Geography, Names and Press Access
A silly exercise over a not uncommon issue
I do not agree with the banishment of the Associated Press from White House events over the Gulf of Mexico vs Gulf of America kerfuffle. It’s just plain dumb.
How did we arrive at this point? And why is the Associated Press in the middle of it?
The Associated Press been offering advice and information to newspaper writers since 1900. It began offering writing tips in 1911 and it published its first Style Book in 1953. For much of the print media, the AP Style Book is the Rosetta stone when it comes to names, terminology, and usage. The AP regularly updates its Style Book because, among other reasons, geographic locations change names.
The Style Book is generally considered the go-to source on spelling and usage. But let’s be clear. AP Style Book adherence is voluntary on the part of news outlets. There are no reports of the heavens having opened wide and AP was anointed the holy wordsmith by God.
Here are some examples from the Style Book. It tells us the proper word is ‘regardless’ not ‘irregardless.’ Or ‘upward’ is correct not ‘upwards.’ It even notes ‘flutist’ is preferred over ‘flautist,’ describing one who plays that wind instrument. There is something to be said about consistency.
The AP does more than merely offer consistency on terms and usage. It takes strong editorial positions that may overstep its role as a glorified dictionary-encyclopedia combo.
‘Terrorism’ and ‘terrorist’ are taboo, according to AP, unless the terms are attributed to authorities. Apparently, collapsing skyscrapers and detonating suicide bombs must be filed under the workplace violence rubric.
AP appears to be very concerned that such heinous acts may be ascribed to certain groups. But AP is concerned only about certain groups. Other groups? It couldn’t care less. The AP decided the term ‘Roman Catholic’ is inappropriate when describing Roman Catholics. It explains:
“Roman Catholic, which refers to the Latin branch of Catholicism, is not the appropriate first reference when referring to the pope, the Vatican or the universal church. [emphasis in original]”
This AP handwringing is odd considering the pope is literally Roman Catholic.
The AP has taken sides in culture wars. It is occasionally pushes political agendas. A couple decades ago the AP weighed-in on the abortion debate. It didn’t identify ‘pro-choice’ and ‘pro-life,’ perhaps the most popularly-used terms to identify the two opposing points-of-view, as the correct terminology. The AP decreed the only acceptable terms were ‘abortion rights’ and ‘anti-abortion.’
These are not neutral terms. Using the term ‘abortion rights’ implies the ‘rights’ are valid. Generally, if something is ‘anti-’ it is viewed as a negative. Subtle, but effective.
The AP banished the term ‘late-term abortion’ and replaced it with ‘abortion later in pregnancy.’ The AP wants to erase the image some abortions occur late in the third trimester.
A couple years ago, the AP made a change to its Style Book stating that a center that provides pregnancy resources such as counseling, housing, or newborn products should not be called a ‘pregnancy resource center.’ No? Then what should it be called? The AP labels it an ‘anti-abortion center.’
There are other skirmishes in culture wars in which the AP has chosen sides. It patronizes certain demographic groups by capitalizing words that it shouldn’t. This is 100% liberal virtue signaling. The deaf community should be referred to as the ‘Deaf’ community, it claims. But the AP cautions “Not all people with hearing loss use sign language or identify with the Deaf culture and community; such identification can be a deeply personal choice.”
Um, if people who cannot hear are not deaf then what are they?
The AP is so tightly wound over the issue of disabilities that its pronounced the term ‘able-bodied’ to be offensive. No one should be identified as able-bodied, but instead should be described as “nondisabled or people without disabilities.”
Similarly, AP insists ‘black’ is wrong. The term should be ‘Black.’ However ‘white’ is still just ‘white.’ How does any reasonable person justify this? Spoiler alert: they can’t. Also, AP directs ‘pride’ must be capitalized as ‘Pride’ when referring to LGBTQ+ topics.
Like so many on the political left, the AP has declared war on the fairer sex. AP ruled ‘female’ is an offensive term. It explains:
“Female, woman: Revised guidance noting that some people object to the use of female as a descriptor for women because it can be seen as emphasizing biology and reproductive capacity over gender identity. It can also sometimes carry misogynistic tones that may vary in severity by race, class and other factors. [emphasis in original]”
The AP has joined the team that demonizes women who prefer biological males not invade female sports, locker rooms, showers, and other locations where women would prefer privacy from males.
While on the topic, the AP has taken complete leave of its senses when it pretends biology doesn’t exist. That is the upshot of its tortured explanation that ‘pregnant people’ is an acceptable term since men can also carry a child.
“Phrasing like pregnant people or people seeking abortions is also acceptable to include minors or people who have those experiences but do not identify as women, such as some transgender men and some nonbinary people.”
Forget those grammar lessons regarding pronouns you learned in elementary school. AP insists ‘they/them/their’ should be used for a man or woman who identifies with those pronouns, regardless of their actual sex.
The AP has gotten on the ‘gender-affirming care’ bandwagon especially in favor for children writing:
“Opponents of youth transgender medical treatment say there’s no solid proof of purported benefits, cite widely discredited research and say children shouldn’t make life-altering decisions they might regret.”
The Style Book even cautions to “[a]void the word mutilation, a politicized and subjective term often used to mischaracterize surgery.”
The AP assigns definitions to terms that are not universally agreed upon.
