My new column is up: Curse of the language corrupters.

As aggravating as the BBC’s linguistic whitewashers are, our own are just as bad or worse:

How many times have you heard some cable TV talking head or political hack urging us to be on “heightened alert” without having the courage to spell out exactly what that means?

How many times has this been followed by a furrowed-brow precaution from some civil rights lawyer or human rights activist urging us to avoid an “anti-Muslim backlash?”

Watching the “heightened alert” heavy breathers always make me think of this:

Read the rest of the column for my list of many of the specific policies I think constitute “heightened alert”–national security profiling and immigration enforcement measures that few hacks and flacks want to spell out when they’re on TV pontificating about how we need to roll up our sleeves, “be vigilant,” blah, blah blah.

The bloviators won’t get specific about what really needs to be done because when they do, they’ll be accused of advocating, yes, an “anti-Muslim backlash.” Column conclusion:

In London, “terrorists” are “bombers.” In the U.S., citizen watchdogs are “vigilantes.” The Ministry of Truth would be pleased.