Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

It’s interesting how those who don’t like something are always trying to redefine it. If it doesn’t fit your agenda, redefine it so it will by turning the meaning around so it fits your message.

Here is current examples I’ve seen recently:

Looting

The definition we all understand and have used in the past is NOT a tough one to remember. It is basically stealing or taking something that isn’t yours by force. If you need a reminder of what the definition is you can look at Dictionary.com (here) and Mirriam-Webster.com (here).

My guess is that you really don’t need a reminder.

Bernie Sanders and his Socialist friends are trying to create a class war (this is a Communist tactic) by specifically trying to redefine the word during the present crisis. Maybe you have seen some of this flying around social media.

The looting of America has been going on for over 40 years – and the culprits are the ultra-rich.  ~ Bernie Sanders

American billionaires got $434 billion richer during pandemic. (widely reported by news media)

So, people who spent their lives building a business and positioning themselves in a place to prosper are going to be faulted for consumers going to their place of business to buy supplies?

Example: Amazon (I mean, because it is so obvious). It was literally set up so that you could order anything, any time, from anywhere, and have it delivered to your doorstep. It was set up to make it as convenient for you as possible. And you love it.

So consumers were forced, or they willingly complied, to stay home and order things online. This is exactly why the business was created or has adapted to the changing retail landscape. They didn’t do anything wrong and is perfectly acceptable for them to do. That would make them pioneers and visionaries in retail, right? As such, it’s perfect for those who have had the foresight to establish, or adjust, a business that has this capability.

Why then would you fault Jeff Bezos or any other person for making money during the pandemic? This is what a business is for. To make money. By ordering online. As far as I can tell, he wasn’t price gauging people for the goods he was selling. Prices didn’t suddenly and ridiculously increase because of the situation. He wasn’t taking advantage of the situation. He literally continued to do what he set up his business to do.

Sure, there were probably some 3rd party sellers who may have taken advantage of the platform and increased prices. Sure, that will always happen. That isn’t new to any crisis. But was it a systemic, company wide policy/effort to defraud the population? No. Amazon and others worked to correct the issue as it was discovered and reported.

Look, I think it is clear that the work of a political party is trying engender bitterness, anger, and dissatisfaction with people who make money in legitimate ways. They are trying to pit the poor, and even the middle class, against those who are rich. For them, they can’t gain ground politically any other way so redefining words and making the word to encompass a broader meaning means that they stimulate mistrust and hatred.

This word being redefined is nonsensical. Let’s keep it a crime and not turn it into something it isn’t.