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WWII and #TrumpsWar were hot on Twitter at the start of the year, as was #SniffyMcAddrall (Trump's nickname due to his addiction to Adderall) and #MidnightMitch (bestowed on Mitch McConnell for public announcing he'd run a sham impeachment trial in support of the Criminal-in-Chief). |
Shortly after that, the CoronaVirus -- also known as the Trump Virus here in America -- spread around the globe -- so we sheltered in place and kept an eye on words (as the Trump Death Toll continued to climb out of control) so that we could bring you our annual countdown of the "Words of the Year." Check it out below!
WORDS OF THE YEAR 2020
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December 31
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See below for information concerning our 2020 Word of the Year:
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Dear Reader,
Without a doubt, 2020 has been one bizarre and dreadful year. At the onset, it seemed as though our so-called “president” was propelling our nation and the world toward World War III. Little did we know that those would be the good old days -- not knowing then that Trump’s apathy and incompetence in dealing with a global COVID pandemic would bring devastation to our country, to our lives and to our economy. In addition, the Donald’s treasonous actions both before and after the election have been appalling – and the continued and subversive support he has found within the Republican party has been as baffling as it is infuriating. Furthermore, Trump’s incendiary and racist rhetoric as well his insensitive and despotic handling of peaceful demonstrations in protest of racial injustices did nothing but divide the country.
For months, the statement “I can’t breathe” was set to be our final entry in this inventory of “Words of the Year." However, in mid-November we shifted gears, and as explained below in our December 30th entry for “I CAN’T BREATHE,” we decided, instead, to conclude our countdown with something more optimistic, a word that was spoken on Saturday, November 7, when Joe Biden was declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election.
That night, Biden spoke from Wilmington, Delaware. “The people of this nation have spoken. They have delivered us a clear victory,” he said. “I am humbled by the trust and confidence you have placed in me. I pledge to be a president who seeks not to divide, but to unify” (the full transcript of his remarks are HERE).
Biden said, “Tonight, the whole world is watching America. I believe at our best America is a beacon for the globe. And we lead not by the example of our power, but by the power of our example.”
And then he said this: "I’ve always believed we can define America in one word: Possibilities."
Without a doubt, 2020 has been one bizarre and dreadful year. At the onset, it seemed as though our so-called “president” was propelling our nation and the world toward World War III. Little did we know that those would be the good old days -- not knowing then that Trump’s apathy and incompetence in dealing with a global COVID pandemic would bring devastation to our country, to our lives and to our economy. In addition, the Donald’s treasonous actions both before and after the election have been appalling – and the continued and subversive support he has found within the Republican party has been as baffling as it is infuriating. Furthermore, Trump’s incendiary and racist rhetoric as well his insensitive and despotic handling of peaceful demonstrations in protest of racial injustices did nothing but divide the country.
For months, the statement “I can’t breathe” was set to be our final entry in this inventory of “Words of the Year." However, in mid-November we shifted gears, and as explained below in our December 30th entry for “I CAN’T BREATHE,” we decided, instead, to conclude our countdown with something more optimistic, a word that was spoken on Saturday, November 7, when Joe Biden was declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election.
That night, Biden spoke from Wilmington, Delaware. “The people of this nation have spoken. They have delivered us a clear victory,” he said. “I am humbled by the trust and confidence you have placed in me. I pledge to be a president who seeks not to divide, but to unify” (the full transcript of his remarks are HERE).
Biden said, “Tonight, the whole world is watching America. I believe at our best America is a beacon for the globe. And we lead not by the example of our power, but by the power of our example.”
And then he said this: "I’ve always believed we can define America in one word: Possibilities."
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Finally, a moment in 2020 when I thought I could breathe again.
