MissConstrueDec 9, 2024

Scientific American delivers a scathing article about the theologists holding the majority in the US Supreme Court. It’s so good, and so tightly written, that it’s difficult to pull an excerpt without wanting to also include the lead in and follow up. I’ll tempt you with some opening paragraphs, but the article is brilliant and deserves to be read.

“In five instances, Justice Neil Gorsuch’s opinion confused nitrogen oxide, a pollutant that contributes to ozone formation, with nitrous oxide, better known as laughing gas.

You can’t make this stuff up. This repeated mistake in the 5–4 decision exemplifies a high court not just indifferent to facts but contemptuous of them.”

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-supreme-courts-contempt-for-facts-is-a-betrayal-of-justice/

#supremecourt #ScientificAmerican #corruption #failingempire

The Supreme Court’s Contempt for Facts Is a Betrayal of Justice

The Supreme Court majority’s recent decisions about homelessness, public health and regulatory power, among others, undermine the role of evidence, expertise and honesty in American democracy

Scientific American
Show threadJanisDec 10, 2024

@MissConstrue

American English needs a verb for this expression of contempt through being deliberately "wrong," as in mispronouncing the Vice President's first name. Deadnaming and misgendering are big ones. (It might also be helpful to have a name for the line when a number of repetitions of the error makes the error no longer an error.)

If I make it up, it won't take. Who in language academia has the clout and can build something sticky with Latin bits?

Show threadarceuthobium
@janisf @MissConstrue the term is “slur.”
Dec 10, 2024 at 5:18amMastodon for iOS
Show threadJanisDec 10, 2024

@theothersimo @MissConstrue Well, they grabbed that definition and stomped on it, too. You're right, but "slur" has come to include any mud slung, where the sloppy elision is exactly what it's *supposed* to mean. I've found it an impossible haul from where I am to try to fight for the definitions of words. They broke "woke" pretty well. I'm not sure we'll get anywhere if we aren't coming up with fresh, shiny, newer, maybe sharper and hopefully more durable....

This is called a "slog," right?