Monday, February 21, 2011

What's In A Name: The Club For Growth

The greedmeisters at The Club For Growth are in full campaign mode, again, on behalf of Scott Walker, again, and his anti-union assault.

Every time I hear from or about these reactionaries, I'm struck by their use of the word "Club."

Conjures up a self-selecting elite, as in "private club," or "country club" from which most people are excluded - -  through dues and rules or tradition, on the basis of income, race, religion, gender, nationality.

When I grew up in suburban Washington, DC, our neighborhood of Somerset bordered another, Kenwood, which had a few years earlier gotten rid of restrictive deed convenants that barred many of the "others" from moving in, but was still home to the Kenwood Country Club, whose facilities, in the vernacular of the day,  barred Jews, Negroes and Orientals.

So that's what I hear when I hear "Club" - -  you people, stay out.

Or consider "club," a noun for a weapon.

Or as a verb, to strike or hammer or crush.

Regardless, Club sounds about right (Right) as a support group for Walker and his legislative club/clubbers.

And the "Growth" part? Isn't the spread between rich and poor getting wider every day?

'nuf said.

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