POSSIBILITIES – OUR 2020 WORD OF THE YEAR
In 2021, a decent man will be in the White House. A vaccine to protect from the virus will soon be available to all. Our economy will begin to rebound. Our nation can begin to heal from -- as Nicole Wallace called it -- "the stink of Trump." Of course, it won’t be easy. Moscow Mitch and the seditious arm of the GOP will continue to block progress and sow the seeds of fear and conspiracy. Still, with Trump gone, my hope is that we can all take a breath and breathe a little easier. We can all dwell in POSSIBILITIES. Happy New Year, Darryl, Your Working Boy |
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By Emily Dickinson:
I dwell in POSSIBILITY – A fairer House than Prose – More numerous of Windows – Superior – for Doors – Of Chambers as the Cedars – Impregnable of Eye – And for an Everlasting Roof The Gambrels of the Sky – Of Visitors – the fairest – For Occupation – This – The spreading wide my narrow Hands To gather Paradise – |
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December 30
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I CAN'T BREATHE
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Dear Reader,
Yesterday, when I posted my annual countdown’s entry for December 29, I also posted a critical message, which I have now displayed at the right (click the image to enlarge). I will reiterate the message forthwith, so please feel free to read the original statement as exhibited, the present restatement below, or both. |
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Throughout the summer and early fall, my intent was to submit “I can’t breathe” as the final entry in my list of Words of the Year for 2020. The statement “I can’t breathe” epitomizes the essence of 2020 both literally and figuratively.
First and foremost, the literal statement – first heard as the last words of Eric Garner as he was killed by a chokehold employed by a New York City Police officer in 2014 – was repeated multiple times by George Floyd on May 25, 2020, as a Minneapolis Police Officer was filmed murdering Mr. Floyd by kneeling on the back of his neck for nearly nine minutes.
"I can't breathe" then, once again, became a rallying cry in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Local protests in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area following Floyd’s death quickly spread nationwide and across the globe.
An article about the summer of protests, HERE, states, “The protests precipitated a cultural reckoning on racial injustice in the United States and have led to numerous legislative proposals on federal, state, and municipal levels intended to combat police misconduct, systemic racism, qualified immunity and police brutality in the United States, while the Trump administration has drawn widespread criticism for what critics called its hardline rhetoric and aggressive, militarized response. The protests led to a wave of monument removals and name changes throughout the world. The protests occurred during the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic and amidst the 2020 United States presidential election season.”
Below: The death of George Floyd (far left) fueled a summer of protests across the country and around the globe. Other innocent African-Americans murdered by the police and/or others include Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, Andre Maurice Hill, Rayshard Brooks, and Ahmaud Arbery. For a list of monuments to unarmed Black people killed by the police at ReneeAter.com, click HERE. For "Know Their Names: Black People Killed By The Police In The US" at Aljazeera.com, click HERE.
First and foremost, the literal statement – first heard as the last words of Eric Garner as he was killed by a chokehold employed by a New York City Police officer in 2014 – was repeated multiple times by George Floyd on May 25, 2020, as a Minneapolis Police Officer was filmed murdering Mr. Floyd by kneeling on the back of his neck for nearly nine minutes.
"I can't breathe" then, once again, became a rallying cry in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Local protests in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area following Floyd’s death quickly spread nationwide and across the globe.
An article about the summer of protests, HERE, states, “The protests precipitated a cultural reckoning on racial injustice in the United States and have led to numerous legislative proposals on federal, state, and municipal levels intended to combat police misconduct, systemic racism, qualified immunity and police brutality in the United States, while the Trump administration has drawn widespread criticism for what critics called its hardline rhetoric and aggressive, militarized response. The protests led to a wave of monument removals and name changes throughout the world. The protests occurred during the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic and amidst the 2020 United States presidential election season.”
Below: The death of George Floyd (far left) fueled a summer of protests across the country and around the globe. Other innocent African-Americans murdered by the police and/or others include Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, Andre Maurice Hill, Rayshard Brooks, and Ahmaud Arbery. For a list of monuments to unarmed Black people killed by the police at ReneeAter.com, click HERE. For "Know Their Names: Black People Killed By The Police In The US" at Aljazeera.com, click HERE.
On a figurative level, “I can’t breathe” symbolizes both the real exigencies associated with life during a global COVID pandemic and the very serious crisis we have faced as a nation as Donald Trump and his corrupt and treasonous toadies pressed their knees on the throat of Lady Liberty in a deliberate and brazen coup attempt to overturn a free and fair election.
At this point, though, I have decided to station “I can’t breathe” in the penultimate position on my list so that tomorrow I can conclude my annual inventory with a more optimistic choice. The particular word selected for the definitive post on December 31 surfaced in mid-November, and I suspect that many will find the pick to be a bit curious. Nonetheless, I have decided to bring this annus horribilis to a close with a word that offers an outlook and promise of optimism.
Interestingly, my final choice for “Word of the Year” also carries with it a gratifying connection to Emily Dickinson. How could I not take that path?
