Right-wing politicians are on the warpath. They want to banish everything that is, as they call it, “woke.”
The Florida legislature passed the Stop W.O.K.E. bill, which is currently before the courts. Social media is rife with posts decrying the evils of, as Elon Musk calls it, the “woke mind,” and Sarah Huckabee Sanders accuses President Joe Biden of being led by a “woke mob.” People around the country want “woke” teachers jailed. The only problem is that the word itself has very little meaning. And that is what makes the word dangerous.
What do people think they mean when they use the word “woke”? A lot of different things. Some see it as a reference to the excesses of political correctness. Others believe the word applies to anything that makes them feel guilty for being white. Some see the word as a sign of gender confusion. And others somehow see “woke” as referring to socialism, communism or even fascism. This would be funny if it weren’t so serious.
