More Opinion by The Springboard

American Manufacturing Is About More Than Just Jobs
Bringing back American manufacturing is critical to American society in more ways than just economic ones. In order for America to succeed it needs the ability to make things, not only for the stability and good jobs it provides, but for national security as well.

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

Musk's Discoveries vs. Media Distraction: It's the Language Game at Play Here

Elon Musk is facing criticism in the media for repeatedly using the R-word, which, according to federal guidelines, he should use the term "intellectual disability," as mandated by Rosa's Law, which was signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2010.

It's just more political correctness trying to take over the conversation. On the surface, is calling someone "intellectually disabled" really any different from using the R-word? If I tell someone they lack intellect, that's not really a compliment, is it?

Musk is using the term to describe his findings as DOGE delves deeper into the country's books, uncovering hundreds of billions of dollars in wasteful spending by our government at taxpayer's expense. Isn't it abundantly clear, when you really take a hard look at the growing list of what's being spent on, that the people responsible for the expenditures weren't making the wisest decisions when they deemed any of this as a responsible use of America's money?

What else could it be? People with intellectual disabilities or R-worded people? Essentially, it's describing the same thing, especially when you consider the broader definitions of both terms.

Of course, steering the language, which is what political correctness is really all about, serves to shape, redirect and lead the conversation towards a different narrative. Would the discussion change if Musk used terms like ignorant, stupid, dumb, idiotic or insane?

Perhaps. Perhaps not.

But regardless of what word is used, all of them accurately describe the spending Musk is referring to, including the R-word.

Criticizing Musk's use of the R-word is nothing more than a tactic to divert attention away from his findings and diminish their significance. The desired goal here, and Democrats and the media happen to be experts at this, is to shift the focus from the wasteful spending to Musk's character, thereby undermining his credibility and making his efforts appear more absurd than the wasteful spending DOGE is exposing.

It's not unlike a magician skillfully concealing his sleight of hand, showing you only what he wants you to see.

We've seen this exact same pattern in how the media and the Democrats portray President Trump. By focusing on his words and actions, we avoid discussing the actual impact of his decisions. It's a trick to effectively shift the conversation to a preferred narrative, rather than addressing the real issues underneath.

Ultimately, Musk has a manner of speaking much in the same way that President Trump has. They can be a bit over the top, and sometimes even insensitive. I will grant that. We don't have to like it, and it sometimes might even catch us off guard. But it shouldn't detract from the actual work being done, or in Musk's case, the discoveries being made. 

It's not so much about the words used; it's about the substance behind them that truly matters. And that's what all the hoopla is really about when Musk is criticized for the language he chooses to use—the substance of what's being uncovered.

It's like an old saying. If you can't win the argument, attack the person. They are attacking Elon Musk because they can't win the argument.

What Musk is uncovering is alarming, and that is of course what the Democrats and the media want us to turn our attentions away from. If they can effectively win the language game, maybe we won't see what's really going on behind the curtains.

Like the things I write about or the way I write about them? Follow me on my Facebook page to keep up with the latest writings wherever I may write them.

© 2025 Jim Bauer

No comments: