What's in a label?

People's emotions and attitudes are so easily manipulated by labels.

Two articles in the Sat., Jan. 10, 2009 AJC (Atlanta-Journal Constitution) really show this. They both begin on the first page of the Metro section.

One is on the state fining gas stations who "gouged" consumers during the gas shortages when hurricanes Gustav & Ike hit last Sept. Now, I don't have a problem with anti-gouging laws, but it is obvious that they are anti-capitalistic. We have been taught to worship "capitalism", or at least worship the word, in opposition to "socialism". One of the tenets of capitalism is that you are free, or even "should" charge as much as your customers will pay. Not allowing a business to do so obviously curtails their "freedom", another useful work for manipulating opinion. But most people fine with anti-gouging laws because it benefits them.

In contrast is an article on a Republican forum on the planned changes to trash pickup in my county of Gwinnett Georgia. The plan will enforce residential trash collection and promote recycling. The county had planned to make recyling mandatory. According to the articel, many audience referred to the mandatory recycling plan, suspended by court order, as "little more than 'trickle-down socialism'" because it mandated recycling. (The county is under state mandate to reduce its share of trash going to landfills.)

I've lived long enough to know that many or most of those who oppose mandatory recycling, will enthusiastically support anti-price-gouging laws. In other words, socialism is fine when it helps their pocketbook, but evil when it helps their community, state, country, and world. So I would say the correct label for them is "unpatriotic".