And yet here you are deep in the comment section of a buried HN post. Apparently you do care. If it doesn’t matter, then just use the right word. I just vouched for your comment btw.
Appreciate it. But really, we need to focus on shit that matters. There's no need to browbeat people into using words we prefer. We want to make actual progress. Is the world any better if people use the right words, but continue to do bad things?
I’m not trying to wage a war here. I just don’t the push back on this. I know it’s a trivial issue, but it’s important to me because it’s part of a larger conversation.
Taking a step back: when someone corrects me on a terminology mistake, my response is “oh, I didn’t realize that. I’ll try to use the right terminology going forward.” Not to argue that it doesn’t matter. Again, if it doesn’t matter, then just move along with your day.
To answer your question: no. Of course actions are more important than words.
You are literally calling the Democratic Party's extensive use of Democrats over Democratic <whatever> a rhetorical war by the GOP. Sounds like you are trying to wage a war here to me.
> Taking a step back: when someone corrects me on a terminology mistake
Here's the problem. You did not just stop at correcting their mistake. You stated "Democrat Party" is part of a rhetorical war by the GOP. You were trying to shame someone and slander another party for the Democratic Party's own use of Democrats as the primary means of identification. The GOP is not making the Democratic Party go around referring to their members as Democrats. It certainly is not preventing Democrats from using Democratic <whatever> in their communications which the average person is exposed to.
When I see someone misuse the word, I cannot know if it was a harmless mistake, or whether they are intentionally engaging in the war, but I assume it was a harmless mistake.
At no point have I accused anyone in this thread of malfeasance. I have not attempted to shame anyone. I simply let jwond know that they had used the wrong word, and as a courtesy, I let them know of the on-going rhetorical war.
Again, if I misused a word, I'd want to know. If my misuse was often used as insult (even if by others but not by me), I'd especially want to know.
This is no longer a productive conversation, so this is my final reply.