Not “declare war” on abstract ideas, inanimate objects, and other intangible terms, and establish a new naming scheme.

The right words, delivered at the right tenor at the right moment, can affect the psyche of an entire country. In short, language is a powerful tool. This petition urges the White House to establish a more practical and less bombastic naming convention for the government’s media-facing policies, such as the “War on Terror” and the "War on Drugs." This will make our official policies clear and unambiguous at home and abroad, and end the madness of needlessly abstract, inexact declarations of “war” on public safety and health issues. Using such dramatic terminology oversimplifies the challenges being faced, undermines the reality of the conflict, and misrepresents the official policy. Let's start having a new conversation.