(Is it only me? Democrat, Democratic, I could care less what I am called)

[Bluebear]

Yes, I know, it's DemocratIC party. Fine.

So, what is lost if someone calls it the Democrat Party? Potato, patatoh, I'm a Democrat, I know it, I know what I stand for, and I could care less what some monkey President or his bloodthirsty followers calls my party, THEY do not get to define me.

That is all :)

[Captain Hilts]

1. It's a perjorative intended to irritate and insult.. nt

[Bluebear]

4. I don't choose to let this particular irritation bother me.

My but they are a juvenile lot.

[Captain Hilts]

43. But it DOES have meaning. When Prez Bush in SOTU referred to the Democrat Party...

it was a clue that he really had no interest in working with the Congress.

[bdamomma]

52. it is totally disrespectful, but * does not care.

[cynatnite]

2. I do prefer them to get it right...

but I don't lose sleep when they get it wrong. I do think some repukes say it just so they can get a dig in and then say 'oops, I did it again'.

[GainesT1958]

3. They know it ticks us off when they say "Democrat Party"...

I'd start calling them "Republics" in a heartbeat...except for the fact that "Repugnant" is so much more appropriate!:D

B-)

[UTUSN]

5. Yeah, it's just you. We have to fight on ALL fronts. That's what THEY are doing n/t

[kentuck]

6. Same difference between chicken shit and chicken salad...

just a little difference....no big deal... :sarcasm:

[Hippo_Tron]

7. The problem is that it's an intentional slur started by Joe McCarthy

I usually don't care about language that much, but it's not a matter of the GOP not caring what they call us, it's a matter of them turning our party name into a slur.

The history behind the term is that opponents of the Democratic Party use the term Democrat Party to imply that the Democratic party is not democratic "lowercase d" and also to emphasize the "rat" sound at th end of the word.

Language is, unfortunately, important. Liberal is considered a bad word because they decided to make it a bad word. The only reason that even close to 50% of Americans oppose the estate tax is because the Republicans call it the "Death Tax".

[ruggerson]

8. Yes, it's only you

well, not true entirely, I"m sure there are others as thick skinned as you :)

But the INTENT is what counts, and they are INTENDING to disparage us by use of the word.

It's similar to religious rightwingers who use "homosexual" (always drawled out) as a pejorative and never, ever use the word gay or lesbian. It's meant as an insult.

[pampango]

48. No it is not just Blubear.

Them calling us the "Democrat" party and us being irritated by it is so "inside the Beltway." Those of us who are policy wonks or politics wonks (if that is a term) can be upset by these slights, just as the Republicans are probably upset by some slights that we send their way.

Most Americans could not care less about this, because there are so many important issues. It is natural for a progressive message board to fixate on something like this, just as I imagine the freepers fixate on whatever we do that irritates them. Let us save some energy for the real battles ahead (while the freepers, I hope, spend all of their time and energy fighting their perceived slights.)

[Democrats_win]

9. Better Democrat than what Bush is: NAZI.

[klook]

10. Nope, it's not just you.

I admit, "Democrat Party" rankled me at first, but now I see it for what it is -- a petty, 8th-grade-mentality variety of name calling. It's useful as a sort of verbal weathervane. If you hear somebody say that, you know they're a puerile right-winger. Sean Hannity, for example.

I like Nora Ephron's tongue-in-cheek take on it on The Colbert Report: something to the effect that the Republicans are saving us all several minutes a year by leaving off the "-ic."

[illinoisprogressive]

11. I feel the same. It is meant to get reaction and I don't want to react

[TankLV]

18. We know you would...

But WE still don't believe it applies to YOU...

[gratuitous]

12. In a way, you're right

But it's a place to push back, an easy win, and shows up the little mealy-mouths for the pissy little fuckers they are. Bush actually had to "clarify" his own use of it in the State of the Whatever speech, and I think we all know how much the Decider likes to be the Clarifier, which is not at all.

[EFerrari]

13. De mo cra tic -- that's 4 syllables.

Aren't you being a tad unreasonable? :)

[Caution]

14. It doesn't bother me in the least.

I think the overreaction to this supposed insult is the thing that gives those who use it the biggest kick.

[Cleita]

15. I believe Rush Limbaugh started it and it caught on with the right

wing punditry. Robert Novak took special delight in using in on the old Crossfire show. It's definitely intended as an insult to Democrats.

[TankLV]

16. You're damn right it's just you! It's DAMN important what WE'RE called.

WE will never surrender that right, no matter what the vichy dems say...

[Bluebear]

22. Well I beg to differ, reading upthread. Sorry, just doesn't make me go ballistic nt

[The Wielding Truth]

17. I hope that they won't mind being the Republi-con Party. Easy fix.

[uppityperson]

19. me too.

