The debates in Connecticut over same-sex civil unions were about language as much as anything. And, the proponents of this bill won by a preemptive appropriation of words and phrases; e.g., "civil rights" and "love." I have yet to count up the number of references there were to Websters Dictionary. It was many. Rep. Toni Walker appealed to the dictionary as her legislative authority. Sen. Finch referred to the dictionary yesterday in his silly, silly speech, distinguishing "r i t e s" from "r i g h t s."
The Claremont Institute has an interesting article on nominalist and realist philosophies of language, and their application in this issue.
The Claremont Institute: Love's Language Lost
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