Until later,
Darryl, Your Working Boy
At this point, though, I have decided to station “I can’t breathe” in the penultimate position on my list so that tomorrow I can conclude my annual inventory with a more optimistic choice. The particular word selected for the definitive post on December 31 surfaced in mid-November, and I suspect that many will find the pick to be a bit curious. Nonetheless, I have decided to bring this annus horribilis to a close with a word that offers an outlook and promise of optimism.
Interestingly, my final choice for “Word of the Year” also carries with it a gratifying connection to Emily Dickinson. How could I not take that path?
Until later,
Darryl, Your Working Boy
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Honorable Mentions:
8 Minutes, 46 Seconds 8 minutes and 46 seconds is how long the a Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee on George Floyd's neck.
#SayTheirNames
No Justice, No Peace "No justice, no peace" is a political slogan that originated in protest of violence against African Americans by police brutality and/or White Americans. The slogan was used as early as 1986, following the murder of Michael Griffith at the hands of mob of white youths.
Defund the Police "Defund the police" is a slogan that supports divesting funds from police departments and reallocating them to non-policing forms of public safety and community support, such as social services, youth services, housing, education, healthcare and other community resources.
ACAB ACAB is an acronym used as a political slogan associated with dissidents who say they are subjected to political persecution and police brutality. It stands for "All Cops are Bastards."
White Privilege White Privilege is the societal privilege that benefits white people over non-white people even if they are otherwise under the same social, political, or economic circumstances. White privilege manifested itself in many ways in 2020; see for example "Karen" and "Bike Tyson" below in my entry dated December 13. Also, in a particularly ugly display of white privilege, Amy Cooper of NYC called the police on a Black man (Christian Cooper -- no relation to Amy) who was bird watching in Central Park. She became angry when he pointed out that her dog was unleashed in an area of the park that required leashes. "“I’ll tell them an African American man is threatening my life," she yelled at him.
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December 29
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COVID19
COVID19 stands for COronaVIrus 2019 -- a new strain of coronavirus that has not been previously identified in humans. Of course, COVID19 is the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, in 2019. It spread across the United States as the Trump Virus because our so-called president ignored warnings of the seriousness of the virus. Due to his delays, deceit, and dysfunction, more than 300,000 Americans have died at this point, and our economy is flailing.
Info on COVID19 is HERE. Honorable Mentions: Pandemic, Coronavirus, & Second Wave Following the deceit and misinformation on the part of Donald Trump, our so-called vice president Mike Pence wrote an op-ed in June 2020 to state that there would be no "second wave" of the Trump Virus. The complete work at WhiteHouse.gov is HERE.
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December 28
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MASK
“No shirt. No shoes. No service.” This mandate has been a decree of restaurants and business for years without controversy or resistance – but “Wear a mask,” the simplest precaution people can take to protect themselves or others during a global pandemic?
From the absurd reaction from the radical Right, you would have thought the CDC was asking people to suit up in beekeeper suits just to stroll to their mailboxes. Suddenly conservatives were demanding, “My body, my choice.” Do you think they even understand the irony? The CDC Guide to Masks is HERE. 
Honorable Mentions: Covidiot
"Covidiot" is a portmanteau of “COVID” and “idiot” used to designate the morons who refused to wear masks and/or take other precautions to protect themselves and others from COVID.
Rat Licker
In a reference to the association between rats and another major pandemic, the Bubonic Plague, “rat lickers” is another moniker for those who refused to take simple precautions (like wearing a mask) to keep from spreading COVID.
Maskhole
"Maskhole" -- yet another portmanteau to identify maskless morons.
PPE
Of course, PPE -- for Personal Protective Equipment -- has been around for years. However, the need for PPE rose to prominence in 2020 due to the lack of leadership and incompetence on the part of Donald Trump in preparing the US to fight the COVID pandemic. As a result, frontline healthcare and other essential workers across the county had to scramble to secure enough PPE so that they could perform their jobs safely -- all while Trump played golf.
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December 27
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REOPEN
As the Trump Virus ravaged our country and economy, as the Trump Death Toll escalated, and as Republican senators stalled action for any sort of substantial relief for Americans, our so-called President and the Keystone GOPs clamored to reopen the economy, reopen the schools, reopen the churches, reopen the restaurants and bar, and to reopen the bowling alleys.
