'Sticks and stones' in the age of PC

Snowflakes, and others, need to learn the lesson experienced by many young children in Chicago schoolyards during the 1940s.  When something derogatory was said about you by another youngster, the standard reply was "sticks and stones."  The full saying, "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me," was so common that saying just "sticks and stones" was sufficient.

The lesson learned from saying those three words was that the world isn't always nice, and people aren't always polite, but look at the situation realistically: often words hurt only if you let them, so ignore them and get on with life.  It was part of growing up – a valuable lifelong lesson, learned not from parents or teachers, but from other public schoolchildren – i.e., from the surrounding deplorable culture.  Pity those who have been so sheltered as to have missed this lesson.

No one goes completely through life saying "sticks and stones."  Eventually, as youngsters age, saying the three words evolves into a silent approach in which the spoken words are replaced by a thought akin to "consider the source."

But silence is not the only acceptable adult way to deal with those who say unpleasant things about you.  Some youngsters, in those same schoolyards, got more satisfaction by replying, "Ah, yer mudder (your mother) wears army boots."  This method of responding is acceptable at any age, provided that the reply is chosen carefully and does not lead to a physical altercation or other serious consequences.

That is the method used by President Trump in many of his tweets.  He simply gives it back when something unpleasant is said about him.  He can both take it and dish it out.  Moreover, he is a master at choosing appropriate replies, many of them quite humorous.  While some people consider this aspect of his behavior unpresidential, others find it refreshing, entertaining, and quite enjoyable.

But there is also an unspoken message to Trump-supporters in many of the president's tweets.  It is that the left's attack on our constitution and way of life consists of more than just harmless words – that disastrous consequences may occur, and that this is not a situation that will go away by simply reminding ourselves to consider the source.  With each such tweet, our president is leading by example and reminding us that, to keep our freedom, we too must join the fight, in whatever ways we are able, and certainly at the ballot box.

For those who desire the silent consider-the-source type of response to come from the White House, it already has.  Ivanka Trump has not responded to Samantha Bee.  A classy lady, Ivanka Trump!

If you experience technical problems, please write to helpdesk@americanthinker.com