Sticks and stones may break my bones
But words shall never hurt me
The antiquated rhyme taught to children around 1830 and repeated ever since was meant to be defense against name-calling and verbal bullying. It was meant to increase resiliency, avoid physical retaliation, and/or remain calm and indifferent to such abuse. As well intended as those words were meant to be . . . the truth is that words can hurt and destroy.
We all know it. We’ve all experienced it.
During the Second World War the popular idiom of propaganda was. “Loose lips sink ships.” Though it was meant to warm people about the consequences of sharing confidential information with the enemy, today it can be applied to everyday situations, reminding people to be mindful of what they say and the impact it might have on others.
Ask the people of Springfield, Ohio . . . especially those of the Haitian descent.
It all started because of words and loose lips.
Remember the children’s game—Telephone? Everyone lines up or sits in a circle. One person starts by whispering a statement or phrase that is passed onto the person beside them. This continues to happen until it reaches the end of the line or goes around the circle. The last person then shares what was heard. Rarely what was said makes it to the end intact. Usually, it is miles away from what was originally shared.
As a game it is fun and good for a few laughs. In life this is a dangerous game that can hurt, can damage and traumatize, lead to violence, ruin lives, and even kill in this day of social media.
Ask the people of Springfield, Ohio.
Ask Erika Lee . . . “It exploded into something I didn’t mean to happen.” Bomb threats closing schools, public spaces, government offices, and the local university. Threats of violence. All because of words . . . misspoken and untrue words. Words that hurt. Words that created threats and instilled fear. Misguided words. Words that lead beyond broken bones and dance around death. Ask Erika. Ask her about the words she spoke . . . it is Telephone gone wrong.
It started with a Facebook post that spread a harmful and baseless claim about the community’s Haitian immigrants eating local pets . . . pets claimed to be disappearing. A falsehood she had heard from a friend who had heard it from a friend who had heard it from an acquaintance of a friend. By the time it had run the gamut it exploded and became viral.
That explosion was primed by politics and politicians seizing an opportunity to stoke and exploit fear among the masses . . . to probe their misinformed point about immigrants being dangerous and bane on the nation. Those illegals and undesirables. They eat our pets . . . our dogs and cats! Thanks to the politicians the Telephone game ran rampant and out of control. First, the Republican vice-presidential candidate, J.D. Vance, spouted the falsehood. Then his boss, the presidential candidate—Donald Trump, hooks onto it and uses it to prove a point in the presidential debate on national television and radio with millions watching and listening.
Boom! It went viral. The rumor and falsehood spread like wildfire spawning conspiracy and hatred. This anti-immigrant fervor led to school and municipal building closures. Families pulled their children from school and activities out of fear. It pushed into hiding the Haitian community because of the fear it had created. People are fearful for their lives all because someone said a falsehood . . . a lie.
The Springfield authorities—including local law enforcement—have stated that this is not true. It is a falsehood. A lie. The community’s pets are safe. The people of Springfield have said that there is no truth to what was said. Even J.D. Vance has offhandedly admitted that there is no truth, but still encourages his faithful to keep it up despite knowing it is false. The game continues to be played. Even Donald Trump lies about it and continues to perpetuate the lie. No one, outside of Erika Lee, has shown any compassion or remorse for the words spoken. And why should they . . . after all, “words will never hurt” anyone.
Sadly, we know better. Words can hurt. Words can provoke. Words can lead to threats and acts of violence. Words can kill . . . figuratively, mentally, spiritually, and physically. We have seen it before, and we are witnessing it now. Look no further than Springfield, Ohio.
Those who speak such words should be held accountable. Yet, as a whole, we sit back in silence . . . or we might say, “Knock it off!” If these words were spoken by our children, we would not ignore it. We would hold our children accountable for the words that they have spoken and also to the consequences of those words. As we have seen there are consequences to the words that are spoken. We know the power of words. We should be mindful of the words that are spoken . . . by us, by those around us, and by those we elect to be our representatives and leaders.
As we have seen in the evolving world of politics, words have become a weapon . . . a weapon to instill fear, to hurt, to polarize, to wield power, to control, to belittle. Words have become nasty and seemingly meant to destroy instead of being used to build up. In all honesty, most of us do not like it. We abhor it. Yet, we sit still. We are quiet. We are scared of those who are spouting out the vile words of hate and fear. We shy away from holding those who wield the words accountable.
Look what happened to Springfield, Ohio . . . its community . . . its people. All because of words. It is wrong. We, the people, need to take back the words . . . words are holy . . . words are powerful . . . words can build and lift up and love. They do not have to tear down. Just listen to the opposition and the words she speaks . . . there is hope. But we need to reclaim the words. Stop using them as a weapon and instead embrace them as tools to build up everyone.
“Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord.” Words are holy. We are all holy. Let us never forgot.
