V-Gram 29

October 16, 1996

A sprung trap

Some time ago I had suggested that a controlled vocabulary rendered the right to freedom of speech moot. Instead of imparting civility, the academics of this nation, aided by Liberals at large, imposed speech codes which have brought forth - among other things - distortions of the language, a separation of words from reason, and an invisible straitjacket to be worn by everyone.

Last night, on Crossfire, Liberal co-host Bill Press got a taste of his own medicine. In the heat of the final moments, seething at the prospect that Bob Dole just might engage President Clinton on the subject of ethics, Mr. Press argued that "Bob Dole has got his black face back." He quickly corrected himself to "dark face" and, for once, signed off meekly with the words "I am Bill Press and I corrected myself."

What fascinates about last night's incident is that Mr. Press was obviously worried by his spontaneous metaphor. Is this not the ultimate irony? PC-speak turns out to be nothing more than a set of false words designed to mask what the user actually wants to say. We shall never know whether Bill Press's panic was caused by his accidental revelation of PC hypocrisy, or by concern for his job. But his terrified, chalk-white face gave us a demonstration of the tyranny he and his ilk have been visiting upon us - and on themselves.