Standing up for Our..Well, Never Mind.....

There are a couple of movements that I've read about on the Internet lately. Both of them are trying to get people,especially younger people,to stop using two words in a derogatory way. The two words are "retarded" and "gay". I agree with both of these causes for two reasons. The first is that we have a rich language, there are better words than "retarded" and "gay" to describe something that is bad or less than ideal. The second is that when you turn a label given to a group of people unto negative word, it is much easier to think of people with that label as less than or not human. This can lead to some pretty bad things.
I would like to take up the cause of another group that is constantly subjected to denigrating language. Most of us are blissfully unaware of the barrage of damaging images that constantly assault the ears of this undeserving group. I am talking about left handed people.
Thankfully,we are past the barbaric days when left handed children were forced to use their right hands. Left handedness is no longer considered to be a sign of the devil or of sorcery. Still the English language is rife with words that belittle left handed people.
Let's take the word 'sinister' for example,it derives from a Latin word meaning left. We can all agree that being 'sinister' is not a good thing. The word 'dexter' is from the Latin word meaning right. Someone who is 'dexterous' is known to be skilled at something which is a good thing. Someone who is ambidextrous, if you look at the root of the word, has two right hands.
There are lots of cultural examples of left handed bias. Karl Marx, Joseph Stalin and various dictators from history are commonly described as 'leftists' None of these people are considered to be good and admirable. People who are on the left side of the political spectrum are sometimes referred to as loony and liberal (a word that seems to have lost its positive connotation.) Those on the right may be called 'right wing nuts' once in awhile, but that's it. If you have Sirius radio, the conservative or right station is called 'Sirius XM Patriot' while the station for those who are on the left or liberal side of things is 'Sirius XM Left' Maybe I'm being over sensitive here, but it seems like patriotism is being associated with being on the 'right'. Another shining example of anti left language.
A good person can be described as righteous. (right)eous. We all have rights which is a good thing. Somethings is either right or wrong. If all is well in my life then I am 'doing all right'. 'All right' is also a sign of agreement. Clearly right is a positive thing.
If you don't know what is going on you could be 'out in left field'. Why not out in right field or out in center field? There's the 'left handed compliment' which sounds like a good thing, but is really an insult. A 'left handed marriage' means that the spouse of lower rank gets no inheritance. Then there's 'left behind', 'left out' and 'left overs'. None of these are good things, except maybe the last one. (Yes, I know that left in this case is a past tense of leave, still it's more anti left bias.) It is also clear that anything coming from the left is not a good thing.
In an effort to correct this wrong I think we should try as much as we can to avoid words that paint the left in a bad light. Left handed people should not have to endure this assault on their dominant hands. Let's show some respect for the ten percent or so of us that have suffered in silence for all these years.
Lefties, the time for silence is over! Let's all show the world that we are left handed and proud of it! It's time we all stood up for our...well....our...Lefts!