“Sticks and stones can break my bones, but names can never hurt me.”
I’m usually a staunch defender of old sayings. My thinking is, they got to be old sayings for a reason; they very often convey hard-earned cultural wisdom and truth. Some of my favorites include, “Pretty is as pretty does,” “There’s no great loss without some small gain,” and “A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.”
The sticks and stones saying, however, is nearly indefensible, meaning, as it does, that words hold no power to harm.
Consider Sarah Palin. By all accounts, Governor Palin is a hard-working, high achieving, public minded individual. Yet she is under constant attack from every front; the Democrats, the media, and now, even John McCain’s campaign staffers. With so much negative coverage, Governor Palin’s image is bound to suffer.
Which, of course, is the point of the negative coverage.
My point: words do matter. They can defeat and damage just as easily as they can uplift and inspire; they can influence others for good or for ill; they can educate and persuade.
So welcome to my little blog, It’s Only Words, where, I hope, my words can persuade you to my way of thinking and where you’re free to try to persuade me to yours. At the very least, we can learn to understand opposing points of view. Mutual respect may result.
