Sticks and Stones
As children we were taught a simple lesson: In the face of name calling, we were to refrain from fighting and return an insult with the response: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never harm me.” Good advice, to be sure. And as we matured into adults most of us rose above the name calling of our youth. Most of us!
Not all, however, as over the past decade or so there has been an amazing resurgence of name calling through out the land.
This resurgence is present in both low and high echelons. Among the low echelons, the amount of name calling in the comment or discussion fields following news or editorial posts on line is truly shocking! Many of the comments are, frankly, vulgar. And many others still are just downright embarrassing.
Among the higher echelons, however, the name calling may be more subdued, but is no less offensive.
Think back to Mr. Obama’s first campaign. Any one who voiced legitimate concerns about the eligibility of Obama’s candidacy was labeled a “birther”, as if using that epithet made that very important question vanish!
Next, consider the moniker used to categorize the thoughtful and well credentialed meteorologists that remain skeptical on the issue of global warming: “DENIERS!” They are labeled. “DENIERS!” I can almost picture it used in a pirate movie: “AH HA! AVAST! A DENIER, I SAY! OFF WITH YOUR HEAD!”
The final example I’d like to leave you with today, comes from the mouth of none other than our beloved Democrat candidate for the Presidency of the United States, Hillary Rodham Clinton.
“DEPLORABLES!” says she! Or, more specifically, “BASKET OF DEPLORABLES!” she exclaims! By way of definition, Mrs. Clinton uses this term to mean, apparently, anyone who disagrees with her! DEPLORABLES! This comment appears to have started an entire cottage industry, as there are many people now sporting hastily printed T-shirts that say “Proud To Be Deplorable!” or something of that nature. To that response I would add: “Nya Nana Nya Na!” and, then, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me!” and, lastly, concluding with a very carefully considered: “Nya Nana Nya Na. Na!” So there!