By Mark Bauer/editor-in-chief
A few words in the English dictionary tickle people’s ears more than others.
Some of these words include, but are not limited to, discrimination, tolerance, prejudice and change—that last one is really big in the current presidential race.
What makes the aforementioned “buzz” words?
Discrimination and prejudice could imply racial undertones, while tolerance and change usually evoke the idea of being progressive and moving forward.
In other words, to be conservative is seen as restrictive of the social progress toward the liberation of people’s rights … whatever those are.
Still, many of these words by themselves do not merit the unfavorable attention we give them.
Discrimination, unless coupled with prejudice, is not only helpful but necessary in living out a healthy, stress-free life.
I had to practice discrimination just last month when the ball dropped in New York City to signal the New Year.
As tradition would have it, I had to kiss somebody. But not just anybody, it had to be my girl. And it was discrimination that helped keep me out of the dog house later that night.
Without the wingman that I found in discrimination, I may have been inclined to play tonsil hockey with the unfamiliar lips of a stranger.
And what’s up with this “change” that our Democratic front runners are espousing?
If it’s a mere change of underwear, how can we be so certain they won’t pull a pair out of the hamper? We all know everybody has done it at least once. Just give it a violent shake, spray some odor neutralizer on it, and you are good to go for at least another day, lest it be humid outside.
As C.S. Lewis said, “We all want progress, but if you’re on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive.”
Ultimately, the context in which a word is used should determine the tolerance of its usage.
But that would require discrimination, and Americans seem to hold a certain degree of prejudice toward that particular word.
Hmm, we just might have to change that.
