Words Matter

Earlier this summer Senator Obama's appearance in Germany before an estimated 200,000 people was mocked by his opponents as being unimportant and trivial. Obama, it was claimed, is little more than a celebrity in a realm similar to that of Paris Hilton and Britney Spears - amusing at best, but, overall, not to be taken seriously. While my intent here is not praise Obama or to criticize Senator McCain, the arrogance and contempt of the reaction to that particular event cannot be left unaddressed, particularly as it applies to communication.

The next president of the United States will be either Obama or McCain. That's it. Nobody else. What these two men say, how they say it and where they say it matters because it is one of these two individuals who will be representing our country and, as a result, be viewed as the leader of the free world. They are vying for the honor of speaking on our behalf. We as Americans are being judged by them because it is one of these two individuals who we have determined are the best equipped to carry out the responsibilities of the presidency. They, in essence, are us. Consequently, their words do matter. They matter a lot. Certainly, over 200,000 Germans thought so on that summer day. To pretend the words of Obama or McCain do not matter is to do a disservice to all of us. While it is alright to disagree with the words the two candidates put forth, it is not alright listen to anyone who says those words should be ignored or tossed aside like yesterday's potato chips. The words pertain to matters of the gravest consequences: peace, war, hunger, prosperity, health, education, ethics and compassion. They are words that define us as much as the actions we take that are based on the words the two candidates speak.