Honorable Mentions: #BloodySunday It turns out that Trump is a believer in the Almighty -- DOLLAR! In hoping to reopen the economy and pack churches on Easter Sunday, he did pack Twitter with the hashtag #BloodySunday. One example is below:
Contactless
As businesses faced a failing Trump economy due to his apathy and incompetence in dealing with the Trump Virus, most tried to respond with new game plans for a "new normal" (see our entry below for December 21). In addition to "grab and go," curbside pickup and delivery, restaurants and businesses promised "contactless" services too.
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December 26
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CANCEL CULTURE
From Wikipedia: "Cancel culture (or call-out culture) is a modern form of ostracism in which someone is thrust out of social or professional circles - either online on social media, in the real world, or both. Those who are subject to this ostracism are said to be "canceled." HERE.
“To our students of color, and to me," wrote a professor at WSU, "inviting Ivanka Trump to speak right now sends the message that WSU Tech does not take diversity seriously.”
In a separate statement, WSU Tech President Sheree Utash acknowledged that “the timing of the announcement was insensitive” and apologized. The next day, Vanky posted her hackneyed and humdrum speech online. |
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December 25
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SUPER SPREADER
Honorable Mentions: Contact Tracing
“Contact Tracing” is the practice of identifying and monitoring individuals who may have had contact with an infectious person as a means of controlling the spread of COVID. One would think that the GOP had so spend countless hours contact tracing following all of their super spreader events – but in truth this never happened because they, like Trump, could not care less about controlling the outbreak.
Emptysburg Address:
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December 24
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HERD IMMUNITY
Herd Immunity is when most of a population is immune to an infectious disease, thus providing indirect protection.
Depending how contagious an infection is, usually 50% to 90% of a population needs immunity to achieve herd immunity. the population of the US in 2019 was 329 million IF herd immunity with COVID were to be gained at 50%, then over 164 million Americans would have to be infected. Currently, about 19 million Americans has contracted the disease -- SO AT THE VERY MINIMUM -- we have 145 million Americans to go. Source: COVID tracking site, HERE. Honorable Mention: Herd Mentality During an ABC News town hall in Pennsylvania in September so-called president Donald Trump once again insisted to host George Stephanopoulos that the Covid-19 coronavirus would just “disappear” even without a vaccine. This time he added a reason why this would occur: “You'll develop, you'll develop herd, like a herd mentality,” explained Trump.
LOL – he was really describing the cult-like mindset of his Klan: Herd Mentality! 
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December 23
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HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE
As I've said before in this countdown, our so-called president is a very, very dim-bulb, and when it comes to science, Trump has vilified scientists as if they were a new threat to America. Not a good mix when faced with a global pandemic (especially since the Trump "administration" tossed out the pandemic playbook passed on to them from the Obama administration).
The so-called president did for a time advocate the use of hydroxychloroquine despite concerns about its safety and efficacy from the mainstream scientific community. And then -- and then -- well, see the honorable mentions below.
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December 22
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DOOMSCROLLING
Doomscrolling is the act of endlessly scrolling down one's news apps to read a constant feed of negative online news, Welcome to Trump's America! Are you tired of winning yet?
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December 21
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THE NEW NORMAL
Trump sure got things wrong (as usual) when he said the coronavirus would just vanish. Instead, the Trump Virus has run amok, the Trump Death Toll continues to escalate, and life has not been the same.
No more family gatherings. No weddings and funerals. No birthday parties or graduations. No travel. No dining in restaurants. No movies or theatre or concerts. No visiting relatives or grandparents at assisted living facilities. No hugging friends. Instead, it's been curbside pick-up, grab and go, and school and work via Zoom. It's been local restaurants and businesses closing down for good. It's social distancing and wearing face masks and latex gloves. Welcome to the New Normal. Honorable Mentions: Curbside Pickup; Grab & Go; Zoom; Mute/Unmute; You're Muted; Essential Workers; Essential Businesses; Unprecedented*
Hmm. IMHO, I tend to think their word of the year was staring them right in the face: "unprecedented."
Honorable Mentions continued: Before Times "Before Times" is now used to reference the era proceeding the Trump Virus -- and we've even seen BC, "Before COVID."
Blursday As a result of the "new normal," no one ever knew exactly what day of the week it was -- so "Blursday" caught on with most as a result of the "New Normal."
