"Release the Memo!" has become one of the most popular refrains in recent memory in this planet's political discourse. Now the Memo has been liberated from the clutches of government secrecy. It is neither insignificant, nor is it utterly earth-shattering. It does, however, serve as a powerful metaphor for one of the great undercurrents of the day. Simply put, people no longer trust their institutes of government. Wanting access to a secret memo that didn't need to remain secret is emblematic of the public's desire to see a new paradigm in government and governance.
"Release the Memo" could easily have been replaced with some other phrase if the circumstances differed. The plea that was taken up throughout the media, social media and internet communities was more a plea for the beginning of the shift to the new paradigm. If the release of the memo does not have a material impact, even those who fought the hardest for its release will be disappointed. If it does, it will serve as a symbol and a turning point, rather than just a chance to look at a document that was once labelled "Top Secret".
I am a big fan of linguistics. Words matter. The collective words we use are often trying to tell us something important; whether that be through metaphor or other symbolism. Metaphors and other such sayings that become familiar symbolic refrains often mean a lot more than their face value. It reminds me of the repetitive rhetorical questions of, "Who is John Galt?" throughout Atlas Shrugged. More recent'y "Build the Wall" has come to symbolize a need to re-calibrate priorities and loyalties for politicians. "Lock her up" seems to have as much to do with restoring balance to the scales of justice as it does any individual's desire to literally see HRC behind bars.
Actually seeing the memo this morning was somewhat underwhelming, given the hype. The fact that it was released in full without a last second decision to redact key information because of some vague reference to national security was an overwhelmingly positive development. This is perhaps where the metaphor of "Release the Memo" is heading. Greater transparency might just lead to a restoration of the system.
Here's hoping more releasing is forthcoming.
CW
