Can we dump the word “Homeland?”

[Cyrano]

"The Dept. of Homeland Security." It’s just sounds so … I don’t know. Fill in your own description.

But to me, it seems … it feels … it creates the impression of … oh crap, I'll just say it. It sounds Nazi.

Yeah, I know. They used the term “Fatherland,” but the similarity is just too striking.

I know I’m not the only one who feels this way. And the fact that Bush/Cheney named a government agency “Homeland whatever” just adds to my discomfort level.

So what do you think? Am I a paranoid nut? Or do you too find this word, applied to one of our government agencies, inappropriate or offensive?

[Taverner]

1. Germany is the Fatherland, Russia the Motherland - I never wanted to be the Homeland

I could be talked into Kookooland however...

[JuniperLea]

2. It always made me think of the USSR for some reason...

I'm not quite sure why.

[Terry in Austin]

3. Yup, pretty darned offensive -nt

[11cents]

4. Yeah. Seems derived from German "Heimat"

And not in a good way.

"Department of Homeland Security " was apparently concocted by some advisory committee formed before 9/11 whose recommendations would have been ignored if 9/11 hadn't taken place. I remember lots of comments about how foreign and not-right "homeland" sounded then.

[Sanity Claws]

13. That's what I thought too

The word really reminded of Nazi Germany

[tularetom]

5. Nein - Sie sind verrückt?

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

6. It sounds fascist to me and gives me the creeps. Obama uses it too.

[FiveGoodMen]

9. Me too!

:puke:

[The Straight Story]

7. A bit of trivia from the 90's re: Clinton and the term Homeland

It was proposed to him at one point and he did not like the term. It was not used again until bush came in to power.

Would take some digging through the archives but if I find the original reference I will post it later.

[Hydra]

8. I've never liked the term

But it's all about framing the issue, isn't it? "Fight em there so we don't have to fight em here" also comes to mind.

They frame it like that to sell ideas we'd never buy otherwise.

[bemildred]

10. Please.

You just knew they were going to fuck everything up when they trotted that out.

[sam sarrha]

11. i sorta prefer..."Fatherland"

[Cyrano]

12. "Fatherland." It's just so damned Aryan.

[sam sarrha]

26. corporate control of government is Fascism, use their terms..Ayan has nothing to do with it,

the Persians are the Aryans..
http://www.iranchamber.com/history/articles/aryan_movement.php

[katandmoon]

14. K&R Have always thought it sounded very chauvinistic.

[rcrush]

15. Can we dump the whole damn department?

[Paper Roses]

16. I don't like it either. If they need a title, how about the Department of

National Security.

[Libertas1776]

20. Interesting...but then what

the hell is the point of the NSA? Seriously, why do we have a National Security Agency and a Dept of Homeland Security? I mean, isn't the NSA just an extension of the CIA? God, I'm so tired of watching this slow progression towards 1984esq corporate fascist abomination. Just combine them all into the Altria Department of Central National Homeland Intelligence Security (a subsidiary of PepsiCo.) and be done with it. :sarcasm:

[wickerwoman]

21. Ditto. We're a nation, not a "homeland".

I don't want to be manipulated into feeling about my nation the same sentimentality I feel about mom, dad, the dog, football and apple pie.

The nation is something that should be critiqued and improved, not dribbled over after a few too many beers.

[Obamanaut]

17. There are other countries that refer to their native land as 'fatherland',

some use 'motherland', and many even use 'homeland.' It isn't all that strange.

On edit, how about we stop using 'faux outrage' - it is after all, false. And 'uber rich.' Some words sound strange to some, others not so much.

[lunatica]

18. I hated it from the moment I heard it for the same reason

It doesn't sound like something Americans say.

I also hate 'First Responders'. It reminds me that Bush liked to pronounce his 's' as 'sh', especially when drunk. Firsht Reshponders.

[aikoaiko]

19. I like the word homeland in reference to the US, but I am concerned about the acitivities of the DHS

[provis99]

22. sure they can use Homeland, as long as they use the proper form "Heimat".

we should also attach "Blut und Boden" to the Departmental name just to give it that Reich touch.

[KittyWampus]

23. First you admit the Nazis used the word Fatherland then you have no alternative

sorry, but this thread and the recommendations for it are a good example of stupid on the Left.

[Cyrano]

25. Sorry, but could you be more specific as to your opinion of

"stupid on the left."

This is not an attack on your opinion. It is only a question. I really don't understand what it is you're implying. "Stupid on the left" are words that I get. Why do you believe this to be so?

And please don't expect that you will be "attacked" for your response. I really would like to understand your point of view.

[David Zephyr]

24. Dump the word "homeland" and the department that has the name, too.

You are not a paranoid nut.

Read the archives here at the DU when this shitty term and the idiotic department of "Homeland Defense" was first being drummed up by Joe Lieberman and Dianne Feinstein before Bush warmed to it. I was among many who saw the parallel with "fatherland" back then, too.

It's offensive to this very patriotic American.