In our special feature about life during lockdown, HERE, we suggested using Someday, Mundayne (or Zoomday?), Chooseday (or Snoozeday?), Whensday (or Whatsday?), Blursday, Fraudday, and Sadderday. |
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December 20
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December 19
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QUARANTINE / SELF-QUARANTINE
Honorable Mentions: Community Spread
COVID19 is said to be "community spread" when someone gets the virus without any known contact with a sick person.
Shelter-in-Place (SIP)
With no leadership at the federal level during the pandemic, many governors issued “Shelter in Place” (or “Stay at Home”) orders. They directed their citizens to remain in their homes for an extended period of time (usually several weeks) and only to leave for essential activities.
Sipping (i.e., SIPping) Complying with a shelter-in-place order (often involving a bottle of wine or perhaps a Quarantini).
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December 18
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FLATTEN THE CURVE
Flattening the curve is a public health strategy to slow down the spread of the virus during the COVID-19 pandemic. The curve being flattened is the epidemic curve, a visual representation of the number of infected people needing health care over time.
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December 17
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STOP THE COUNT / COUNT THE VOTE
Honorable Mention: Stop the Steal
I'm not sure who in the Trump camp first realized that they had to get the Trumpanzees to stop shouting contradictory chants, but they slowly got the MAGA Morons to use "Stop the Steal" instead. Trouble is, the Morons aren't smart enough to understand who wrote the book on "The Art of the Steal."
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December 16
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HOAX
While it is true that Trump is about as dim a bulb as they come (see the entry below for "SARCASM," dated December 5), he is one con-man extraordinaire. He knows how to fleece sheep to be sure, and one of his greatest ploys is the use of "HOAX-us Pocus" to convince his marks that his crimes and conspiracies are nothing more than hoaxes:
* Trump's Muslim Ban was a hoax. * Stormy Daniels was a hoax. * 20-plus women's accusations of sexual assault -- hoax, hoax, hoax, hoax, hoax. * His friendship with Jeffrey Epstein -- a hoax. * Emolument clause violations -- a hoax. * The Mueller report -- a hoax. * His impeachment -- a hoax. And in 2020 -- the biggest hoax of all: the coronavirus. Due to Trump's deceit, delays, and dysfunction -- and his total incompetence -- the COVID virus has run rampant in the United States. As a result, Trump has had a hand in the deaths of close to 300,000 Americans, and that number could eventually top 400,000 -- more deaths of Americans than from World War II (the Trump Death Toll has already surpassed the Viet Nam War and World War I). It turns out that Trump is nothing more than the Great White Hoax. 
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December 15
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NATIONAL EMERGENCY
On March 13, so-called "President" Trump declared a "National Emergency" -- "two very big words," he said -- even as he refused to take responsibility for administration failures throughout in the outbreak.
"I take no responsibility," he said. "It's a Democratic hoax," he said. "It will all disappear," he said. "I want churches packed for Easter," he said (which is laughable for entirely different reasons since Trump is a profoundly immoral and godless man). "It is what it is," he said. Prior to his declaration in March, his lack of leadership was characterized by deceit, delays, and dysfunction. In the last few months, his response has been EMPTY -- literally, you can hear crickets chirping at the White House. On December 2, 2020, Trump gave what he said was "the most important speech" of his presidency -- AND HE NEVER MENTIONED THE PAIN AND SUFFERING OF THE PANDEMIC AT ALL. 
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December 14
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CORONACOINAGES
Today's entry isn't the word "conronacoinages." Instead, it is all the inventive linguistic responses related to the COVID-19 pandemic, termed "coronacoinages" by Ben Zimmer, language columnist for the Wall Street Journal.
The blog of Nancy Friedman (@Fritinancy), a "verbal-branding pro" and logophile extraordinaire, includes the best collection of these "coronacoinages" that I am aware of. She has been tracking and gathering these newly coined words since last March. Her first entry, "Words of the week: Coronoacoinages" from March 16, 2020, is HERE. That post includes "Coronials," "Quaranteens," and "Gen Plague," possible names for the generation who children who survive this pandemic; "covidiots," a blend of "COVID" and "idiot" which denotes those who hoard food and essential supplies and deny them to those in need; and "quarantinis" and "coronaritas," cocktails one blends and drinks at home while under a stay-at-home order. Friedman updated her collection throughout the year with "More Coronacoinages," HERE; "Coronacoinages III," HERE; and "Coronacoinages IV," HERE. Some other favorites: safecation and coronacations: "staycations" at home due to the pandemic. twindemic: flu season added to the complications of the COVID pandemic Zutor: a tutor on Zoom 
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December 13
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KAREN
Honorable Mentions:
Other big names in 2020 (below left to right): Grogu a.k.a. "Baby Yoda"; Edward Hopper, "'We are all Edward Hopper paintings now?' Is he the artist of the coronavirus age?" -- HERE; Emily Dickinson -- the "unlikely hero of our time, HERE.
