A little help on Code Words, please...

[Norquist Nemesis]

Anyone have a primer on the Christian Code Words that David Kuo has talked about in his interviews? Kuo said that he (with others) re-wrote speeches to insert code words that a select group would understand, but which would go under the radar for the majority of people.

So, last night as I was watching the Arizona Gubernatorial debate on CSPAN, I realize that Con candidate continued referring to "The Family". Napolitano always made reference to "children and families".

Am I making too much of this, or is 'The Family' something of a code word?

[swimboy]

1. I would like to see that list.

It seems to me Family must be a loaded code word, but as it turns out that "comma" was a evangelical code word, the list is probably a long one.

[underpants]

2. The comma comment was one. "Freedom" is another

and the Dred Scott comment (all of these are Bush) was code to the pro-life crowd.

See the Dred Scott case said that slaves were property (later overturned) and any pro-life lit that you see usually refers to how horrible that decision was.....extrapolate this out to the fetus not being property so the mother can't just do whatever she wants with it.

The yurica report is a great place to start looking for the "Freedom" code- it means, to them, property. Wealth and accumulation of wealth is a God given right and a way to honor God (and don't forget to give to the church ;-) ) it is part of the Dominionists mantra.

The comma apparently has some Biblical reference "Every life is not ended as a sentence but as a comma" something like that-there is always a chance for redemption and so forth.

[KittyWampus]

3. Comma is? How did I miss that. Kicked and Recommended

[underpants]

4. Two "articles" on the code-this fascinates me

http://merecomments.typepad.com/merecomments/2006/10/evangelical_cod.html

This is more thorough
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2004/septemberweb-only/9-20-42.0.html

Really? Speaking in code? I could make a comment about being immature but this really fiendish. Evily clever.

When I first heard about the Dred Scott thing I was completely amazed. I just happened to get a pro-life flier stuck on my screen door later that week and sure enough there was a section about Dred Scott.

Oh well they are all going to hell anyway.

[Norquist Nemesis]

6. I'd heard about the Dred Scott/abortion 'logic' but didn't realize

it had been transformed into "Freedom".

It's creepy, really. You have to listen very carefully to the words that these people are using.

Thanks for the sources! :)

[KittyWampus]

15. funny, supposedly Osama & terrorists slip 'code speak' into their videos

as well.

[frogcycle]

5. Looks kind of like the secret messages in Beatles songs...

I'm not saying there ISN'T code, but these articles don't show me much. One says the straining to include the highly-nuanced phrases is why bush sometimes seems unable to express himself clearly. I expect the "comma" comment may well have been meant to at least appeal to those familiar with its use, but I wouldn't call that "code". Nor is plagiarizing MLK - it was obvious to us non-fundies when he did it. The Dred Scot one is believable - it was really wierd when he brought up Dred Scot - a lot of people questioned it, thought is was a non-sequitor. So that one I buy. But the "code message" is not clear - was it "I am your boy when it comes to abortion?". Heck, he'd already said that straight out. Maybe using the "significant words" is just to give reassurance; make them think there is more to the commitment than he is able to say publicly, thus holding them at bay. Is that "code" or just good old propagandistic manipuilation?


To me "speaking in code" would be the attempt to deliver a specific message like "we're going to ban all abortion next Wednesday; be sure to have your dancing shoes on" (ok, that's a joke), not just vague uses of phraseology they might relate to. The "I am" one is a real stretch. It's not like use of those two words to start a sentence is all that uncommon, and even if it was done intentionally, what is the "code"? Are the fundies supposed to replace the "I am" with "God"? How does that tell them something secret?

[Norquist Nemesis]

12. I guess there's 'code' as in something specific as you said

then there's 'code language' which conveys the message. (Hope that makes sense LOL!)

You know...the Poodle Press (wink wink) will talk about the CIA reviewing OBL videos for 'codes' to his followers. Now, not to say Bush is or should be compared to OBL, but the tactics used seem to be similar in communication techniques. :shrug:

[Bozita]

7. Frank Luntz is the GOP guru on all things involving language

[Norquist Nemesis]

11. No doubt that's true for the GOP generally

but, specifically, for the so-called "values voters" as a consituency segment I'm not as certain.

BTW, the "values voters" term is another irksome phrase. Apparently, if I don't walk lock-step with them, my vote has no value and neither do I.

[yellowcanine]

8. "The Family" was a code word for the Corleones in the Godfather

Don't know if that is relevant to this conversation. Might be, as Republican organization and tactics resemble those of Michael Corleone.

[Norquist Nemesis]

13. The mob tactics are the same

I couldn't believe it when I heard Bay Buchanan saying that Kuo was showing disloyalty to the President by writing the book. WTF? What about the country? :banghead:

[Dob Bole]

9. "The Family" is absolutely a "code word"...

This is a mistake that Democrats commonly make in the South, or any place with a large concentration of evangelicals. When some pollster tells them they need to campaign on family values, they'll run some ads about "protecting Georgia's families" or some nonsense. It never works, because "the family" (as in Focus on the Family) means something completely different.

"The family" means preservation of the family unit, not individual famiies. For example, pornography in public libraries can be seen as a threat to the strength of "the family," because it can harm the minds of developing children, or porn addiction can weaken marriages, etc.

Such "code words" are not actually code words. They are just phrases that people who are well-versed in the King James Bible or various hymns or literature would know, and others would not. By quoting phrases from these hymns or literature that are popular among evangelicals, you can cleverly communicate with that group of voters without having to be seen with them.

By the way, I'm an evangelical who voted for Bush when I was 18 in 2000. It took me less than a year to figure out what David Kuo has been saying...that Bush doesn't represent my values, and he's just using gullible people. I've voted Democratic ever since.

[Norquist Nemesis]

10. Thank you for that perspective

Funny you mentioned the Focus on the Family group, because that was the exact group that came to mind.

[liberaldemocrat7]

14. So you previously let the REPUBLIKLAN Party

throw you off the mean spirited Republican economic cheap labor anti safety anti regulation issues by swallowing their below the belt sexual issues. The REPUBLIKLAN Party likes to look under women's panties and into men's jockstraps to get your vote. Finally you saw through this. The REPUBLIKLAN Party appears no more moral than the NAZI Party of 1933.

As for Dobson's organization, I call it Fuck us and our families because he and other fundies really believe in the Ayn Randian philosophy of the REPUBLIKLAN Party and it has fucked many families in America.


The REPUBLICAN Party has destroyed more marriages with their mean spirited economic policies than any number of lesbians who want to marry or any other trumped up issue they trot out at election time.


By the way did you people realize that John Aravosis of America blog worked for the CRANKY REPUBLICAN SENATOR TED STEVENS? I heard that on tv the other day. I don't recall the program right now though. I could have heard it on CSPAN.

[Dob Bole]

16. "You people?"

First of all, it kind of hurts my eyes to read your post, so you might want to organize it into something more coherent.

Second, I think I mentioned I was 18 the first time I voted. The only issue, economic or not, that I cared about my senior year was whether to join the Marines or go to college. My parents are Republicans- this doesn't make any economic sense now, but in 2000 there had been no difference between the economic policies of the DLC and the Republicans for years, and people blamed Clinton, not the Republicans, for NAFTA.