[patrice]

20. Pick your battles.

Yes it's stupid, childish, and rude to call anyone some name other than the one that they have indicated that they prefer. But letting them know that it bugs you gives them what they want and fighting about everything spreads resources too thin to be successful on the things that matter. I think it is better to "play your hand closer to your chest".

[NEOhiodemocrat]

21. Sure doesn't bother me

Look at my name here! I am proud to be a liberal democrat. No one had better ever insinuate that I am a republican, now that would make me mad.

[cmd]

30. It's a regional thing in OH, isn't it?

Welcome to DU from Tuscarawas County. :hi:

[cmd]

23. Hey, the awning over our HQ says Democrat Party

Who am I to complain. When my children were little they bugged each other by name calling. Instead of getting mad, I taught them to say, "That doesn't bother me. You'll have to think of
something else." Well, Democrat Party doesn't bother me. They'll have to think of something else.

P.S.
They are only doing it to get your goat. Don't let them have it.

[Bluebear]

25. 'They are only doing it to get your goat. Don't let them have it.'

Exactly. nt

[Nutmegger]

24. For the same reason "liberal" is a dirty word.

That's what the pukes are doing.

[mntleo2]

26. They Want People To Hear DemocRAT

...in other words they want people to hear RAT subliminally and correlate that to Dems as actually being "rats", this is why it bothers many people. By using this pronunciation McCarthy was trying to make us out to be ~ rats, turncoats, low life, garbagge eating, self-serving and dirty.

My 2 cents
Cat In Seattle

[Bluebear]

27. I have heard the word "Democrat" for 40 years and never heard "rat"

Let alone turncoat, low life, garbage eating, self-serving or dirty.

[mntleo2]

49. Me Neither But ...

...I remember the era and I can tell you the times were rife with that imagery ~ we used the term rat and sometimes "rat fink" which was considered the lowest of low ~ a "fink" being a union strikebreaker, a stool pigeon, a labor spy, not a good thing to be called in the '50s and 60's. We even used it in the affectionate but derogative "Rat Pack" with Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, etc., movie stars who were Hollywood troublemakers and by including a minority in their drinking/carousing group were still referred to as a group of "rats". In that time, being called a rat was being called a baaaaad name. Rat is now a "nice" way to call someone a bad person, but I remember the era where that might get your ass kicked if you called someone that to their face. As you can tell, times change and nowadays calling someone a union breaker or labor spy would not even make the radar, but there WAS a time when that was something to be ashamed about and to combine "fink" with "rat" ~ well...

Also I heard it on Thom Hartmann, and being from that time and knowing what the name meant especially in that time, and knowing the McCarthy era, I believe it, lol.

Cat In Seattle

[Toucano]

28. It's incorrect.

You are a Democrat (noun) and you are a member of the Democratic (adjective) party.
John McCain is a Republican (noun) and he is a member of the Republican (adjective) party.

They can't understand the Republican (noun) and Republican (adjective) look and sound the same while Democrat (noun) and Democratic (adjective) look and sound different.



Their effort to use the noun in place of the adjective is simply incorrect.



These sentences are correct because of the capitalization:

The Republican party had a very democratic meeting on Wednesday when they elected the new officers of their organization and voted on a venue for the convention.

The Democratic party had a very democratic meeting on Wednesday when the elected the new officers of their organization and voted on a venue for the convention.

The Democratic party supports republican ideas because they do no like monarchs.

Richard Nixon, a member of the Republican party, favored democratic art of the French impressionists.

[Bluebear]

29. I realize all of the above.

It just doesn't pop my blood vessels like it does to some! I'm sorry I mentioned it, now actually :hi:

[Toucano]

31. Oh, don't be sorry.

It's an interesting development. Because they have chosen to do it NOW, and not 50 years ago.

It's just bad grammar. It's not worth anyone popping a blood vessel over.

:hi:

[ruggerson]

34. Don't be sorry

you have every right to NOT be offended by whatever you want. You have a questioning, keen mind. That's why you're Democratic voter and not a Republic one. :)

[Bluebear]

36. =)

And frankly, a Republic voter is much too easily transformed into repubic.

[lectrobyte]

32. They've already turned the word "liberal" into a slur, why let them

control the language without a fight?

[Glorfindel]

33. I'm sorry but it matters a lot - think of referring to Israel as the "Jew" state

instead of the "Jewish" state and SURELY you'll see the difference and that it does matter. Or the "Christ" religion instead of the "Christian" religion. Let them get away with one filthy slur and they'll never, ever stop.

[Bluebear]

35. How would "Christ religion" be a filthy slur?

It would be wrong, it would not be grammatically correct, but what is so "filthy" about that? What is "filthy" about being called the Democrat party?

