Off the Cuff / My Other Journal

Political Name-Calling

Posted in Huffington post --07/20/2014 3:40 pm EDT--, the headline reads as "Lindsey Graham Calls John Kerry 'Delusional'." According to the paper, this happened during a "Meet the Press Interview, in regard to John Kerry's foreign policy analysis. Graham also said, "He didn't call Putin the thug that he is..."

Now, this is not the worst language I've heard in the political arena, and neither am I against Lindsey Graham or for John Kerry, but I am against the name-calling that we so often hear, especially during the political campaigns. Now that the two parties have dug their trenches deeply, the name-calling is not limited to the campaign days' attack ads or to the heads of states and nations considered the enemy. Unfortunately, according to the TV political analysts, these attack ads and name-calling do work to get the votes.

Yet, is this right? Is this the way to behave as civilized humans, no matter where we stand on any given issue? Aren't there other more mature and acceptable ways and language of responding to undesirable situations?

Then, even a bigger question poses itself. Aren't we, as citizens and voters, more or less responsible for the speech and actions of the people who represent us, and shouldn't we be more demanding of mature speech and behavior from them?

I believe there is always a better, more sophisticated, and more polite mode of speech and action. In addition, when dealing with opposing notions or criticism, the use of insulting language lowers the speaker's level of maturity; therefore, it should be that in a civilized society, such people with foul, insulting mouths should be less liked and respected. By the same token, when push comes to shove, they may also prove to be less effective in achieving anything worthwhile.

Worse yet, in the long run, such behavior opens up to the feelings of revenge and hate in both camps, resulting in warlike actions with bullies and toughs taking on the weaker side through hate-driven, racially or religiously motivated words and actions.

Sticking up for one's beliefs and thoughts is our birthright, which is backed by the US constitution. Except it shouldn't cross the line into the hooligans' speech and behavior, and lawlessness.

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Prompt: Pick a headline from your local newspaper or favorite on-line news source and share your feelings about it. Be sure to include the headline somewhere in your blog.