2020 saw new designations for MAGAts: Coup Coup Birds; Coup Cucks Klan; Ku Klux Kult
2020 also saw new nicknames for Trump himself: IQ45, Diaper Don, & Sniffy McAdderall |
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December 12
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RACISM
While racism and the rise of White Supremacy and neo-Nazi hate groups are a hallmark of the Trumpocene Era and the current state of the GOP, and while terms throughout this annual countdown of "Words of the Year" reflect the racist ideology of Grand Wizard Trump (ex: "Ku Klux Kult," "Thugs vs. 'Very Good People,'" "When the looting starts, the shooting starts," etc.), the reason why "Racism" made the countdown this year is an interesting one: Kennedy Mitchum, a recent graduate of Drake University, convinced Merriam-Webster Dictionary to revise its definition of the word "racism."
“I know what racism is, I’ve experienced it, so I emailed them,” she said. “I basically told them that they need to include that there’s a systematic oppression upon a group of people. It’s not just, ‘Oh, I don’t like someone.'"
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December 11
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WHITE DOMESTIC TERRORISM
It's no wonder that Grand Wizard Trump can't use the words, "white domestic terrorism" -- because individual terrorists (for example: Kenosha killer Kyle Rittenhouse) and the various terrorist groups (like those that stormed the Wisconsin state capitol) are Trump's base. Not only is the Trump-backed terror network behind most US terrorist attacks (info HERE), they also show up at peaceful protests -- like those against racial injustice -- and cause vandalism and create terror. Then they blame their destruction on the non-existent organization they call "Antifa."
Above left and right: White domestic terrorists at the Wisconsin state capitol. Below: Grand Wizard Trump refers to white domestic terrorists as "very good people" (the same description he used to describe the neo-Nazis who marched in Charlottesville, VA). However, when peaceful protestors -- WITHOUT WEAPONS -- gathered outside the White House, Trump had them gassed and attacked (see the entry below dated December 7) ; later he erected fences and barricades around the White House, and he hid in the basement bunker. Why didn't he "talk to them, make a deal"?
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December 10
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LIBERATE
I’m really at a loss for words when it comes to Grand Wizard Trump and the Keystone GOPs. Currently, as I post this entry in my annual countdown of “Words of the Year,” Trump and some of his sicko-phants are actually pressing for and hoping that the Supreme Court will overturn the 2020 election. Trump and his Ku Klux Kult are truly nothing more than “Coup Coup Birds.”
Earlier in the year, Trump committed other treasonous acts. In April, slyly put a kidnapping -- and possible murder -- plot into action when he tweeted “Liberate Minnesota,” Liberate Wisconsin” and “Liberate Virginia.” He was angry about safety measures put in place by those states’ Governors, so he tweeted out his bluster, and white domestic terrorists responded by planning an attack on the governors of Wisconsin and Virginia. Fortunately, the FBI got wind of the nefarious scheme and made many arrests. TBH, I am at a loss as to why Twitter has not suspended or eliminated his account. 
Honorable Mentions: PEOC
"PEOC" stands for "Presidential Emergency Operations Center," and it's just a fancy way to describe the bunker deep in the basement where Trump hides when he is frightened.
Below left: A perfect visual metaphor for Trump's lack of leadership: The White House turns out all the lights during protests across the country about racial injustice. Below right: Grand Wizard Trump hiding in the PEOC with Donald Junior and his favorite, Princess Vanky.
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December 9
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STAND BACK AND STAND BY
Grand Wizard Trump and members of the GOP no longer use “dog whistles” any more to white-wash their racism. Now they blare it out there with bull horns.
On the presidential debate stage in late September, when Trump was asked to condemn white supremacists and militia hate groups, he refused to do so. Instead, he ordered the Proud Boys, a neo-Nazi group, to “stand back and stand by.” The extremist group celebrated the command from the Grand Wizard, and they adopted it as their new slogan. Info is HERE. Below: Not only did the Proud Boys adopt Grand Wizard Trump's directive as a slogan, they are even selling it on T-shirts.
