Trump may find that words matter

For 36 years I had the privilege of teaching English, language arts and social studies to students in grades 7-12. One of the most important lessons I taught was the power of words. Words matter. They are used to both inform and persuade. Words can inspire us to act for the greater good or they can be used to instill fear and mistrust of one another or our institutions.  As a teacher I sometimes had to deal with students who insulted other students, or called them names, or resorted to bullying. I tried to show students that even after an apology the hurt they caused remained. My students came to understand that words are like toothpaste. It is easy to squeeze them out, but almost impossible to put them back in the tube.

After the 2016 Presidental campaign of Donald Trump it should come as a surprise to no one that there are demonstrations all over this country. Mr. Trump chose to avoid a campaign based on issues and solutions and instead led a campaign based on intolerance and bullying. He repeatedly belittled and insulted people of color, women, the media, our President, people with disabilities, our veterans, and our generals.  He quietly accepted the support and endorsement of hate groups such as the KKK and promised mass deportation of people and a ban on other groups of people from coming into our country. He claimed that the electoral process was rigged against him.

Now the election is over. But the words remain. Many people cannot accept that the person that treated them so abusively in his speeches is now supposed to get their support and cooperation. They cannot but worry that a parent or a sibling might be rounded up and deported. They cannot accept that their partnership with the person they love might be in jeopardy. They cannot accept that their President might mock their disability. They cannot accept that the person who on election night pledged to be the President of all Americans later reacted to the spontaneous  demonstrations in over 10 cities by tweeting that these were encouraged by the media and led by professionals.

Mr. Trump has squeezed the “toothpaste” forcefully and it is now on his hands.  

Andrew Urban

Eagles Nest Twp., Minn.