I mean, carry on, most agree with you. It's just not on my top ten hit parade I guess.

[Edweird]

37. I'm with you BlueBear

Things aren't going well for monkeydick and heart condition and they are about to get much worse. All they have is "democrat"! So what. The manure is impacting the ventilation system right before our very eyes. Hopefully he'll be able to repeat it over and over to his prison guards for many years!

[Bluebear]

38. And welcome to DU, Ed nt

[Edweird]

39. Thank you for the welcome.

[napi21]

40. I guess it bothers some as much as it would bother the Pugs is

the Prez & the Media called the other side Repugs.

It doesn't really bother me, unless it's said by someone who isintentionally trying to ridiculeand aggrivate. THEN it's not really what they saybut how they say it.

[mondo joe]

41. It doesn't bother me any more than any poor grammar. Rather less, in fact.

:shrug:

[Captain Hilts]

44. If your name was William, and you liked to be called 'William', but people called you

'Will' even after you said, "excuse me, but I prefer to be called 'William'," you wouldn't be angry?

It's just rude.

[mondo joe]

45. I don't think it's worth being angry over. Especially if someone is just doing it to get

your goat.

[Spurt]

42. Me too.

I don't have time for such small matters. Nor for Edwards house, Rices shoes, what the twins are up to, or even the 2008 race (yet).

This weeks issues for me are...
- Libby trial
- congressional hearings
- senate min wage
- stopping Iraq
- honest elections.
No room for much else. These matters will consume almost all the available time I have this week.

BTW Iraq & elections are the 2 most important and are on my list every week.

[Rowdyboy]

46. It is a deliberate slur and it pisses me off to no end.....

We all have our sore spots.

Personally, I like to call out the sick, rightwing bastards when they try in their childish ways to denigrate me. I enjoy the high I get from the smackdown. The fact that you don't simply says you have a more mature attitude than I and I congratulate you for that.

I'm still gonna go off on the assholes when they call us the "Democrat party" though.

[applegrove]

47. There was a time when the word Liberal had great meaning. GOP

used that word with bad intonation for a decade and now we hardly use it anymore. We have to fight for our language. Unfortunately the GOP tries to steal words and meaning.

[Evergreen Emerald]

50. Language is power. They are attempting to re-name us.

and they have honed their use/misuse/ of language to a high art. Newt gingrich and frank luntz know the power of controlling the language.

You who turn your noses up about and try to ignore it must understand that it will not go away. A subtle, subliminal injury is being perpetrated, AND ALLOWED TO SINK INTO THE PUBLIC PSYCHE. Extremely silky and subtle, and look how it's working on the people who poo-poo it.

Another subconscious seed-planting strategy on the part of the enemy. It's allowed to take root, fester, and feed into a larger PERCEPTION of reality. Slowly but surely it arms, emboldens, and strengthens the enemy, and softens up the ground that they can then roll over with far more ease. That's how you engineer a take over. First, you soften up the turf. Then it's easier to move in for the kill. That's how you impact public opinion. First, you demonize the opposition. Slowly, surely, subtly, so nobody even feels it when you're slicing and dicing. They don't feel it til they're on the ground, having nearly bled to death.

That's why the word "liberal" is now befouled. They did a number on it, too. That's why newt wrote a book recommending words and phrases - the good and positive and favorable ones to use for all things republi-CON/conservative/reactionary, and bad, negative, and unfavorable ones for all things Democratic/liberal/progressive.

And newt had lots of copies of those books printed for distribution to his "GOPAC" machine of slash-n-burn politics. It's real. It's quite serious. It's mind control. And it's effective. And we better damned well be blowing the whistle about it, and turning the tables, using it to OUR advantage for a change. That's why I ALWAYS refer to the GOP as "republi-CONS" ('cause all they offer is a CON-job).

(I cannot take credit for this post, another poster on another thread a few days ago posted this, and it was so compelling that I copied it for you).

[deutsey]

51. Why let the fascists define you?

What's in a word? I know, I know, but I'd rather find the language to define myself than to allow others to use intentionally insulting distortions to define me.

[bigtree]

53. Most Democrats seem to care

and that's enough for me to care.

[WI_DEM]

54. It's just courtesy to call the party by it's correct name, but when I hear one of them

say "Democrat Party" I don't get too out of wack about it. I call them worse.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

55. Most people couldn't give a damn

It's used by some on the right, and taken by some on the left, as an insult, but most people couldn't give a damn either way.

If for some reason it appears that the phrase "Democrat party" will result in the Democrats winning fewer votes, I'd start to care. Given that I see no prospect of that happening, I think just rising above it is clearly the best response.