Honorable Mentions: BIPOC
An emerging acronym that stands for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
KU KLUX KULT An accurate blend of “Ku Klux Klan” and “cult” to designate MAGAt supporters of Grand Wizard Trump.
When The Looting Starts, The Shooting Starts
A phrase with racist origins and overtones, originally stated by Walter E. Headley, the police chief of Miani, Florida, in 1967, and quoted by Grand Wizard Trump. Info is HERE.
Thugs & "Very Good People"
True to form, Grand Wizard Trump described those protesting racial injustice as “thugs," white domestic terrorists who stormed the Wisconsin state capitol were depicted as “very good people.”
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December 8
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WALL OF MOMS
When Donald Trump sent his secret police force to Portland, Oregon, to attack American citizens exercising their First Amendment right to assemble in peaceful protest, Portland moms weren’t having it. Wearing yellow t-shirts and gas masks, they linked arm-in-arm and formed what’s been dubbed the “Wall of Moms.” They stood as a barrier between Trump’s thugs and the marchers who were protesting racial injustice. Their message: “You may be the Feds, but we’re the Moms.”
Info HERE. 
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December 7
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SECRET POLICE / GESTAPO
At the start of June, Trump told the nation he would protect peaceful protesters in a speech at the White House's Rose Garden. Then right after the speech, he ordered a secret police force to attack peaceful protesters with tear gas, rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades so that he could walk across the street to St John's Episcopal Church to hold a Bible upside down for a grotesque photo op.
Did you get all of that? A profoundly immoral and godless man ordered an attack on peaceful Americans by secret police so that he could hold a Bible upside down. When -- besides 2020 -- has a so-called president utilized a secret police force to attack Americans with gestapo-like tactics? Below left: Peaceful protesters are attacked by Grand Wizard Trump's secret police. Below right: A truly godless man holds a Bible upside down.
Trump later sent secret forces to Portland, Oregon, to attack more Americans, and he threatened to use Gestapo-like tactics in other cities as well -- see above's entry for December 8 for more.
Honorable Mention: Flash-Bangs
Also known as stun grenades, flash-bangs are explosive devices that emit an extremely loud bang and bright lights to disorient people as it goes off. They can cause temporary blindness and shifts in hearing. Donald Trump ordered his secret police force to attack Americans with flash-bangs (along with rubber bullets and tear-gas).
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December 6
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PERSON, WOMAN, MAN, CAMERA, TV
What's up with Donald Trump? Does he suffer from more issues than just pure stupidity (see the entry below dated December 5)? Very probably so.
In July, doctors at Walter Reed Hospital administered a cognitive test to Trump lo check for possible impairments. He bragged about it on national news and said that he could repeat back five words that were recited to him: person, woman, man, camera, and TV. "If you get it in order, you get extra points," said Trump. "They said nobody gets it in order. It's actually not that easy, but for me it was easy." Bombast from a "stable genius" to be sure. Read about Trump's interview HERE.
Honorable Mentions: BBQ, Beer, Freedom
Just after the 2020 presidential election, a particularly articulate MAGAt interrupted a Nevada news conference held by election officials, and his t-shirt sported three more "words of the year," “BBQ, BEER, FREEDOM” Read about the incident HERE.
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December 5
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SARCASM
Supposedly, so-called president was merely being “sarcastic” when he tweeted in mid-November that President-elect Joe Biden had “won.” Trump was merely being “sarcastic” when he very seriously asked scientists to look into injections of bleach and UV lifght to stop the coronavirus. And remember when Stable Genius Trump launched into a twitter rant about journalists and their unmerited “Noble Prizes”? After he was mocked unmercifully for the misspelling, he deleted the tweets and claimed that – once again – he was being sarcastic.
Below left: Grand Wizard Trump experiments with bleach and other disinfectants. Below center: Trump Medical School unveils their "Corona-Scope," a device to shine bright light up a patient's rectum to ward of viral infections. Below right: A textbook from the Trump Medical School.
The truth is that Trump is a dim bulb – a very, very dim bulb. Over the years he’s developed a simple defense mechanism to use when his colossal stupidity in caught in the spotlight – he says that he was merely being sarcastic.
