"The 'dog-whistle' message analogy refers to the way in which a political message, which may in effect be exclusionary, distasteful and even racist, reactionary or inflammatory to some, is not understood as such by those outside the target subgroup of the electorate.The message resonates and energizes this target group and is misheard or misunderstood by others, just as the high pitched sound of the dog whistle is not heard except by dogs.