"Live Ammunition"

There are many weapons in today's world. Big ones. Little ones. Ones that are sophisticated and others that are quite simple in terms of construction and execution. Regardless of the power of each, however, all can do harm. One of the most powerful of weapons that has been in existence since the first human uttered the first sound is the word. Not only do words matter, but they also have much impact. We all know the famous children's rhyme: "Sticks and stones may break my bones but names shall never hurt me." The fact is this is simply not true. Words can do great harm and set in motion negative behavior in folks that continue for a long time.

My comments about the potentially-damaging power of the word were triggered by observations made several years ago by Josh Earnest, who served as the principle spokesperson for former President Obama. In his remarks, Earnest equated words with "live ammunition." He said words should be used with care as they carry weight and in certain context are not unlike wielding a gun with live bullets. Guns can injure and even kill. Used without regard for the possible reactions of those on the receiving end of them, words can create deep wounds that last a lifetime.

In the case of Earnest, his job was very visible and far-reaching. Regarding most of the rest of us, however, our words usually only go as far as the person with whom we are speaking. Nevertheless, this does not mean we should be any less responsible in our use of them. Any parent knows this all too well when it comes to speaking to their child. The same holds true for a husband or wife in conversations they have. Words can injure, cause tears, wound a person's sense of self, or even cause them to do hard to themselves or someone else. Words should not be taken lightly even during times of light-heartedness. They must be treated with care and used with a deep sense of responsibility.