I wish literate people would stop using the word “elite” for those who circle the wagons around any and all anti-U.S. statement and cause. The French word “elite” means “better,” “chosen,” “rare in a good sense.” That is not what any of these people are, whether they’re in academe, journalism, or government. Elite is appropriately used when describing groups such as Green Berets, or philharmonic orchestra musicians, or others who half achieved rare levels of human possibility.
The way commentators keep using the word is not really seeming to be ironic, and if it is, its continual use does not get the ironic across. The use of the word just reinforces the mistaken notion that those with the bully pulpit somehow have the right to run the show. Even those the Right call “elites” don’t use the word “elite” to describe themselves.
Please, media folks and Freepers - stop using the word “elite” for these people and dissuade others from doing so. They are not elite. They are in a position to have a large audience, but they are not in any way “elite.” They are not at the top of their fields in achievement. They are parrots of a political agenda. They are spokespersons for agendas. They are propagandists for agendas. That’s all.
Words evolve and elite has many meanings these days, especially concerning politics.
Have you seen the change in the word gay to mean dumb, stupid, lame etc instead of homosexual?