It's not sarcasm. It's never sarcasm. It's just pure and simple stupidity. |
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December 4
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WHICH _______ ARE YOU?
Honorable Mentions: #ChallengeAcceptsed This Instagram trend had women uploading black & white images of themselves to promote female empowerment, and then they nominated friends to do the same as a way for women to support each other. Information is HERE.
How It Started . . . How It's Going This Twitter fad had Tweeps uploading two sequential images labeled "How it started," and, "how it's going" (or "how it ended"). The trend began with people sharing images related to their romantic relationships under the text, but then users started applying the format to more broad categories, such as self-improvement posts, ironic parodies of relationship posts, and…well…anything and everything. Some examples from the world of politics are below.
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December 3
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MALARKEY
However, unlike Mayor Shinn in Meredith WIllson’s “The Music” man, moderator Kristen Welker did not warn Biden to watch his phraseology. That’s because Biden did not grab viewers' attention by the…whatever -- because “malarkey” is not like the foul “locker room talk” preferred by Trump and the Gross Old Perverts (the very ones who used to cloak themselves in “family values”).
More info on Biden’s “malarkey” is HERE...and info on the history of the word that, like grapes, comes in bunches is HERE. Honorable Mention: #WaterGait
A popular hashtag used after Dotard Trump addressed graduating cadets at West Point, and he experience obvious trouble trying to drink from a glass of water and trying to walk down a ramp. #BabyGate This hashtag surfaced after Shifty Don had layers and layers of fences and barricades erected around the White House to protect him when he crouches in his basement bunker. The place looks like a prison compound in the center of a police state – and it’s nothing more than a national disgrace. I wrote about it HERE. Originalism This type of judicial interpretation of the constitution that aims to follow how it would have been understood or was intended to be understood at the time it was written surfaced when the GOP RUSHED to replace RBG on the Supreme Court – and it’s the GOP’s new catchword to mask their racism & misogyny. |
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December 2
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WORLD WAR III
Just at the start of the year, way back in the (normal*) pre-pandemic days of January 2020, we were in the midst of an international crisis following the assassination of Iran’s General Qassem Soleimani, so all the talk on social media and the news was about how we were heading toward the start of World War III.
For Trump, it was more like World War FORE! because he spent all of his time at the golf course (on the US taxpayers' dime) – handling the crisis as he’s handled the COVID19 disaster – with deceit, denial, and dysfunction. * A relative term in the Trumpocene Era Honorable Mention: #TrumpsWarOfMassDistruction This hashtag was popular on Twitter with everyone (minus the MAGA sheep) because Trump was using the crisis in an effort to distract the public from his impeachment proceedings in Congress. |
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December 1
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WAP
As our annual countdown of "Words of the Year" begins, we start with some paraphrased lyrics to Cardi B's mega-hit (certainly a mega-hit on Tik Tok to be sure) to launch our list with "WAP":
Now from the top, make it drop With some words and phrases Now get a bucket and a mop With some words and phrases
Honorable Mentions:
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The American Dialect Society's WotY for 2020: COVID. Info HERE.
Cambridge Dictionary's WotY for 2020: QUARANTINE. Info HERE.
Collins English Dictionary's WotY for 2020: LOCKDOWN. Info HERE.
Dictionary.com's WotY for 2020: PANDEMIC. Info HERE.
"ISO,"Australian slang for self-isolation, was named the Word of the Year for 2020
by the Australian National Dictionary Centre. Info HERE.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary's WotY for 2020: PANDEMIC. Info HERE.
Oxford Dictionary's Word of the Year for 2020 is...well...it's complicated. Click HERE.
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Or download the file at the right:
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From the editors of Oxford: "As our Word of the Year process started and this data was opened up, it quickly became apparent that 2020 is not a year that could neatly be accommodated in one single “word of the year...." Hmm. Well, our countdown of "Words of the Year for 2020" will run throughout the month of December -- and be sure to check back on Thursday, December 31, to see the selection for our ultimate "Word of the Year."
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FROM 2019: The American Dialect Society chose "(my) pronouns" as their Word of the Year and "singular They" as the Word of the Decade (info HERE),
"Exhausted" was our annual Word of the Year for 2019, and our complete countdown is HERE
"Exhausted" was our annual Word of the Year for 2019, and our complete countdown is HERE
Click the buttons below to see the Words of the Year from previous years.
