Associated Press Stylebook Cautions Against Use Of "Riot"

 

The stylebook published by the Associated Press has been a lodestar to journalists and publishers since Moby Dick was a minnow. It served as an authoritative guide as to how to present the news fairly, professionally and in an unbiased manner. But, like everything else today, it is being revised in the interests of political correctness.

The Associated Press recently tweeted, “New guidance on AP Stylebook Online: Use care in deciding which term best applies: A riot is a wild or violent disturbance of the peace involving a group of people. The term riot suggests uncontrolled chaos and pandemonium.”

Another tweet condescendingly noted: “Focusing on rioting and property destruction rather than underlying grievance has been used in the past to stigmatize broad swaths of people protesting against lynching, police brutality or for racial justice, going back to the urban uprisings of the 1960s.”

Ergo, do not use “riot” to describe a riot, because…well, it has unpleasant connotations. And the rioters are our guys peeps.

Why does this matter so much? Because, as Orwell knew, when you control the language people use, you control their thoughts. You control them.

Progressives do not say “abortion,” they say “women’s health care.” They speak of “revenue enhancement” not “tax hikes.” I’m sure the AP Stylebook will soon caution against the use of the words “stabbing” or “knifing,” instead urging journalists to use the term “silverware-actuated penetration occurrence.” Perhaps it will also soon advise writers to eschew the word “Rape” in favor of the term “extraconsensual attraction event.” 

In solidarity with AP’s Stylebook, I too am going to make some changes. Instead of referring to leftists and progressives as “morons” or “asshats,” I will henceforth use the term “historically, intellectually and morally challenged non-viable tissue masses.”

I don’t know about you, but I feel better already.