​Sticks and stones: Words have power, especially when repeated

By John Strand

Disclaimer: This editorial is the work of someone who’s spent most of his adult life working in the media — most of those years co-owning this very entity, the High Plains Reader, since 1996.

The notion that folks in my career lane are branded as the “Enemy of the People” and “fake” by our sitting president speaks volumes. Perhaps more so about him than those of us in the “Fourth Estate.”

Be that as it may, we now exist in a world of name calling, innuendo, deprecation, vilification and demeaning, demoralizing condescension toward anyone on the other side of the political aisle.

Words.

“Sticks and stones,” as the children’s adage goes, “may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”

As a simple exercise, let’s revisit some of the words we hear on a regular basis from our president, the chosen leader of our land. No doubt you could add to this list and discussion. That said, let’s start.

“Make America Great Again.” That was the mantra used when Mr. Trump descended that escalator in a staged media event launching his candidacy for the presidency. That’s when the name calling began in earnest.

Former president and winner of the 2020 presidential race Joe Biden had a bunch of nicknames. Sleepy Joe. Crooked Joe. Slow Joe. Joe Hidin.’ Autopen.

And, during the 2016 race we heard Hilary Clinton names ad nauseum: Crazy Hilary. Crooked Hilary. And then the mantra that continues to this day, “Lock her up.”

Other presidential contenders on both sides of the aisle were also dubbed with various slights: Sloppy Chris Christie; Lyin’ Ted; Ron DeSanctimonious, Tiny D, Ron DeSanctus; Birdbrain; Crazy Kamala, Comrade Kamala, Laffin’ Kamala, Kamabla, Lyin’ Kamala Harris; Broken Old Crow; Slimy Newscum; Obamna; Big Fat Slob; Liddle Mike Pence; Junior; Little Marco; Crazy Bernie; Tampon Tim; Pocahontas, Goofy Elizabeth Warren; Mini Mike; Low Energy Jeb; Alfred E. Neuman.

And other politicos: AOC of Tennessee, Evita, The Mouse, Stupid AOC, The Chihuahua; Crazy Nancy, Nervous Nancy; Mr. Too Late, Jerome Too Late Powell; Liddle Adam Schiff, Adam Schitt, Pencil Neck, Shifty Schiff, Watermelon Head; Cryin’ Chuck, Fake Tears Chuck Schumer, Our Great Palestinian Senator; Deranged Jack Smith; Marjorie Taylor Brown, Marjorie Traitor Green, Marjorie Traitor Brown; Low-IQ Maxine Waters; Half Whitmer, That Woman from Michigan; Ice Maiden.

Foreign Leaders: Gov. Trudeau; Gov. Carney; My Favorite Dictator; Juan Trump; Rocket Man, Little Rocket Man; Animal Assad; President B.

Bear in mind, Trump’s self-description: “a very stable genius.” No surprise, given his preferred nickname from years back, The Donald.

While we are at it, let’s further evaluate the word puppetry we experience on an everyday basis. One would almost think this is a reality TV show, but it’s not. Remember, words have power, especially when repeated over and over:

America First, Epic Fury, Shock & Awe, Big Beautiful Bill, Flood the Zone, Rigged Election, Save America Act, Bidenomics, Woke, CRT, DEI, Domestic Terrorists, NarcoTerrorists, EcoTerrorists, Trump Derangement Syndrome, Trump Kennedy Center, TrumpRx, Make America Healthy Again, Drain the Swamp, Swamp the Vote, Green New Scam, China Virus and Drill, Baby, Drill.

The use of simple, repetitive slogans by leaders such as Donald Trump is nothing new. But history does inform us if we choose to look beneath the surface and study other examples in other times. Here are just a few of those examples — and you can interpret this addition of information in this opinion piece however you see fit; we are simply noting and observing.

Mussolini and the Fascists, Italy: Believe, Obey, Fight; Many Enemies, Much Honor; Everything in the State, Nothing Outside the State, Nothing Against the State; Mussolini Is Always Right.

Hitler and the Nazi Party, Germany: Work Sets you Free; The Jews Are Our Misfortune; Blood and Soil; One People, One Reich, One Leader.

Stalin, Soviet Union: For the Motherland, For Stalin; Shoot These Rabid Dogs; The Motherland Calls; Not a Step Back.

So, if you are still here and still reading, thank you for indulging us. Bottom line, we are in challenging times. People are pitted against one another everywhere you turn. That is not a good place to be. We need to unite. We need to put the fight aside. We need to collaborate, and to empathize, putting ourselves in the other guy’s shoes.

In every moment, with every word we voice or share, our commitment to a better tomorrow can bring us together or further separate us.

Don’t worry about the choices others make. We have no power over others. Instead, in your own heart, choose to be positive, loving, truthful and faithful that miracles and better tomorrows are possible. Choose your words carefully and reject those that do not reflect what is truly in your heart.

We are in this together.

John Strand is the co-owner of High Plains Reader. Reach him at jas@hpr1.com.