- "Suit the action to the word, and the word to the
action". Shakespeare
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- Words: The words/labels we speak one to another can heal,
encourage,uplift, energize, comfort, praise, champion, challenge; to kind
acts, love, truth, justice, and compassion.
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- Labels are for jars not people. Labels can distill a
complex personality down to a phrase. Words/labels. Very important in this
era of photo-ops and public relations firms marketing war(behind the scenes).
Words or labels make it easier to dismiss, disrespect, disregard,cast aside,
wound, maim and kill. Disposable values and attitudes for a disposable
society. People no more than litter in a throwaway world.
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 In war, it is most important to identify
the enemy as less than human. Even his/her death is identified as "collateral
damage". Easier to kill the "geek, gook, sand nigger, towel head,
terrorist, etc." Not like us. Labels or words in society at large
or in the media immediately set the tone for "non-thinking, ignorant,
unstudied people", in how they are to perceive the people identified
in the story. For ex: In our community the press has often prefaced those
speaking out against environmental injustice, the defrauding of the people,;
as "fringe, contentious, disruptive." This, of course, tells
others in the community, that a small band of malcontents are against progress,
and business. The focus thus is thrust on the renegade group rather than
the issues of toxic air, poisoned water, deformed frogs, mercury laden
fish, and health issues. Manipulative and clever this labeling. People
like cattle do not want to be identified as "other", Stay with
the herd the unspoken message.
Words: "Freedom, liberty, liberation, consensus, win-win, state of
the art, public private partnerships, due diligence, enemy combatant, fringe,
white trash, spic, nigger, trailer trash, hillbilly, queer, all standards
being met, towel head, geek, gooks, drunken Indian, blue blood, elitist,
terrorist, lazy bum, ho, ghetto, drug addict, etc." Some just made
up buzz words with no substance or meaning behind them. Others, immediately
set the tone as to the correct acceptable way that one should view the
situation or person.
After 9-11, a horrific thing happened in our community in the "Live
Free or Die" state no less. My representative friend and I got word
that a petition was going about town advising people that they should not
do business with various ethnic groups in our area. Like the Japanese of
WWII, they were immediately all held suspect. One thinks that these prejudices
and intolerance happen elsewhere. Thankfully, the stupid ones in our community,
who initiated this, were quickly thwarted. My political ally and I made
a point to go to each of these places and present them with flowers and
granite stepping stones (we are the Granite State, that had carved on them
the words WELCOME. Some cried. It is imperative during such times that
something like this not go untended. Most though, just shake their heads
and observe from afar, not taking the smallest step. Inexcusable. Silence
is its own acquiesce to such hatred and prejudice. Silence=Consent.
Take Romeo and Juliet. The entire play is based on the fact that Romeo
is a Montague and Juliet is a Capulet. Their names were their labels. Even
though Juliet's family members had never met him. Juliet knew they would
hate Romeo simply because he was a Montague. Sound familiar?
Juliet ponders; "What's in a name? A rose is a rose by any other name
would smell as sweet".
Words are ever so much more wounding than a physical assault or pain. Ask
any woman who has given birth. The pain cannot be recalled, merely the
remembrance. Not so with words. A child mocked, ridiculed, and demeaned;
will carry the words into his/her adulthood. In some instances they color
their whole character and attitude throughout life. Words like "dummy,
stupid, retard, little rotter, queer, whimp, fat, ugly, or comparisons
to siblings or others, as not measuring up can wound and shatter forever.
The reason that a lot of people spend the greater part of their lives on
some psychiatrist's couch or are forever stunted emotionally, acting out
their inferiority, lack of self-esteem in harmful ways on others. Most
abusers were abused as children.
Propaganda is a great tool in shaping the thoughts and attitudes of whole
nations and communities. If one were aware they were being deceived one
would hope that they wouldn't buy into the slogan's, labels, or lies of
the day. Sadly most do-it's less demanding and one does want to fit in.
The Nazis used propaganda to promote Nazism, anti-Semitism, and the ideology
of an Aryan master race. This propaganda was delivered through the controlled
media, banners, posters and speeches. Jews were legally classified by Hitler
as a race: "The Jews are undoubtedly a race, but they are not human".
Nazi propaganda films portrayed Jews as vermin and sub-human, unworthy
of life. They were presented as distasteful,untrustworthy, and as having
stereotypical physical characteristics. Contact between the "races"
was forbidden by law. Der Sturmer, a weekly newspaper was published from
1923-1945. It often proclaimed, "the Jews as our misfortune".
Jan 16-38 headlines read; "The Jewish Businessman : He Harms the People
and the Merchants." The caption read; "We are Jews. We are destroying."
The most misquoted verse in the Bible is "Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged."
Interesting, used many times by those professing no belief system. Ironically,
often the one who screams "judge not" is passing judgement on
you.
According to Webster's dictionary to judge means; "to discern, to
distinguish, to form an opinion, to compare facts or ideas, and perceive
their agreement or disagreement and thus to distinguish truth from falsehood."
When one partakes in a protest, an action, for example against a nuclear
facility, war, fraud or deception in one's community, one is distinguishing,
after informed study of the issue, the right or truth of the matter and
thus taking a stand.
Per the media propaganda; "Arabs are terrorists. The homeless are
all lazy ner'do wells, sucking on the tit of public benefits. Blacks are
drug addicts, Mexicans are illegal wetbacks, AIDS is a homosexual disease,
white trash are all filthy, ignorant, and illiterate. White men are responsible
for all the ills of mankind, slurping up beer and watching sports round
the clock, when they're not abusing their spouses. Native American Indians,
are all drunks, and environmentalists are all spaced out tree huggers against
progress. Children need to be pampered and coddled with change agents in
schools knowing what's best.
The economy is booming, war is peace, there's a chicken in every pot, war
protestors (multi-millions worldwide) are a fringe, the drug war is real,
and plastic sheeting and duct tape will keep us from harm. All rich people
are self indulgent, selfish pigs, and intellectuals (self proclaimed) have
the answers to all life's issues. Experts on TV are really experts, and
Rush Limbaugh is not like other dope addicts. Sports stars, movie stars,
the well connected are exempt from the trials and tribulations of laws
put upon others with a three strikes you're out. Are our thoughts, ideas
and opinions really ours or just mere empty babble learned by rote?
And so it is, people like puppets on strings, are flopping every which
way, pulled by the empty platitudes, propaganda, and pontificating of those
we've given over our individuality, our creative and critical thinking
to. Empty clanging lives, advised to be suspicious, fearful, of the 'other'.
Unquestioning, apathetic, and subservient, the chairs at our tables sit
empty, as we wait and wait and wait for the acceptable guest; he that shall
lead us to peace and safety. And so we shall wait. The most important guests
labeled "other" and uninvited. AHHHH!
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