Certain words trigger us. Ironically, even “triggering” can grate on me. Some words are just unpleasant to hear — like “moist,” a linguistic chalkboard scrape. But the more dangerous words are not annoying; they are powerful when misused.
Terrorist. Patriotism. Nationalism. Fascism. Socialism. Communism.
These are not casual insults or applause lines. They carry history, ideology, blood. Yet they are thrown around carelessly, stripped of meaning and weaponized for effect. Their misuse echoes louder in my mind than any cringe-worthy syllable ever could. Language matters. When we distort it, we distort reality.
