Our words reflect who we are
It seems that I struck a nerve, or gored a few revered oxes, in my recent letter to Fence Post. Mr. Gabl and Mr. Souder, I do hope you feel better now that you’ve vented your spleens. My January letter was a reaction to the tragic shooting in Tucson and to the sorry state of political discourse in our society in recent years. I cited a number of TV “talking heads” of different political persuasions and, indeed, I included Sarah Palin among them. I’m definitely not a fan of Palin, or any of the others that I named in my letter but hate(?).
Sorry, Mr. Souder, but I reserve such a strong emotion as “hate” for evils done to one another — violence in any form. Mr. Gabl, I’m amused by your view that I delivered a “lecture.” I thought I was simply offering an opinion in an open forum as you also chose to do. Freedom of speech? I hope so.
I will close by restating Gabby Giffords’ statement during the very heated Arizona campaign “words have consequences.” I believe that our words reflect who we are, how we view the world, and that words do have an impact on others in ways we may not anticipate. I believe that reckless language by persons in prominent positions (politicians and “talking heads”) has the potential to do violence to our sensibilities and can give permission to impressionable persons to act on those reckless words.
Your words, dear gentlemen, reflect upon you as my words reflect upon me. Peace.
Elizabeth Hansen
Schaumburg