“The term defund the police often refers to taking funds from police departments to spend on other priorities such as employment programs, mental health services and social services to increase public safety. The term is sometimes misrepresented as abolishing police.”
This definition is at odds with groups such as Antifa, which not only wants to defund law enforcement, but also burn down its buildings.
The obesity rate in America stands at more than 40%, according to the USDA. It is a preventable physical condition that causes of a slew of serious and even fatal health issues including diabetes and heart disease. Yet, AP has become an accomplice in attempting to normalize a very unhealthy America by putting a spin on certain descriptors:
“People with obesity, people of higher weights and people who prefer the term fat use diverse terms — including those and others — in reference to themselves. Many say the words obesity and obese are offensive or stigmatizing. …
“Use care and precision, considering the impact of specific words and the terms used by the people you are writing about. When possible, ask people how they want to be described. …
“Avoid the modifier obese when possible. Although obese is a variant of the term obesity, many medical professionals say the use as a modifier is more stigmatizing by putting a greater focus on the person rather than on the disease. That stigma can cause people not to seek treatment, they say. …
“Some people with obesity use terms such as plus-sized, people of higher weight, larger-bodied, people of size and others.”
Associated Press has waded into the Arab-Israeli dispute. It steers clear of the matter in its Style Book, but has taken sides in its own reporting. ‘Occupied territories’ is considered a loaded term when used to refer to the West Bank and Gaza. That doesn’t matter. The AP has referred to the “occupied West Bank.”
Let’s examine the facts of the Gulf of Mexico vs Gulf of America brouhaha. AP takes the high ground by insisting Gulf of Mexico is the proper name because it “has carried that name for more than 400 years.” Yet, the AP is not consistent regarding legacy names. AP asserts Taiwan Strait is the correct name even though it had been known as the Formosa Strait for 500 years, an even longer period time.
The reality is name changes have been occurring for centuries. Just ask the people of Peking, Burma, or Rhodesia.
Consider that for nearly three decades there was disagreement over what to call the southernmost republic of the former Yugolsavia. Greece to the south did not like it being named Macedonia for a host of reasons. One reason is Greece has its own geographic region called Macedonia. One presumes Greek officials do not like the idea of Macdeonia the country and Macedonia the region in Greece pairing up to do their own thing. Eventually, Greece and its northern neighbor reached an agreement the former Yugoslavia republic would be named North Macedonia.
Naming disagreements are not uncommon. France declined to join the military coalition after Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990. In response, the cafeterias in the US House of Representatives buildings removed French toast and French fries from their menus and replaced them with Freedom toast and Freedom fries.
When there was growing concern over the amount of processed sugar in breakfast cereal marketed to children the manufacturers immediately responded. They didn’t reduce the amount of sugar in the cereals, they merely removed the term ‘sugar’ from the boxes.
Along this line of food and beverage packaging, some argue Diet Coke is really Tab renamed in a different container.
Virtually everyone who flies calls the airports serving Washington, DC and Baltimore DCA and BWI. They may say National instead of DCA. But regular fliers do not call them Ronald Reagan or Thurgood-Marshall Airports.
As an aside, I defy anyone to tell me how many states comprise the Midwest, and which states are they? I doubt no two people would agree on an answer. However, the AP claims to know.
“Use Midwest, not Middle West, for the 12-state region as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau (previously designated the North Central region) that is broken into two divisions. Capitalize Midwestern as an adjective describing the region.
The five East North Central states are Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin.
The seven West North Central states are Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.”
Speaking of the Midwest, a Big 10 Conference football rivalry is between Ohio State University and the University of Michigan. Rather than use the other team’s proper name, Ohio State coaches and players refer to their rival as “that team up north” and the Michigan team and staff merely refer to Ohio State as “Ohio.”
Staying with that theme, does anyone agree on the proper name for the terror group: ISIS, ISIL or Daesh? (Barack Obama had his own name for the murderous thugs: a J.V. team.)
Let’s return to the matter at hand. When it comes to bodies of water, the AP will pick one name over another. The water that separates northwestern Mexico and the Baja California peninsula is surrounded on three sides by Mexico. Mexicans call it the Sea of Cortéz. The AP insists the proper name is the ‘Gulf of California’ although it concedes Sea of Cortéz is not incorrect.
Elsewhere in the world there are different names for the same geography. The water bordered by Russia, Japan and North and South Korea is called the ‘Sea of Japan,’ according to Japanese. But it’s also called the ‘East Sea’ and the ‘Korean East Sea’ by South and North Korea, respectively.
There is decades-long disagreement whether to call it the ‘Persian Gulf’ or the ‘Arabian Gulf.’ The Philippines refer to the water lapping its western shores the ‘West Philippine Sea’ whereas China insists it’s all part of the ‘South China Sea.’ AP mentions South China Sea but not the West Philippine Sea.
It’s not clear how this current GOM-GOA kerfuffle will end. AP has already included ‘Gulf of America’ alongside ‘Gulf of Mexico’ in its Style Book.
At this point, this debate has that New Coke vs Classic Coke feel to it.
Mark Hyman is a 35-year military veteran and an Emmy award-winning investigative journalist. Follow him on Twitter, Gettr, Parler, and Mastodon.world at @markhyman, and on Truth Social at @markhyman81.
Mark welcomes all news tips and story ideas in the strictest of confidence. You can reach him at markhyman.tv (at) gmail.com.