Yes!

[yendi]

We’re definitely well past the point where anyone brandishing the word “socialist” for anything relating to Obama might as well have a blinking neon sign over their head that reads “tool.” Please, just stop

Seriously. What Scalzi said.

(And yes, that includes the comments section, of course.)

Comments

[audacian.livejournal.com]

Preach.

[feste-sylvain.livejournal.com]

Look, I use the word "socialist" when encountering government programs which seek to subsume free activity under centralized government control. I used it for eight years during the Bush administration, and I really don't want to stop now.

But if the word has become that polluted, then I need a new word.

[yendi]

It really has.

Although it's worth noting that when someone tries to troll Scalzi's post, Scalzi calls him specifically on the fact that he uses the S word in relation to Obama and not to Bush.

[mfree.livejournal.com]

It's all about using it right versus using it wrong. Enough people use it wrong and the word's worthless.

[muse0fire.livejournal.com]

Every time I see those stupid comments on Facebook it's all I can do not to reply HE'S NOT A FUCKING SOCIALIST YOU FUCKING MORONS - but fortunately other of my friends usually manage to post much more cohesive, eloquent and intelligent responses. So I refrain. For now.

[jerel.livejournal.com]

I disagree with Scalzi. I think my students are interested (at least for now) in what Obama has to say. Because (a) they kind of like him, and (b) that's 20 minutes in which they won't have to read the assigned novel.

(In my own defense, I did not assign this novel. It was assigned as summer reading by the previous teacher, so I'm now obligated to teach it.)

[phantom_wolfboy]

I haven't read Scalzi's post yet. I'll get to it, but not until after I go grocery shopping.

But, Dude . . . Obama's too right-wing to be a socialist. The rest of the world knows this.