)