"Call Me AL"

 Name calling is not a good thing. I don't know about you, but I tried to correct my four children, every time they called one of their siblings or playmates a name (other than their given one). It's just not nice. That's one of the things, that I hope they learned at a very early age. 

When they got to be school age, the same suggestions of social appropriateness applied. And, I know as a teacher, there were consequences for "calling names" in the classroom. I am not naive enough to expect that it wasn't done, but I'm sure they were pretty discrete about doing it. 

The first time, that I can recall hearing a person called a derogatory name, my maternal grandmother labeled one of her sisters-in-law..... A Hussy. At the time, I certainly did not know the meaning of Hussy, and I'm still confused about why the woman in question was a Hussy, but I did realize from that very moment, all those years ago, that it was not a nice name. 

If the practice of Labeling and Name-Calling is bad, then why has it become so prevalent today? It seems that anyone, and I really mean Anyone can label whoever they choose a Whatever! No rules of decency apply. Any label is fair game. And, it's often the case that the actual truth be damned.

I don't like it. If asked, my opinion would be to return to civility and decency. I would say, please go back to using given names and titles. After all, although you have every right to disagree about issues, name calling is not appropriate.

Remember the time, when one sign of intelligence and civility was choosing appropriate words when writing or speaking. Name calling, shows the inability to research the truth and label it as such. I see name calling and, as a sign of ignorance, poor judgement and pre-school mentality.

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All Knowing God. Our limitations are boundless. We need You and we need each other.  Grant us the power to be strong in our convictions, but remind us that everyone deserves respect. We are all your children.