STICKS AND STONES

  First, an apology for late posting but I had some surgery yesterday and am typing with one finger.

In any case, the rhyme of the title continues with "...can break my bones but words can never harm me." Dumb as the day is long and even more inaccurate, particularly in our times when the power of words, with an emphasis on words of hatred and instigation are so thoughtlessly and purposely bandied about. With careless purpose or definite aims, enhanced or made more powerful, more hurtful, more harmful, than ever before, via social  media, these words, those words lead to the sticks and stones.

The viciousness and clear as day aims of these words are obvious and immediate, even as they echo forward into the future, into more evil words and resultant abominable actions. Be it the nasty mouth of Ilhan Omer or the  GOP and its cynical use of a tar brush on Democratic candidates, calling them anti Semites, Jews among the accused, they are no different in purpose, use and goal and further the growth of those sticks and stones.

Apparently, though, humans do not learn from history, however many the warnings. We insist on harmful repetitive behavior in word and deed even though it makes no sense at all.

 “I really don't want to have to end anybody's life for the good of the people of the United States of America,” Braddock said at one point in the conversation, which occurred last week. “That will break my heart. But if it needs to be done, it needs to be done. Luna is a f***ing speed bump in the road. She's a dead squirrel you run over every day when you leave the neighborhood.”

When words like these spew forth in an ugly stream, well does anyone, can anyone, claim any more that words are never harmful? One must be willfully blind and deaf to do so, or worse than that, knowingly using those words to incite and instigate until the sticks and stones are prevailing. The insurrection on January 6 is a jarring example, even as the proponents of that rebellion try to downgrade it into a "riot" and then go so far as to deny their oh so obvious roles in the whole mess and furthermore into the Twilight Zone by blaming it on their opponents. Huh? Say What?

Even in disagreement we must be civil and take into account the power of words. When we deny the truth, we then allow for increased unnecessary censorship in our inability to distinguish between  quality and purpose of those words. I permit myself a small sideways excursion to the paranoid world of David who is supposedly soliciting supportive comments from readers, like this one of mine - "This is not the first time Benenson has ripped us off for the A/C and related items. Evidently he and his lawyer do not understand the simple concept of capital improvements vs. repairs and who is responsible payment wise. We need to stand firm on this and the entire new agreement for that matter."

 When I do so, I am blocked - as always - and the nonsense continues.

One more comment, or two. The ancient Diogenes roamed the earth with his lantern held high, seeking an honest man and never finding one. Today we can reimagine this search. It is now a search for the decent and true, for the one who believes in positive action for the people and their needs and understands the power of words. Still looking.

 Here is a question from me. I do not understand Juneteenth as a federal holiday. It will become yet another point of contention and difference as some will follow and others will disregard. Yes, the official end of slavery was long overdue, though the tactics of slavery continued, the discrimination continued and did not end with the Black population. Do we celebrate the day we ended the incarceration of the Japanese during WWII? Do we celebrate with a federal holiday commemorating the day Truman signed the bill cancelling the bigoted limitation of immigrants such as Jews, even as they were running for their very existence, even as the Chinese were increased in allowance as well? What about the hatred towards the newly arrived Irish and Italian immigrants, considered less than human?

When we have taught the people of this country better; when we fully understand the ugliness of prejudice and hatred; when that happens - well, choose the day of federal, world and individual celebration. Until then, let us use our words better so as to avoid the sticks and stones that follow those words capable of harm, so much harm.