SlowpokeBlog

This cartoon continues where "Least Effective Forms of Political Activism" left off. A couple weeks ago, I came across an eloquent and poignant blog post written by a veteran of Iraq. Impressed, I checked the person's bio, where she referred to herself somewhat jokingly as a "commie" and a "feminazi." While I understand the impulse to refer to oneself ironically using the invectives of Limbaugh & co., I couldn't help but find myself a little saddened. Because when you use these words to describe yourself, even jokingly, you're still letting the bastards define you.

There are exceptions, I suppose. Somehow the "¡Ask a Mexican!" column is done with enough sophistication and humor that I think it actually tears apart the stereotypes. (It also works because its readership, people who pick up alternative newsweeklies, tend to be a fairly educated bunch who get what he's trying to do.)

But most of the time, the effort to reclaim regressive epithets fails as a political strategy. I've said this before, but among the worst is "tree hugger." Not wanting industrial waste in my bloodstream has little to do with the quasi-spiritual groping of conifers, yet that is how those of us concerned about the environment have been branded. I mean, I like trees as much as anyone -- I'm sitting underneath a lovely dogwood right now as I type this -- but the term "tree hugger" is loaded with connotations of hippie-dippy emotional hysteria. (See "Kneejerkin'" cartoon for an example of how people oppose pollution but reject the environmentalist identity.) Using it playfully/ironically to reclaim it from the anti-science crowd may make us chuckle, but it's not the way to build a movement.