Some words are ugly ...

In watching the zoo that is our nation's capital this week, I've been reminded that not all words are good words. And I'm not talking about the "Seven Words You Can't Say on Television" of George Carlin fame. No, I'm talking about how we have seen reasoned debate sucked from the public square like a mobile home in a tornado. Instead we have people standing outside Congress shouting racial epithets and making slurs about any number of groups that they have decided stand against them. We have a Congressman yelling "babykiller" and later apologizing saying that he wasn't talking about the person who was speaking at the time. Well, are we really that stupid or does the Congressman just hope we are?

I'm a Southerner. I've grown up hearing the ugliest of words used in everyday conversation during my childhood years. I've been happy to hear those words slowly disappear from the public discourse over my lifetime. And I'm saddened beyond measure to hear them back again. And while I understand the decision-making process in the national media when it comes to covering these protest groups, I also hold them accountable for not revealing more to us just exactly what these protesters are. Racists. People of hate. Screaming toddlers standing in the public square yelling "Mine!" and "No!" at the top of their lungs. Spoiled children. And they are not the heirs to the legacy of the Founding Fathers nor are they the heirs to the generation that bled, died, and sacrificed for the freedom of the entire world only 60 years ago. No, they are not. Franklin, Jefferson, Paine, Washington, Madison, Hamilton--all were men who believed with their very souls that the ultimate good they could do was to serve their country. Not to stand on the sideline and hurl ugly words at the ones who have chosen to sacrifice and serve their country. To travel on good roads, fly into safe airports and stand behind the protection of police officers on the public payroll and act like spoiled toddlers is the ultimate in hypocritical selfishness.

I believe that there is legitimate debate in our public square. I believe we have serious policy issue discussions to be had. But I don't think standing outside the nation's seat of representative government and using racial epithets is any of that. I think it's spoiled children who are too immature to carry on a reasoned debate. Grow up America. Your ancestors are ashamed at how some of you are behaving today.

Yes, some words are just ugly.