Words matter, actions matter more

Democrats should expend less energy fixating on the ‘right words’ and focus on actions that realize the ambitions of what they say

Words matter, good stories matter more and actions matter most. That’s simple political math that Democrats too often ignore by fixating on words rather than acting on their words.

I’m a Democrat. I’ve always been a Democrat. I served two Democratic members of Congress and ran for Congress as a Democrat. I love the diversity of words in the English language and make my living turning words into stories. However, my greatest satisfaction as a professional is seeing an idea blossom into a reality. The quality of the idea and the story that supports it often contribute to its success.

Using words sensitively is important. The goal of inclusion is valid. We should respect how people self-identify. But overthinking “right word” choices can be counterproductive in a divisive, vengeful political environment. In a recent New York Times column, Nicholas Kristof included a quote worth noting, “Liberals going overboard to create definitions…actually exacerbates divisions rather than accomplishing something useful.”

The prime example Kristof cited is “Latinx”, a gender-neutral reference to Spanish-speaking people. Personally, I appreciate the word and use it. But Kristof quotes New York Democratic Congressman Ritchie Torres, who identifies as Afro-Latino, as saying “Latinx isn’t pejorative, just irrelevant”. Noting Pew Research found only 3 percent of Latinos refer to themselves as ‘Latinx’, Torres chalked up its use to “the agenda-setting power of white leftists rather than the actual preferences of working-class Latinos.”

Proving the point, the first action by newly elected Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders was to tweak ‘white leftists’ like me by issuing an executive order banning the use of ‘Latinx’ in official documents.

Fixation over the “right words” is easily caricatured, especially by right-wing culture warriors who use it as ammunition to stoke fear, rage and hate aimed at the people using the words as well as the people those words reference.

Stories are harder to turn into one-liners. Actions are harder to refute. Kristof made the same point: “Much of this [linguistic] effort seems performative rather than substantive. Instead of a spur to action, it seems like a substitute for it. How about worrying less about jargon and more about zoning and other evidence-based policies that actually get people into housing?”

He added, “As for my friends who are homeless, what they yearn for isn’t to be called houseless; they want housing.” Inclusion as a verbal construct is different than inclusion on the ground.

In addition to supplying bullets for the culture war, word concoctions such as ‘people with uteruses’ as a substitute for ‘women’ bewilder and alienate millions of people, including wavering supporters. “They offend those already suspicious of people who act and sound like elitists,” Kristof says. Clumsy attempts at “correctness” become an alarm bell for people who view themselves as forgotten and discarded. Alienation swamps good intentions. The words become punchlines in conservative tweets – and in small town cafes.

Joe Biden has a history of mangling words and sentences. But he has a North Star of communicating to average Americans in plain words, illustrated by personal and poignant storytelling. His skill at reaching a broader audience was on display this week in his State of the Union address.

It was not an accident that Biden emphasized actions. He told relatable stories about significant successes his administration has achieved and described the fruits of bipartisan collaboration. Republicans may have heckled and jeered, but their savvy leaders surely understood – and may have even admired – the tone and impact of Biden’s plainspoken remarks, punctuated by “We’ve been sent here to finish the job.”

Arkansas Gov. Sanders, who gave the GOP rebuttal following Biden’s address, focused on his age and the difference between “normal and crazy people”. Biden’s speech didn’t betray an aging perspective and the heckles and jeers might have said more about who is normal and who is crazy than her words.

I agree with Kristof’s conclusion. “Our linguistic contortions, however well-meant, aren’t actually addressing our country’s desperate inequities or achieving progressive dreams, but rather create fuel for right-wing leaders aiming to take the country in the opposite direction.”

The simple act of Biden opening up more government jobs to Americans without college degrees speaks louder than words.

Gary Conkling has been a newsman, congressional aide and public affairs professional for more than 50 years.

Find a complete transcript of Biden’s second State of the Union address here.

To read Mark Hester’s column on the danger created by the union of the Republican Party and Christian nationalism, click here.