Inspector Morse of British detective story fame was standing at a murder scene looking for a linguistic coagulative.  The group he was trying to tie a toe tag to was medical professionals who specialize in post mortem examinations known as autopsies.  A fictional Oxford alum, he came up with "a body of pathologists."  The search for absurd taxonomical group designations peaked in 19th Century England, and was spawned by phrases like "a school of fish."  There is an American (Sixties?) book on the subject, and if memory serves the title is "An Exultation of Larks."

Our passion is the current American Renaissance, the rise of traditional values which is replacing the tired corpse of socialism/communism originated by Marx while living in 19th Century England, introduced to the U.S.A. in the early 20th Century and, euphemistically titled the progressive movement, re-energized by our academic community in the nineteen thirties and forties..  It was a movement that peaked in intensity during the Sixties, though its effects (the welfare state, political correctness, etc.) have persisted into the 21st Century. 

Since socialism is a collective ideology, the nomenclatura of multiples applies. Here are some designations we like. 

A latrine of liberals.
A dugout of democrats.
A plague of progressives

Where family names have risen to fame, how about:

A cartoon of Clintons
A slough of Schumers
A pimple of Pelosis
A wedgie of Wydens

Closer to home, we have many collectives in Oregon.

A whacko of environmentalists
A carpool of transportation experts
A spandex of cyclists
A botch of broadcast journalists
A bouquet of homosexual marriage advocates

This is way too easy at times. The group names come down like Oregon rain.  People who want no immigration laws protecting our borders?  A subsidy of multiculturalists.  People who believe the state should own all property?  A domain of eminents.  People who use government regulation to "protect" the public from every imagined risk that comes down the pike?  A nanny of bureaucrats.

And you, the readers of Oregon Magazine?

A genius of patriots!

(LL)

© 2005 Oregon Magazine