What should a name mean-What should a political party mean-What weight should a label have?

[kpete]

Symbol and Essence: The Power of Naming
Posted February 13, 2008 in

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In this time in America, language and labels are used no less than they were in my youth. People call themselves (and others) Straight or Gay or Short or Skinny or Republican or Democrat or Conservative or Progressive...and none of that really means much to me, in and of itself. After all, I've seen straight people cross straight lines. And in thinking about it, I've seen no difference between a Gay and a Straight person, or at least no difference you could rely upon remaining constant and mutually exclusive. I've seen people who call themselves "Fat" appear quite normal to me, or even rather thin. I've also heard people use "Fat" as "Ugly," and found those same people beautiful. I've seen Beautiful people as ugly as one could dare imagine. And many of these names cannot even exist without a comparison, one which is nearly always unspoken.



I've met "Progressive" people who reasoned with undeniably retrogressive mindsets.I've known Republicans who were repulsive to me, and I've also known Republicans who were deep human beings with soulful eyes and huge hearts. I've seen Democrats beat their wives and I've seen Democrats give up food for another person who was hungry. I've known Convicted Felons who were trustworthy, and I've known people with perfect credit histories and grades who would be a risky proposition and major threat if trusted in the wrong ways. I've heard mass murder called Freedom and secret surveillance hailed under the banner of Liberty.



These days we address the migration of many people into this nation we call the United States of America. I've known these people to be called Aliens and Illegals, and I've known them to be called Papá or mi hermana! or "my husband." I've seen self-named Patriots align with self-named Klansmen, and I've watched as mothers working long hours under horrible conditions were labeled Vermin and Invader. The names cycle and repeat and reappear. Like those children who make obscene and degrading rhymes of your name, but now with a more sinister tenor and consequence.



And so it is we also pit ourselves against so much of the world today, and too often our own leaders attempt to enlist our blind allegiance, our collective hatred, or our will to harm by using labels of their own devising. With nothing more than the repetition of those labels and what they believe the value to exist therein.



What should a name mean to me? What should a political party mean to me? What weight should a label have?

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