Allison Skinner’s article in The Conversation about the slippery slope of using dehumanizing language to describe other human beings is worth talking about.
As of late, politics has crossed many lines. I typically refrain from commenting on the issues, per se. I draw the line at the language we use to discuss issues and characterize our fellow citizens. In the case of Roseanne Barr, her characterization of a government servant, meaning one employed by the government at their own free will toward the greater good of all, is simply irresponsible.
Humans justify and reconcile acting out against or unfair treatment of another by chipping away at the humanness of the other. Indeed, conflict finds it footing in the language and mental positioning of others. If the other is small, they rationalize that they do not deserve respect. Slave owners, prison wardens, police officers and dictators justify poor treatment of slaves (“they are animals”), suspects (“they potentially harmed society”), convicts (“it’s proven they harmed society”) and citizenry (“they are too dim to know what makes a good society”) in the name of power and control. Each achieves their objectives by minimizing the level of respect and civility owed to others. Look no further than a psychopathic killer who typically starts with animals and slowly progresses to killing humans.
It is a significant responsibility for those with social access to increasingly more eyes and ears to choose words carefully and to be deeply thoughtful as to the level of respect they offer other human beings. Choose your words responsibly–civilized society depends on them.