The virtues of clear speech

In the wake of the horrendous slaughter in Arizona, liberals and conservatives made much of comments made by Sarah Palin. Liberals accused Ms. Palin of planting violent seeds in the minds of some people by referring to her use of language applied in hunting and weaponry. Conservatives rebutted by saying she meant no such thing, that the libs were making too much of the metaphors.

It is a case of Tweedledee and Tweedledum deciding to have a great argument all over again. What is clear is that those who would responsibly debate issues should practice more concise and non-inflammatory language. Having the speakers of words explain the intent of their meaning after the fact is a reflection on the speakers’ insufficient vocabulary to communicate clearly without using inflammatory or negatively connotative words and phrases. Colorful language is more interesting to hear or read, but sometimes the color blurs the issues, leaving the receiver to question the intent of the message. If language is the tool of communication, then the tool needs to be sharpened to make the point.

The call for logical debate and discussion by legislators and decision makers has been asked for by citizens. Nonpartisan cooperation is being called for by leaders of Congress. Enough of this finger-pointing and he-said-she-said politics. Enough of pork barrels and earmarks. Enough of politics as a score-keeping game. Enough of climbing over the backs of citizens to achieve personal success. Enough, enough, enough in many ways!

Could someone just make a list of the essentials that need to be done, sit down and harmoniously talk in plain words how the essentials could be achieved without acrimony and vested interests? Could everyone just calm down before too many people become like the Queen of Hearts saying, “Off with his head!”

Of course this is a simplification of serious and complex problems found in a serious and complex society suffering from a brokenness not made well by the confusing verbosity applied by speechmakers and writers. “The time has come,” Carroll wrote, “to speak of many things,” but not as his characters the Walrus and the Carpenter spoke in their jabberwocky nonsense, of “shoes and ships and many things,” but of issues that affect the well being of humanity. Let the outcome be not that of the oysters consumed by the Walrus and the Carpenter, but of progress and compatibility to reach an accord of mutual benefit to all.

What meaning would have Humpty given to the word “benevolence?’

Claire Gaus is a retired educator and volunteers in the community in a number of capacities. She lives in Commerce.