It would cause a predictable firestorm of criticism, but it would very shortly end the ability of the left to use the word with impunity, and they would soon drop it from their lexicon. This option is obviously not as preferred as the first, as it seeks to contain the damage after it is done rather than prevent it. Great, says the average conservative on the street. One thing we can all do is to not let any Leftist McCarthyism slide by without pouncing on it. This doesn't mean we have to be rude and obnoxious, but it does mean we cannot be silent.
Silence is agreement.
By forcing folks to think before they have fully internalized the images projected by the left, we can make inroads. Conservatives will always be at a disadvantage in terms of setting cultural and political imagery. We will, therefore, frequently be on the defensive, trying to prove that we are not what our enemies have defined us to be. We will never make that go away. But with just a little thought and work we can give ourselves and our ideas a fighting chance.