Topic: Terminology

The hosts notice a shift in NPR's terminology, where reporters have begun using the term "Gazans" instead of "Palestinians." They suggest this reflects a change in the official style guide, similar to the adoption of terms like "pregnant people." The discussion explores the potential political reasons for swapping these identifiers in news coverage of the conflict.

CNN introduces the term "sane washing" to describe the media's alleged practice of cleaning up Donald Trump's rhetoric to make it sound more conventional. An Associated Press headline is used as an example, where Trump's accusation that Kamala Harris "murdered" someone via border policy was framed as a standard campaign rally. The discussion critiques the media's attempt to pathologize Trump's supporters through new terminology.

During a congressional hearing, Representative Jim Banks questioned Columbia's president about a student glossary featuring terms like "Ashkenormativity"—defined as a system of oppression favoring white Jewish people—and the use of the woke spelling "folx." While the university administration distanced itself from the document, the exchange highlighted the infiltration of radical social justice terminology in Ivy League social work programs.

On the second anniversary of the conflict in Ukraine, major media outlets like PBS and NPR have adopted the specific term "full-scale invasion" (FSI) to describe the Russian military operation. Critics argue this terminology is a coordinated branding effort that ignores the limited scope of the initial Russian entry into the Donbass region. The war has reached a stalemate with high casualties on both sides and no significant territorial gains.

A viral 10-minute compendium of Hamas violence, filmed via GoPro cameras, is analyzed for potential Western influence. A military source notes the use of the phrase "send it" immediately after an RPG is fired, identifying it as specific American military slang with no direct Arabic equivalent. The segment explores the possibility of external involvement or the "gamification" of combat footage designed to appeal to a younger, gaming-centric audience.

Medical professionals are calling for obesity to be renamed "adiposity-based chronic disease" to reduce stigma and improve treatment. A separate historical note clarifies that the word "Pride" was originally an acronym for "Personal Rights in Defense and Education," established in Los Angeles in the late 1950s.

A media report incorrectly stated that NATO was formed to protect Europe against the "former Soviet Union." The hosts point out that in 1947, it was simply the Soviet Union, and using the term "former" subtly changes the historical context to make it sound like NATO's target was always modern Russia.

Law enforcement officials and media figures like Dana Bash reportedly issued directives to avoid using the word "raid" when describing the FBI's actions at Mar-a-Lago. MSNBC allegedly changed its on-screen graphics to replace "raid" with "search warrant" following internal pushback. The linguistic shift is presented as an attempt by the Department of Justice to frame the event as a routine court-authorized procedure.

The hosts focus on Hutchinson's specific use of the word "clavicle" when describing Trump's alleged physical altercation with the Secret Service. They speculate that the use of such specific anatomical terminology suggests the witness was coached by lawyers or committee members. They question why a person would not use more common terms like "throat" or "neck" unless there was a specific legal strategy involved.

The hosts analyze the Pentagon's frequent use of the word "package" to describe military aid. They question why this specific terminology has become prevalent and whether it refers to financial bundles or physical shipments. They joke about John Kirby's delivery and the lack of direct answers provided during NPR interviews.

A new social strategy suggests using the term "COVID survivor" to disarm pro-vaccine advocates and trigger virtue-signaling responses. The term is intended to reflect surviving the "onslaught of propaganda" rather than the virus itself. The discussion compared the linguistic evolution of the term to that of "Holocaust survivors," noting how such labels are adopted by those who lived through an era regardless of direct internment.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced an official study into "long haulers," defined as COVID-19 patients who experience lingering symptoms for nine months or more. Data suggests approximately one-third of patients may fall into this category, though the hosts question the sudden introduction of the term.

Members of Congress, such as Representative Torres, have shared accounts of the Capitol evacuation, highlighting personal trauma. Some narratives have shifted focus toward Republican colleagues refusing to wear masks during the lockdown. There is an ongoing debate regarding the interchangeable use of the terms "terrorist," "insurgent," and "coup" in political discourse.

A supercut of various news networks reveals the uniform use of the word "baseless" to describe President Trump's claims of voter fraud. The repetition of this specific adjective across multiple outlets is identified as a coordinated messaging effort to dismiss the allegations without investigation.

A legal analyst deconstructs a New York Times article that refers to Joe Biden as "President-elect" while calling Donald Trump "Mr. Trump." This linguistic shift is identified as a deliberate attempt to delegitimize the sitting president before the election results are certified. Similar changes have been noted on social media platforms like Facebook.

A report on the fall coronavirus surge in the United States highlights rising hospitalizations in 39 states, including an emotional briefing by the Illinois Director of Public Health. The discussion critiques the media's use of the word "cases," arguing that a clinical case should require symptoms rather than just a positive PCR result. Analysis of the data suggests that while "cases" are rising, the case fatality rate remains extremely low.

Reports suggest the sporting world is moving away from terms like "draft" and "owner" due to perceived negative historical connotations. Proposed replacements include "salary cap" for draft and "manager" for owner. These changes aim to remove language that some critics associate with slavery.

The open-source community, including OpenSSL and GitHub, is moving to remove terms like "master," "slave," "whitelist," and "blacklist" from their code. In Santa Barbara, the last remaining Sambo's restaurant changed its name after 63 years due to the name being perceived as a racial slur, despite it being a combination of the founders' names, Sam and Bo.

The global influence of U.S. racial discourse has reached the Netherlands, where the new term "Afrikaanse Nederlanders" is being introduced into the vernacular. The hosts note that many people of color in the Netherlands are actually from Indonesia or other former colonies, making the "African" label inaccurate. They view this as an example of European countries adopting American-style virtue signaling.

The discussion explores the media's role in shaping perceptions of police racism, specifically regarding the Black Lives Matter movement. An anecdote about a rookie Asian officer being doused with water leads to a discussion on the differing definitions of "Asian" in the US (typically East Asian) versus the UK (typically South Asian or Muslim).