Sticks and Stones
By C.A. Matthews
Here’s a piece that inspired me:
http://www.salon.com/...
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.
How many of us can recall a playground, summer camp or school day experience where one child (or several) bullied another child (or children)? Perhaps you were the child who was bullied. Perhaps you were the bully who committed the deed at the instigation of the jeering crowd. Fists, kicks and thrown objects often accompany the taunting and name-calling of the intended prey. The old saying, Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me, is supposed to comfort us by saying the bully’s words are essentially harmless even if the physical violence visited upon the victim proves deadly.
As we grow older, most bullies take on a more subtle approach. Threats of a left hook to the jaw lessen, but their words become more like ammunition, exacting and sent straight to the target, intending to maim or crush the soul of the victim. Insults and put-downs are preferred over outright slander or libel. After all, why risk being sued or called a “bully” if you can prevent it through the subtle use of snarky commentary?
(More below the squiggle.)
http://www.msn.com/...
In yet another off-the-mark article the writer claims that Bernie Sanders only appeals to voters who might chance to live in his home state of Vermont—who are universally (it seems) white, liberal, male, and older. Amazingly, whenever I chat with other Bernie supporters, I discover they are not "Vermonters" but are more like…well, like me. We are not all male, not all white, not "older" by any means (age being a state of mind anyway, and some "older" voters are quite computer literate), and not necessarily "liberal" in the derogatory sense this article writer seems to intimate. We are independent voters looking for an honest candidate who doesn't lower himself to bad-mouth his opponents and who offers his energy and expertise to help better the average American's plight. What could be more refreshing—more exciting—than a politician who’s actually been the “little guy” like the vast majority of Americans and knows what it’s like to be called names by the “bullies”.
http://samuel-warde.com/...
Another case in point, another well-known conservative pundit lambasts Bernie Sanders’ rallies and his supporters. There’s “Grandma Stalin” (who obviously is an “older” woman—how horrible to be old and a grandmother!) and “Commies” (who somehow aren’t the Chinese causing our trade deficit?) and “Socialists” (like they called F.D.R., yet they continue to cash their Social Security checks) and “peaceniks” (since to hate war is a terrible, terrible thing that must be stopped at all costs).
Because Mr. Williamson can’t seem to grasp Bernie’s appeal to ordinary voters, he resorts to name-calling and derogatory descriptions of both the candidate and his supporters. That old saying keeps repeating in my head: Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.
I think you can see just how desperate some folks must be when they openly insult ordinary Americans at a Sanders rally. Bernie’s opponents’ lack of grace and intelligence is evident. They can’t form a coherent argument to counter Bernie Sander’s policy suggestions, so they resort to mud-slinging tactics in an attempt to scare off his followers, tossing out snide quips such as “Occupy Geritol!”
They can’t argue with the fact that Bernie’s an honest, approachable human being, whom many voters readily relate to since he came from a working-class background and refuses to be bribed, and it frustrates them. These haters simply don’t know what to do with the independent-minded senator from Vermont. So, in their close-minded frustration, they spout out snark-filled, downright nasty columns, while others, who should know better, choose to outright ignore him.
http://www.npr.org/...
Actively ignoring Bernie Sanders and his growing potential became apparent to me recently while listening to an N.P.R. news piece on the local public radio station. Veteran journalist Cokie Roberts talked for five minutes about Hillary Clinton’s dwindling support in the polls and for another ten minutes about the outrageous actions of Misters Trump and Cruz, but she couldn’t somehow form the words, “And more and more voters are coming out to support Senator Bernie Sanders’ bid for the White House.” There was a five second pause—an eternity in radio I learned while working as a D.J.—but Ms. Roberts couldn’t somehow bring herself to mention anything about Bernie Sanders’ recent activities or his soaring poll numbers.
Odd, that. This wasn’t the first time, either, I’d noticed no mention of Bernie on these weekly N.P.R. pieces, but I had dismissed those instances as Ms. Roberts having run out of time for the segment. After all, journalists are supposed to be impartial and just report the news, right? But this time when Ms. Roberts seem to completely ignore Bernie Sanders’ existence, I picked up on her clues. Her silence spoke volumes. I sensed that she’s deep in the pockets of the billionaires who try to buy their chosen candidate’s election and, since Bernie can’t be bought off, he’s to be ignored.
My respect for Cokie Roberts as a journalist, and a human being, instantly evaporated. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me, but obviously by keeping their words hidden, some journalists’ under the oligarchs’ control are trying to their best to hurt the Sanders’ campaign.
However, amid the close-minded, frustrated people with their snarky words and their evil ignoring of the facts, Bernie Sanders shines. He’s an honest man who won’t stop fighting for the little guy. He 's a breath of clean air in the foul, SuperPac/corporate/billionaire paid-off world of the major political parties in the US today. Bernie Sanders is a man worthy of admiration and our support. It's time journalists stop the name-calling—or get off the “let’s ignore him so he’ll go away” bandwagon—and treat him with the respect he deserves.
Bernie Sanders really is that popular with mainstream America. Maybe if journalists talked and listened to their fellow Americans (instead of fellow political pundits and the Koch Brothers) they'd discover it for themselves.
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.
Keep up the name-calling, bullies. Bernie Sanders will rise above it and become the next President of the United States. Just wait and see.
#Bernie2016 ! #FeeltheBern !
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