Monday, February 13, 2012

Acceptable words

Your Say - Croydon Guardian

The week after the Croydon Guardian exposed the remarkable decision to opt for Beddington rather than Allington, Kent, for the South London incinerator (neither solution is correct), the letters page was completely full of words relating to the incinerator........ quite unprecedented.

The following week more words in the letters page relating to the decision taken by Tory Waddon councillors to break their promise regarding the incinerator were published.[They have pledged to vote against on their website]

As Greens we were furious at the apparent ease that they could lie to their voters - pledge to vote one way to get elected, and do the other in the Council Chamber . CR7 Green, Brendan Walsh, who manages our Twitter account, used several hashtags to describe this action: #gutless #shameful #selfserving #vile #twofaced.

I have to admit I was surprised at his use of the word 'vile'. There must be a conformity user guide for political speak somewhere. We're almost obliged to use mild mannered words like angered and appalled, but why can't the word vile be used? After all it is just a word. I remember Adrian Oliver, a former Green Party councillor on Camden Council, once describing a policy decision as morally reprehensible.
Dictionary.com offers morally debased as one meaning for vile, admittedly amongst other definitions, including filthy (when relating to language). Brendan explained his use of the word in a blog entitled Vilegate after the mini furore that ensued.

This brings us back to the Waddon councillors, I guess to Councillors Hilley, Hoar and Harris, a promise is just words.

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