BY ANTONIO ACOSTA
December 27, 2016
As we approach the end of 2016, many publications will print their annual person of the year, greatest sports highlight or funniest moment of the year. Amongst those publications will be “Word” of the year.
While certain words impacted us more than others, and some etched forever in our consciousness, others were just fads that will disappear in time. While most of us have a particular fondness for certain words, our social, political, economic circumstances, intellect and education dictate what we find important, fascinating or intriguing. It’s safe to say that age and culture also play a role in what we construed as important language in our lives.
As I thought about a word that described a moment, a monumental event or a time period, a word that will forever be etched in American culture and psyche, one word kept popping into mind. That word is “wrong.”
Why “wrong?”
For those of us who followed the presidential elections, the word “wrong” was probably the most memorable and iconic word uttered by either candidate. It was enunciated several times by President-elect Donald Trump during the debates, to counter some of Hillary Clinton’s statements on policy or negative accusations against President-elect Trump.
Some people, especially those who opposed President-elect Trump, found his use and context of the word very annoying, disrespectful and distasteful. Some on the mainstream media got so worked up, that they publicly lashed out and accused President-elect Trump of being sexist and a misogynist. Unknowingly, they popularized the word even more by reporting almost 24/7 on it.
The word “wrong” not only captured President-elect Trump’s position on Hillary Clinton. It also served as a prediction of election day results. “Wrong” defines what the pundits were when they declared Donald Trump’s candidacy a joke, a delusional afterthought that could never happen. “Wrong” described President Obama’s assertion that Donald Trump would not win the election. It described the mainstream media’s absurd love affair with Hillary Clinton. The collusion between that same media with the Clinton campaign to rob Bernie Sanders of the Democratic Party nomination. It described how corrupt the Clintons are. It described how negligent, reckless, irresponsible and careless Hillary Clinton and her aides were while handling State secrets.
The word “wrong” described what the American public thought of the Benghazi attacks. It highlighted how President Obama’s domestic policies and agenda created more divisiveness amongst many Americans. It described President Obama’s red line in Syria. His view of ISIS as the JV team. His delusional believe that by taking out Bin Laden, Al Qaeda would fall apart. His decision on removing all combat troops from Iraq. This being arguably one of the biggest military blunders in human history.
“Wrong” described the state of affairs for most working class Americans. It described the almost 50 million Americans on government assistance. The record number of heroin, meth and drug addicts. “Wrong,” is the state of the Veterans Affairs! Were dozens of our finest Americans have died while waiting for care.
“Wrong” is our $20 trillion national debt. It’s our $800 billion trade deficit, $500 of it with China. It’s the more than 70,000 factories closed since NAFTA was signed. “Wrong” is China’s takeover of the South China Sea, where trillions of dollars flow through, in commercial trade.
“Wrong” is selling baby body parts for profit, getting taxpayers support to do it and calling it, women’s health care.
Most importantly, the word “wrong” highlighted a large majority of the American public’s sentiments and displeasure with the current state of affairs in the United States. For many Americans, the hope they were promised in 2008, never materialized. Instead, uncertainty and despair, grieve, hopelessness and racial divisiveness became the norm and reality. “Wrong” is the path most Americans didn’t want to continue heading into. Hence, January 20, we will call Donald J. Trump, President Trump.
“Wrong” is OneAmericana.com 2016 Word of the Year.
OneAmericana.com