The use of code words in political campaigning or speechmaking. Coded language appears to mean one thing to the general population but has a different or more specific meaning for a targeted subgroup of the audience.
“We grow good people in our small towns, with honesty, sincerity, and dignity," Sarah Palin.
Dog Whistle Politics translation to racists: White people are safe and those elitists who have Muslim names and work in cities, aka Obama, are dangerous.
Dog Whistle Politics translation to racists: White people are safe and those elitists who have Muslim names and work in cities, aka Obama, are dangerous.
by portend October 25, 2008
A surreptitious inclusion of code words or phrases that will be heard by some of those listening, while not disturbing the other listeners, who may not appreciate the hidden message(s).
President George W. Bush is constantly littering his speeches with dog whistle comments meant for the religious right, so that he can tell them what they wants to hear, while not offending those who aren't evangelical or born again. (paraphrase of text by Ian Welsh, on his Agonist blog)
by Mike P. Grant, esq. October 5, 2006
In the Republican Southern Strategy, terms, phrases, and actions that evoke racism to racists, while being plausibly deniable to the press and the wider public. Much of this code is inherited from the pro-slavery code of the antebellum South.
The name is a reference to high-pitched dog whistles that people cannot hear, but dogs can.
The name is a reference to high-pitched dog whistles that people cannot hear, but dogs can.
Dog Whistle Code became an essential part of the Republican Southern Strategy after overt racism became unacceptable.
Barry Goldwater's Libertarianism was Dog Whistle Code for segregation at the 1964 Republican Convention.
Ronald Reagan's first Presidential campaign appearance was itself Dog Whistle Code, taking place in Philadelphia, Mississippi, the scene of the murder of three civil rights workers.
States' Rights
Originally, Dog Whistle Code for the right to keep slaves, then the right to maintain Jim Crow segregation laws, now the right to oppress any disfavored minorities, women, immigrants, GLBTs and the rest of the riffraff
Deficits don't matter (Ronald Reagan)
Because they hurt Blacks worse than Whites (Lee Atwater, explaining the Southern Strategy and Dog Whistle Code)
Barry Goldwater's Libertarianism was Dog Whistle Code for segregation at the 1964 Republican Convention.
Ronald Reagan's first Presidential campaign appearance was itself Dog Whistle Code, taking place in Philadelphia, Mississippi, the scene of the murder of three civil rights workers.
States' Rights
Originally, Dog Whistle Code for the right to keep slaves, then the right to maintain Jim Crow segregation laws, now the right to oppress any disfavored minorities, women, immigrants, GLBTs and the rest of the riffraff
Deficits don't matter (Ronald Reagan)
Because they hurt Blacks worse than Whites (Lee Atwater, explaining the Southern Strategy and Dog Whistle Code)
by Antibogotes October 5, 2010
He swore up and down he wasn't racist, and got all pissed about it, even after saying he just couldn't stand working with black people anymore. I guess he just can't hear dog whistle racism.
by C-monster December 21, 2013
by Fluffy chinchilla January 6, 2022
Girl 1: I'm glad you broke up with that guy, he's nuts!
Girl 2: he was normal at first and then about 2 months in I knew what his true colours were and they got louder and louder and louder and they are so loud right now it's a higher decibel than he is able to even hear himself
Girl 1: He's obviously dog whistle crazy
Girl 2: he was normal at first and then about 2 months in I knew what his true colours were and they got louder and louder and louder and they are so loud right now it's a higher decibel than he is able to even hear himself
Girl 1: He's obviously dog whistle crazy
by scissor-me-timbre June 22, 2010