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Your Words Matter
6 years ago
As many of you have undoubtedly heard from social media and/or the various news outlets, today (Thursday the 14th) witnessed yet another shooting incident at a high school in the U.S.. This time it happened at my alma mater, Saugus High School, in my home town, Santa Clarita, and only one mile from where I grew up and currently live. It has been revealed that the shooter is a student of this high school and turned 16 today. The media is reporting that this young student lost his father a few year ago and various classmates have stated he was a quiet person who kept to himself.
Sounds all too familiar, doesn't it? As a person who has been bullied, marginalized, picked on, and put down by others who simply lack empathy or have a juvenile desire to control others, I remind all who read this that your words matter. What you say or write, as well as how you chose to say or write your words, can have a profound impact on someone's life. This impact isn't just felt in the heat of the moment but can last a lifetime. This impact can be just as hurtful and damaging as a punch to the body with fists can be. As a person who has been bullied, marginalized, picked on, and put down, I can tell you first hand how alone that makes one feel and how it has the effect of silencing a person. I can also confirm first hand that these negative effects last indefinitely.
At a time when the U.S. is experiencing what I have come to term a "Cold Civil War" among leaders, political parties, and blue versus red states, I ask each and every one of you to think before you speak or write. I ask each and every one of you to put yourself in other people's shoes first. I ask each and every one of you to respect and tolerate the "other" person, even if they don't act, look, talk, think, write, or worship the same as you do.
Sounds all too familiar, doesn't it? As a person who has been bullied, marginalized, picked on, and put down by others who simply lack empathy or have a juvenile desire to control others, I remind all who read this that your words matter. What you say or write, as well as how you chose to say or write your words, can have a profound impact on someone's life. This impact isn't just felt in the heat of the moment but can last a lifetime. This impact can be just as hurtful and damaging as a punch to the body with fists can be. As a person who has been bullied, marginalized, picked on, and put down, I can tell you first hand how alone that makes one feel and how it has the effect of silencing a person. I can also confirm first hand that these negative effects last indefinitely.
At a time when the U.S. is experiencing what I have come to term a "Cold Civil War" among leaders, political parties, and blue versus red states, I ask each and every one of you to think before you speak or write. I ask each and every one of you to put yourself in other people's shoes first. I ask each and every one of you to respect and tolerate the "other" person, even if they don't act, look, talk, think, write, or worship the same as you do.
And above all, don't be a hypocrit. If you preach tolerance, be tolerant. If you preach acceptance, be accepting. So much hypocrisy exists in our world now.