No denying words have meaning. No denying we can assign meaning. For example: Cool (low temp, not receptive to someone or something, good, OK, or chill (as in temp or laid back person). Black (color, person, opposite of white) or dark (as some might express soul, spirit, mood or demeanor). Hip (body part, something to be replaced when its worn out, – aware of, or to make aware/inform). Ratchet (tool, excite or incite, acting trashy or “ghetto”). Ghetto (poor area, unrefined person, loud and angry).
I saw a group of young people online and a 16 year old said just hearing the word “woke” made her feel old. Another teen said the word felt like a weapon used against her because someone said, “I’m not woke enough to use your chosen pronoun.” She was right. The word is used as a weapon. I am old and the current use of “woke” is making me feel older. Please stop making me feel older than I am.
I “woke” up in elementary school when what you call imagined and invisible injustices first reared their ugly heads. I didn’t want to be awake but my parents and society said I had to go to school. White kids called me nasty names and some teachers taught as if I was unworthy of learning. I’ve been awake every since. Now you want me to believe I was just dreaming.
I wasn’t. And I don’t want you to feel you need to hide behind the word. Let “woke” go. Stop trying to define it. Say exactly what you want to say. Free speech, American birthright, blah, blah, blah.
For example instead of railing against woke culture say:
Colonization was good for America. I hate niggers, immigrants and LGBTQIA. I don’t believe women should be in control of their own bodies. America’s history should be erased or at least “white washed” to my liking. Let’s exclude all perceived injustices against indigenous people, people of color, disabled populations, references to Japanese internment camps, slavery, Chinese railroad workers, faggots. Let’s ignore death marches, eugenics, genocide, etc.—anything that I don’t want us to remember. I will never admit that privilege, racism, bigotry, hatred or injustice exists because I don’t want to. Let me say “woke” makes my white child feel bad and accept what I’m saying. Don’t question me. Don’t share your opinion. Your opinion is irrelevant because you are not white. Only my race, my class, my people should have rights. I’m the only real American. I don’t want you to vote, kneel, pray or speak. I’d be happy if America was just white and straight. I mean really, really white….however I define white. If only we could return to the Shangri-La of Antebellum.
Won’t you feel better if you say what you mean? You may even feel empowered. Maybe you’ll get the race war you’ve been itching for. And this place will then take care of itself as many great empires have. Russia, China, Iran, they won’t have to lift a finger or fire a single missile because “A house divided cannot stand.” Maybe that’s the direction we were meant to take.
Enjoy the journey.