Words…the impact they have.
I was recently led to call a friend on comments they made to a posting I made (not here but elsewhere). When I read what they wrote, I recoiled as if struck. Their words seemed to be laced with ignorance, bigotry and a deep-rooted anger.
At first, my friend, second-guessing their actions, tried to brush off the event as satirical comments. When that didn’t fly, they tried to tell me that all the comments had been made by others and were simply being re-quoted. I expressed that may well be, but it was in poor taste and irresponsible to post such hateful words. That the comments made were insensitive to an entire ethnicity. That I, a person who stands firm in her conviction that each and every person has the right to freely express themselves, including their nationality, did not appreciate being made privy to such blatant prejudice.
Though my friend expressed true remorse over their actions, an indelible impression of their words, a true reflection of their innermost thoughts, has been seared into my mind, causing me to wonder if I really know this person. What they stand for. What they believe. How they view other human beings. Their right to be. Our responsibility to allow folks to prove themselves, not jump to conclusions based on stereotypes, naiveté or prejudice.
This event has re-solidified my belief that words are sacred. As such, they should be treated with a certain reverence and considered carefully before being spoken or put into print.
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