Jordan finds fault with the quote “one of the most unselfish missions ever undertaken by one nation in defense of another” because it was an understatement. Jordan refers to the quote as “the language of the power” suggesting that white people who rule the country all speak in that way. It is very easy for people like Nixon to sugarcoat many things because he is white and he has that privilege. Jordan emphasizes that the definitions of words and phrases in White English are different in Black English. It is simply two separate languages – the language of the powerful and the powerless.
When Jordan says, “The problem is that we are saying language, but really dealing with power” he really means that the problem is not just the difference in language between whites and blacks. The real issue is that those in power stay in power and those who are powerless just have to absorb and take in the fate they have been born into. The problem is that Black English is not being heard loud enough and not being acknowledged. This enforces White English even more and even with Jordan’s comparison to a school as a “battleground”, he is implying that the language that is being taught in schools makes black people feel like they don’t belong or that they have to change who they are to be “normal”.
I personally stand with Jordan in that White English is so normalized in our society and so embedded into our lives, we are losing our own cultural language and practices. I think he is illustrating that no matter what, our first language is our best language and we should use it to fight for our wants and needs. We should use our voice and our language instead of being okay with being powerless and silent. Speak up and advocate for your language.
I agree with the last paragraph you wrote, we should be able to talk in ways we feel free to.
I believe the Vietnam comment Nixon made can be interpreted in many ways, but in the end, Nixon is using standard white English to indeed sugarcoat his needs. The U.S entered the war for many reasons, but the idea that we did it just to stop communism is sugarcoating at its best.
I agree with the last sentence because people should use their voice and speak about anything they want and shouldn’t stop themselves from advocating on a real issue that is happening in society and would like to talk about it. Everyone has their own language and their own peace of mind which should be heard and learn from.