I was working at my local polling station that year — just helping people vote.
It was normally quiet, civic work.
The kind of thing that used to be boring, full of mostly retired folks who don’t have a job to be at or kids to take care of.
But this was a presidential election, and everything was different. Trump had already planted the seeds of his Big Lie.
Turns out, a lot of people don’t really understand how elections work so it’s easy for them to believe whatever rumor comes across their TV.
I posted a few facts on Facebook about how ballots are counted.
Just clearing up some confusion. Nothing spicy.
And then came the comment:
COMMUNIST.
All caps. No punctuation. No explanation.
That was the whole argument.
And here’s the thing:
It worked.
Not on me directly. But it disrupted the conversation.
It shifted the tone.
Made it feel unsafe to speak clearly.
Even made me second-guess whether I should’ve said anything at all.
That’s what happens when people start using big, loaded words as weapons instead of language.
“Woke.” “Groomer.” “Radical.” “Communist.”
And now, “DEI.”
Words that used to mean something.
Now emptied out, twisted, and hurled like grenades.
Less about meaning, more about marking — you’re the enemy.
When someone does that, they’re not inviting you into a conversation.
They’re setting a trap.
I did some research, and here’s how I’ve learned to respond:
“Hey — can we pause for a second?
What do you actually mean by that word?”
Ask calmly.
Ask early.
Because if they can’t define it — or won’t — I already have my answer.
And if they can define it, then I know what kind of ground we’re standing on.
Shared reality? Or just projection and fog.
That’s the move: Don’t argue the label. Ask for the meaning.
It stops the game before it starts.
It holds the line without playing defense.
And most importantly — it keeps you grounded in truth.
Because that’s the real win.
That’s what The Dirt Road is here to train:
To speak with clarity in chaos.
To respond with grounded strength, not panic.
To defend truth without losing your balance.
“The most powerful is he who has himself in his own power.”
— Seneca, Roman Stoic philosopher
Your voice is your foundation.
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Violent Communication – Speak Clearly in a Distorted World »
More soon,
Austin