Althouse: Does the term "dark money" sound scary because it — intentionally?

October 9, 2014

Does the term "dark money" sound scary because it — intentionally? — resonates with racism?

"When I hear the phrase, I can't help but think of normal cash, with Presidents and other Founding Fathers on it, going from the familiar pale green to a much darker shade."

33 comments:

Fernandinande said...: Does the term "dark money" sound scary because it — intentionally? — resonates with racism?

It's sounds extra-scary to me because it resonates with dark matter.; 10/9/14, 9:21 AM
MadisonMan said...: Dark Money reminds me of Dark Lady.

Cue the Cher soundtrack!; 10/9/14, 9:23 AM
Henry said...: It also resonates with dark pools.

But still. How racist is the statement "it's hard to see in the dark"?

You could call it "night money" which resonates with "night soil".

My choice would be "crepuscular money" in that it's clearly there, but kind of hard to follow.; 10/9/14, 9:25 AM
Nonapod said...: I always just assumed it was an idiom borrowed from astrophysics. In astrophysics the adjective "dark" is often used as a descriptor to indicate something that is currently unknown. Terms like dark matter, dark energy, and dark flow are used to describe things that aren't understood fully.; 10/9/14, 9:27 AM
MayBee said...: Was "Zero Dark Thirty" a racist movie?; 10/9/14, 9:31 AM
traditionalguy said...: No wonder so much money needs laundering these days.

Money laundering is the act of turning dark money into acceptable money. And its only declared to be a criminal act because it hides money from the Government taking its cut.; 10/9/14, 9:34 AM
Fen said...: Shadow Government. <- gets the point across.

so Shadow Money would be more appropriate, but it doesn't roll of the tongue.

Dark Money <- fewer syllables for talking points and memes, sounds better so it will be repeated more often, still conveys image of "corrupt" money.

so Not Racist, no more than saying Evil is a corruption of Good (forces of darkness VS forces of light); 10/9/14, 9:40 AM
hawkeyedjb said...: We're having a big to-do in Arizona about Dark Money, which is bad because Republicans are using it and it comes from the Evil Koch Brothers. It can't be all that dark, since we know where it comes from and where it's going, but since it's The Wrong People, it's bad.; 10/9/14, 9:45 AM
MayBee said...: Dark --> We were following the terrorist chatter, but then it went dark.

Don't be afraid of the dark.

It's about a lack of light, a lack of information. It sounds scary because we are more vulnerable when there is lack of either.; 10/9/14, 9:48 AM
RecChief said...: "
Does the term "dark money" sound scary because it — intentionally? — resonates with racism? What do you think, Crack Emcee?"

Just to remove any ambiguity about why this blog post exists.; 10/9/14, 9:56 AM
MayBee said...: People who want to prove they aren't racist need to behave the same in the darkness as they do in the daylight.
Ooooh...according to Jezebel, that would also prove you aren't sexist.; 10/9/14, 9:58 AM
AustinRoth said...: You really need a new tag - "CrackBait"; 10/9/14, 10:04 AM
Dan Hossley said...: I think "dark money" conjures up the image of money changing hands in the dark of night. That is, hidden from view.; 10/9/14, 10:13 AM
Anonymous said...: Republicans in WI are suing in order to make all dark money in political campaigns totally legal.

Because the only thing better than unlimited financing of a political campaign is secret unlimited financing of a political campaign.; 10/9/14, 10:17 AM
Rocketeer said...: And why not? Our ballots are secret; the same rationale for secret ballots applies to political contributions.; 10/9/14, 10:19 AM
RecChief said...: "madisonfella said...
Republicans in WI are suing in order to make all dark money in political campaigns totally legal.
"

Please define dark money.; 10/9/14, 10:20 AM
Michael said...: Absolutely racist and absolutely intentional. Just like the black boxes on airplanes and the dark clouds airplanes often fly into.

I think that dark and black are two words that need to be redefined to mean dignity and excellence.

Wouldn't it make more sense to call this "white money" since it comes from white supremacists? White is being redefined to mean racist and evil, so why not redefine black and dark?; 10/9/14, 10:22 AM
chuck said...: No. Dark means hidden, as in no light.

Is a moonless night racist?; 10/9/14, 10:43 AM
CWJ said...: It should be renamed African-American money. It should be stripped from the politicians and placed in escrow for the day of reparations is coming!; 10/9/14, 11:14 AM
Clayton Hennesey said...: A Dallas County Commissioner currently under indictment by the FBI has already rendered the reductio ad absurdem for this line of thinking so I don't expect it to gain much more traction.; 10/9/14, 11:36 AM
Graham Powell said...: I'm with everyone who thinks it's more about the money being secret, though I think the connotation is that it's not just unknown, but intentionally hidden.; 10/9/14, 11:36 AM
kcom said...: All you have to see is a dark, towering thunderstorm bearing down on you to know the power of blackness as a metaphor for bad. Especially when you're out riding a bike. No more need be said where blackness gets that connotation. Plus gangrene.; 10/9/14, 11:42 AM
Uncle Pavian said...: Every time I see the name "Austan Goolsby" in print, it's always said inside my head by the voice of Jim Backus as Mr. Howell from Gilligan's Island.; 10/9/14, 11:45 AM
n.n said...: Is that why "black holes" were reclassified as "gray holes"?; 10/9/14, 12:10 PM
Brando said...: I think Crack is looking at this post and thinking: "too easy."; 10/9/14, 12:47 PM
Lucien said...: Wasn't "soft money" supposed to resonate with impotence?; 10/9/14, 4:05 PM
Sigivald said...: The black budget for classified military projects was doubtless meant to make us think of black people as more patriotic, right?

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, what's wrong with people?; 10/9/14, 5:22 PM
ddh said...: "Dark money" makes me think of dark matter, the hypothetical stuff that affects gravity in the universe but can't be seen.; 10/9/14, 5:38 PM
furious_a said...: A $7 Bill with Crack's face on it.; 10/9/14, 6:05 PM
furious_a said...: Ebony Money. Obsidian Money.; 10/9/14, 6:09 PM
cubanbob said...: I like dark money. Unlike white money the dirt on a dark bill isn't as visible.; 10/9/14, 6:37 PM
Known Unknown said...: I hope no one is too niggardly with that dark money.

(Trying again to get past the wonderful moderation.); 10/10/14, 8:49 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: RecChief,

"Just to remove any ambiguity about why this blog post exists."

A baseless assumption, exhibited as proof of something, though it reveals nothing.

AustinRoth,

"You really need a new tag - "CrackBait""

A baseless assumption, exhibited as proof of something, though it reveals nothing.

Michael,

"Absolutely racist and absolutely intentional. Just like the black boxes on airplanes and the dark clouds airplanes often fly into."

There's a long history of American whites thinking like this, and white supremacy making it so, so pardon me if the suggestion - of reversing the trend - sounds like a winner.

I'm sorry so many whites don't know the history, though that, too, is "absolutely intentional."

Our forefathers really did a job on us all,...; 10/10/14, 2:54 PM