dog whistle politics
n.— «A simple statement such as “I don’t like political correctness” might not sound too threatening but there are some who hear something quite different, such as “It’s okay to be racist.” When the politician who used the original words is challenged for inciting racism, he or she is able to say, “No, all I said was I’m against political correctness, what’s wrong with that?” A number of people last week hotly disputed that wedge and dog-whistle politics are played in Australia. Don’t believe them. That’s just spin.» —“Driving a wedge to win” by Dennis Atkins Courier Mail (Brisbane, Australia) Apr. 10, 2000. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
What kind of book do people ask for most often in prison? Romance novels? No. The Bible? No. The most requested books by far are … dictionaries! A number of volunteer organizations gather and distribute used dictionaries to help inmates with...
Twice a day the River Thames recedes, revealing a muddy shoreline. Hobbyists known as mudlarks stroll the surface searching for objects that have found their way into the river over the centuries, everything from ancient Roman jewelry to modern...