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Dog whistles are coded words or phrases that sound harmless on the surface but carry hidden meaning to insiders—especially those invested in racism, xenophobia, and authoritarianism. They’re designed to fly under the radar, to create plausible deniability (“I didn’t say anything racist”) while still riling up a base with extremist signals.
Decoding Dog Whistles
Dog whistles are coded words or phrases that sound harmless on the surface but carry hidden meaning to insiders—especially those invested in racism, xenophobia, and authoritarianism. They’re designed to fly under the radar, to create plausible deniability (“I didn’t say anything racist”) while still riling up a base with extremist signals.
Why It Matters for Adults Who Work With Children
Children are sponges. They overhear speeches, soundbites, even TikToks, and they ask questions—or absorb the bias in silence. If we don’t understand the language of hate ourselves, we can’t call it out, explain it, or inoculate kids against it. Teaching young people to recognize coded hate is part of peace education. It’s how we strip away the disguise and show the harm underneath.
Common Dog Whistles in Today’s Politics
(Examples pulled from recent public speeches—no need to give the speakers airtime.)
“Awakening the dragon” → Evokes violent resurgence; often linked to white nationalist myth of a “sleeping giant” race rising up.
“Invasion” (to describe immigration) → Frames people as enemies, not neighbors.
“Silent majority” → Suggests that only one (white, conservative) demographic is the “real America.”
“Globalists” → Antisemitic code implying Jewish control.
“Law and order” → Historically a euphemism for cracking down on Black and Brown communities.
“Take our country back” → Suggests ownership of the nation is racialized.
How to Teach and Call Them Out
Name it: Say directly, “That’s coded language. Here’s what it really means.”
Connect it: Show the historical roots—how these phrases were used during the civil rights era, or even by Nazis.
Flip it: Model new language that affirms belonging, justice, and solidarity.
Practice with kids: Encourage critical listening—“What do you think they mean when they say that?”
The Rebel’s Stance
Peace requires clarity. Justice requires honesty. We can’t fight what we won’t name. When we teach children to decode dog whistles, we’re teaching them to resist manipulation—and to choose truth over fear.
The Peace Rebellion: Rooted in peace. Ready for change.