Dog whistle is a type of strategy of communication that sends a message that the general population will take a certain meaning from, but a certain group that is "in the know" will take away the secret, intended message. Often involves code words.
Republicans say they want to make civil rights for gays a state issue, which is really just a dog whistle strategy for saying that they will refuse to grant equal rights on a federal level.
by magnummanager July 23, 2011
a secret whistle used by dogs so they can identify each other as members of the cool whistling dog club
by mantis_shrimp August 4, 2020
In politics, a dog whistle is the use of coded or suggestive language in political messaging to garner support from a particular group without provoking opposition. The concept is named after ultrasonic dog whistles, which are audible to dogs but not humans.
Something to be aware of; however, is that it is also a slippery slope fallacy in which bad actors can claim any one thing can also mean another thing without having to explain why logically. The counter to this is to ask them to explain how they came to that conclusion, to which, they won't be able to actually explain why logically.
Equating legitimate generalized statements or criticisms and concerns to hate is generally how the Dog Whistle Slippery Slope Fallacy is abused by bad actors looking to put words or intent in their victim's mouths.
This also leads to a circular logic problem where the person injecting the slippery slope dog whistling racist intent into the meaning of a generalized statement will claim everyone who disagrees with them are bigots, and they know they are bigots because they don't agree with their beliefs, therefore those beliefs are correct because all who disagree with them are bigots.
Something to be aware of; however, is that it is also a slippery slope fallacy in which bad actors can claim any one thing can also mean another thing without having to explain why logically. The counter to this is to ask them to explain how they came to that conclusion, to which, they won't be able to actually explain why logically.
Equating legitimate generalized statements or criticisms and concerns to hate is generally how the Dog Whistle Slippery Slope Fallacy is abused by bad actors looking to put words or intent in their victim's mouths.
This also leads to a circular logic problem where the person injecting the slippery slope dog whistling racist intent into the meaning of a generalized statement will claim everyone who disagrees with them are bigots, and they know they are bigots because they don't agree with their beliefs, therefore those beliefs are correct because all who disagree with them are bigots.
Normie: We need to be tougher on crime!
Wokie: That's a racist dog whistle!
Normie: What about it is racist?
Wokie: You're calling for arresting more inserts racial group(s) here that aren't "white".
Normie: How so?
Wokie: Because you're racist! REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!
Wokie: That's a racist dog whistle!
Normie: What about it is racist?
Wokie: You're calling for arresting more inserts racial group(s) here that aren't "white".
Normie: How so?
Wokie: Because you're racist! REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!
by ApplesPotatoGardner May 14, 2023
The act of using coded words, phrases or even emoji to say specific things to a specific group while seeming innocuous to the general public. It can be used for members of a group to acknowledge who each other are, or to rename issues so that they seem different to the general public, or to bring up events to push an agenda.
B: Why did you roll your eyes at the person talking about being shocked at Swedish rape statistics?
A: Well, they were dog whistling. Look at the comment closer.
B: Dog whistling what?
A: A certain group brings up the Swedish rape statistics in order to push the agenda that refugees are evil rapists. Since Sweden reports rapes in high numbers and also takes in many refugees they link the two. While this is correct, technically, it's misleading. Sweden REPORTS rapes in higher numbers because they count rape offences differently to other countries. So bringing up this misleading point about swedish crime statistics being shocking is a dog whistle to trick centrists into falling for their ideas.
B: Wow, that group must be really hateful and trash.
A: They are.
B:How do you know that they are part of that group though?
A:Check his handle, see those emojis? That's another act of dog whistling, members of that group use those emojis in their names to let other members know they are in on it.
B: But they're really inane things like an animal and a hand sign.
A: It wouldn't be very secret if it was just the flag they want to use, now would it?
Another example can be found in the dog whistling in this very definition. It's not very subtle but the idea is still there. The members of the group that I'm referring to know who they are and they got my message. And are probably very upset.
A: Well, they were dog whistling. Look at the comment closer.
B: Dog whistling what?
A: A certain group brings up the Swedish rape statistics in order to push the agenda that refugees are evil rapists. Since Sweden reports rapes in high numbers and also takes in many refugees they link the two. While this is correct, technically, it's misleading. Sweden REPORTS rapes in higher numbers because they count rape offences differently to other countries. So bringing up this misleading point about swedish crime statistics being shocking is a dog whistle to trick centrists into falling for their ideas.
B: Wow, that group must be really hateful and trash.
A: They are.
B:How do you know that they are part of that group though?
A:Check his handle, see those emojis? That's another act of dog whistling, members of that group use those emojis in their names to let other members know they are in on it.
B: But they're really inane things like an animal and a hand sign.
A: It wouldn't be very secret if it was just the flag they want to use, now would it?
Another example can be found in the dog whistling in this very definition. It's not very subtle but the idea is still there. The members of the group that I'm referring to know who they are and they got my message. And are probably very upset.
by VividAlice August 26, 2018
Dog whistling is widely — and correctly — understood as expressing racially loaded ideas in coded terms
by drewlips February 4, 2017
A conspiracy made up by far left people to frame harmless statements as some kind of secret racist phrase
Bob: we don't wanna wind up like the valley do we?
Jane: I'm aware of that dog whistle you neo nazi!
Bob: your insane
Jane: I'm aware of that dog whistle you neo nazi!
Bob: your insane
by Bassnium.exe December 28, 2022
Democrat: Um, excuse me? Did you just say "Merry Christmas?" That is clearly a racist dog whistle for oppressive patriarchal white supremacy.
by Thundernut Williamson November 10, 2021