| Adele Ferguson missed a great opportunity to make some thoughtful comments about the increasing rancor of the political and civic discourse in Washington State and, in fact, throughout the country. Her article, Stopping free speech – Olympia-style, was so focused on her political agenda (ie; Democrats/bad – Republicans/good) that she simplified a very complex and important issue as if it is a matter of good vs. bad, right vs. wrong and free speech.
Yes, politicians do “argue” in public and go out to dinner in private however, the danger of the public face of politics being so verbally adversarial is that the person-on-the-street either reading slanderous words or watching it on television, does not know this is mostly “posturing” to, in fact, influence that person for or against.
Words matter. Calling Democrats “tax and spend liberals” or calling Republicans “rich and out of touch with the poor” are cynical stereotypes that denigrate all committed electeds of both parties. When politicians from either party use these verbal stereotypes, they are being “disingenuous” ie; “having secret motives” – and that IS an insult.
Ms. Ferguson wrote “I don’t see why saying someone is lacking in honesty is so offensive.” Lacking means “absent or deficient” and Honesty means “being truthful” so, “Lacking in Honesty” means that one either does not have the ability or is greatly lacking the ability to tell the truth. I would imagine that if someone called Ms. Ferguson “lacking in honesty” she would be highly offended.
Linda Henderson, MPA
Silverdale |
