Thread by @yhazony

First I'm not allowed to say "nationalist" because it's a dog whistle.
Then I'm not allowed to say "globalist" because it's a dog whistle.
Now I'm not allowed to say "Anglo-American" because it's a dog whistle.

These are all common terms from political theory, international relations, and intellectual history. What you're saying is that I can't use any of the normal language in my profession.

And it's not as though you understand enough about any of these subjects to even suggest alternative terms I could use in order to think and speak about these things.

You just want me to stop talking the way I talk, and you don't care whether the things I have to say using this language are important in any way. You basically just want me to shut up.

But I will not shut up. I define the terms I use with care. and I mean by these words what I say they mean. If they are a dog whistle to someone else who means something else, I'm sorry to hear that.

But I can't rewrite the books and essays I've written, and revise the terms I use to write and teach, every time someone decides that some nutjobs somewhere are using some of the same terms for evil purposes.

You don't have to read what I write. But if you don't read what I write, then do not tell me what you believe my words mean. The truth is you have no idea what my words mean because your mind is closed to any usage that doesn't fit your cookie-cutter prejudices.

I use my words to say things that I believe are important. If I don't have alternative terms available, then you will just have to live with the fact that I don't use terms the way that you want me to.

You can curse me all you like. You can say I'm complicit in various awful things all you want. But the bottom line is that you're just tinpot tyrants trying to scare everyone into being what you want them to be. I won't play your game. I'll say what I think needs to be said.

And I will use the terms that I think are most illuminating and useful until such time as you can *persuade* me that a better term is available--which will certainly not happen while you are throwing you little tantrums about my word choice.

I wish you the best of luck trying to get along in the world while being so intolerant that you can't handle word-choices that you aren't used to. Seriously. Good luck with that.