Words like "birther"
April 25, 2011 2:22 PM Subscribe
Is there a canonical list of words like "birther" and "truther"?
I know about:
Birther = Someone who thinks Barack Obama was not born in the US (see also "birther-curious" for people who make equivocal comments on the subject)
Truther = someone who thinks 9/11 was an inside job, or that Bush or the CIA knew about it
Tenther = someone who thinks federal health and welfare legislation is unconstitutional on states-rights grounds
Today Salon.com has a post denouncing "Trig Truthers" who believe Sarah Palin's youngest son is actually Bristol's.
What else has entered the national lexicon?
I know about:
Birther = Someone who thinks Barack Obama was not born in the US (see also "birther-curious" for people who make equivocal comments on the subject)
Truther = someone who thinks 9/11 was an inside job, or that Bush or the CIA knew about it
Tenther = someone who thinks federal health and welfare legislation is unconstitutional on states-rights grounds
Today Salon.com has a post denouncing "Trig Truthers" who believe Sarah Palin's youngest son is actually Bristol's.
What else has entered the national lexicon?
Anti-vaxxer (sometimes also called the Mercury Militia)
Flat-Earther
I can't think of any cutesy names for AIDS denialists or climate change skeptics, but I have a feeling they exist. And of course there's Tea Baggers, or at least that's what they first chose until someone told them what teabagging meant.
posted by Rhomboid at 3:03 PM on April 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
Flat-Earther
I can't think of any cutesy names for AIDS denialists or climate change skeptics, but I have a feeling they exist. And of course there's Tea Baggers, or at least that's what they first chose until someone told them what teabagging meant.
posted by Rhomboid at 3:03 PM on April 25, 2011 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Is there a canonical list of words like "birther" and "truther"?
While I think I know what you mean, I don't think you're going to get this question answered. The literal answer is somewhere between, "Yes, the dictionary" and "no — but this thread will stand in for such a list if you stick around long enough."
For people of a particular, irreverent, progressive, sarcastic bent, there is the Balloon-Juice Lexicon, which is more a reflection of the jargon of a blogging community loosely focused on contemporary U.S. politics. Nobody, at Balloon-Juice or anywhere else, is going to tell you that lexicon is canonical for anything other than the question "is this term in the lexicon?"
Enjoy.
posted by gauche at 3:03 PM on April 25, 2011 [3 favorites]
While I think I know what you mean, I don't think you're going to get this question answered. The literal answer is somewhere between, "Yes, the dictionary" and "no — but this thread will stand in for such a list if you stick around long enough."
For people of a particular, irreverent, progressive, sarcastic bent, there is the Balloon-Juice Lexicon, which is more a reflection of the jargon of a blogging community loosely focused on contemporary U.S. politics. Nobody, at Balloon-Juice or anywhere else, is going to tell you that lexicon is canonical for anything other than the question "is this term in the lexicon?"
Enjoy.
posted by gauche at 3:03 PM on April 25, 2011 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Here's a semi-tongue-in-cheek post from Adam Serwer on the various flavors of Birtherism, although I wouldn't say these are well known at all: A Birtherism Lexicon.
posted by ofthestrait at 3:28 PM on April 25, 2011
posted by ofthestrait at 3:28 PM on April 25, 2011
Regressive = basically the opposite of progressive with the obvious double entendre that they want to turn back the clock to an imaginary time when things were simpler.
posted by JJ86 at 4:31 PM on April 25, 2011
posted by JJ86 at 4:31 PM on April 25, 2011
Dumocrat
Rethuglican
Sheeple
Commie (an old one)
Feminazi
Christer
McCarthyite
Does anyone else really hate this stuff? I usually stop reading when one of these words is used, even if I agreed with the author up to that point. I just can't take the person seriously anymore.
posted by JohntheContrarian at 4:48 PM on April 25, 2011 [3 favorites]
Rethuglican
Sheeple
Commie (an old one)
Feminazi
Christer
McCarthyite
Does anyone else really hate this stuff? I usually stop reading when one of these words is used, even if I agreed with the author up to that point. I just can't take the person seriously anymore.
posted by JohntheContrarian at 4:48 PM on April 25, 2011 [3 favorites]
Fighty.
posted by at the crossroads at 4:48 PM on April 25, 2011
posted by at the crossroads at 4:48 PM on April 25, 2011
I would define "birther" as someone who's "pro-life" but against welfare, public healthcare, etc. This was the definition pre-Obama.
But I think the answer to your question is Urban Dictionary.
posted by anaelith at 5:04 PM on April 25, 2011
But I think the answer to your question is Urban Dictionary.
posted by anaelith at 5:04 PM on April 25, 2011
I'm partial to Teahadist.
posted by Twicketface at 10:01 AM on April 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Twicketface at 10:01 AM on April 26, 2011 [2 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by gauche at 2:51 PM on April 25, 2011