this month’s Word of the Month:
“demimonde” – any class or group existing on the margin of success or respectability. (coined by Alexander Dumas in 1855 to designate “the class of the déclassé.”) Also: the social class of those who are kept by wealthy lovers or protectors.
Oddly enough, this little gem of a word found me again (after a long ago stint in my college smart-ass vocabulary) last week while I was watching a PBS special on Mormonism. Joseph Smith, accredited founder of the religion, is associated with the dangerous (and all too prevalent) thinking in his quotes: “You’re either with us, or against us” and “We only allow you to speak with the extent of our permission.”
Subsequently, our Word of the Week ‘demimonde’ was used in the program to describe the greatest threats to the Mormon Church, which were/are: intellectuals, feminists and gays. Margaret Toscano, a former member of the LDS Church and now a modern-day dissenter (part of the demimonde no doubt) had a nice quote which anyone feeling a little on outnumbered might take to heart: “For me to be silent, means I’m complicit in the lie.”
So turn up your rock ‘n roll you demimonde and vote for Obama in November!
Enjoy,
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