The enthusiastic adoption of the phrase by President Joe Biden’s detractors suggests that “Let’s go Brandon” is best described as a minced oath. These are euphemisms used in place of a taboo or blasphemous expression. Such oaths have a long history in English. Some Biden supporters are turning the phrase into one of support for him. And as a variant, some of the president’s supporters have begun to employ, “Thank you Brandon.”
The Conversation
How the Omicron Variant Was Found and What We Know So Far
South Africa has several laboratories that can grow and study the actual virus and discover how far antibodies, formed in response to vaccination or previous infection, are able to neutralise the new virus. This data will allow scientists to to characterize the new virus and develop counter strategies.
The More Telling Months After the First Thanksgiving
What happened four months after the first Thanksgiving, starting in March 1622 about 600 miles south of Plymouth, is far more reflective of the country’s origins – a story not of peaceful coexistence but of distrust, displacement and repression.
The Personhood Argument Gestating Over Abortion
On Dec. 1, 2021, the court will hear a case many believe will force the conservative justices — who now command a majority of the court — to decide if they will strike down Roe v. Wade or uphold the long-standing precedent. But a third path could focus a ruling on a more neglected aspect of the ruling in Roe — the court’s understanding of the facts of fetal personhood.
Waukesha, Wisconsin, and the Era of Vehicles as Weapon of Mass Killing
Cars, SUVs and trucks can be an efficient means of mass killing such as the SUV attack of a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and one that can be virtually impossible to prepare against. Furthermore, it is becoming harder to prosecute the driver involved in such fatalities in some states.
Conversion Therapy Is Lethal Bunk, But Fewer Than Half the States Ban It
Many LGBTQ youth live in states, Florida among them, that have no ban in place protecting them from conversion therapy – a practice that the scientific community has long since shunned, and that nearly doubles the incidence of suicide among gay, lesbian and bisexual people victimized by the fraud.
No Such Things as ‘Smart’ Missiles That Avoid Civilians
The development of more precise missiles and guided bombs does not automatically mean a reduction in civilian deaths. For one thing, “precision” is not about protecting civilians so much as making these weapons “more lethal”.
Rittenhouse Verdict Flies in the Face of Legal Standards for Self-Defense
In delivering its verdict, a Wisconsin jury decided that Rittenhouse’s conduct was justified, even though the prosecution argued that he provoked the violent encounter and, therefore, should not be able to find refuge in the self-defense doctrine.
These Foods You Love Are as Addictive and Worse Than Cigarettes and Booze Combined
For many, the desire to change what they eat is triggered by concerns about potentially life-threatening health conditions, like diabetes and heart disease. The impact of diet on health is not a small problem, and pose a greater risk to human health than unsafe sex and alcohol, drug and tobacco use combined.
Online Anonymity: ‘Stable Pseudonyms’ Create a More Civil Environment than Real User Names
Research suggests that anonymity – under certain conditions – can actually make for more civil and productive online discussion. This surprising result came out of a study looking at the deliberative quality of comments on online news articles under a range of different identity rules.