Editorial/Op
Word of the Day: Calumny
By |
Perhaps Popeye said it best when he was pushed to the limit of his tolerance by Bluto: “That’s all I can stands, I can’t stands no more!” Well I’m pretty much fed up with the way political campaigns are being waged in Central and “I can’t stands no more!” I was at a loss to accurately summarize my feelings in a word, until a close friend said “Do you mean Calumny?” I had to look it up, but when I did I yelled EXACTLY!
Calumny comes from the Latin word calvi, meaning “to trick or deceive.” It is defined as deliberately falsely accusing someone or quoting them out of context with the intent to do them harm. Vocabulary.com states “Some political candidates use this tactic against opponents in the hope that voters will be tricked into thinking that the accusations are true.”
Elections everywhere, including Central, seem to have gotten progressively less about the facts and the issues and more about trying to create illusions about supposed evils associated with one’s opponent rather than simply running for the office on one’s own merits. Unfortunately, the current race for House District 65 seems to be no different, and that disappoints me because Central Deserves Better.
I’m not going to point fingers today because for me this is not about this election, it is about sending a CLEAR message to candidates who seek the votes of the people of Central. If you see Calumny in the ads, speeches and campaign literature of ANY candidate, I urge you to vote against them simply to let ALL candidates know that Central Deserves Better, and that we will Demand Better from those seeking to represent us.
For me, red flags go up when I see certain techniques and phrases in political speeches and ads. So, I’m going to borrow from Jeff Foxworthy and let’s play “…It might be Calumny”
If a candidate asks questions and does not provide answers, instead leaving you to fear and suspect the worst of their opponent…It Might Be Calumny.
If a candidate, rather than running on their own merits, goes to great lengths to characterize their opponent as being part of an oppressive force that you need to vote against…It Might Be Calumny.
If a candidate’s ad makes you feel like their opponent has done something immoral or unethical, yet provides no real proof…It Might Be Calumny.
So let’s send the message to ANY candidate seeking to represent Central. The voters of Central will not be deceived, so stick to the truth, run on your merits, and earn our votes please.
2 Comments