With this heartbreaking image stuck in her mind, she asked endless questions, "Why is he out there?" "Where does he sleep?" "Where does he spend Christmas?" At a loss for all the answers, her mother suggested she do something about it and that she did. This lovely little one created a thriving charity and the passion of her personal quest to help the homeless earned her a spot on national TV to promote her cause.
Now, one of my functions on this program was Producer of enticing advertising hype to promote the network's cause, so I wrote a warm and fuzzy heartfelt blurb, submitted it to the series Executives and awaited approval. Moments later, the script was returned revised as follows: Coming Up Next: A Young Canadian heroine BATTLES HOMELESSNESS.
I was stunned. Were they really asking me to further this child's loving cause with a combat analogy!?
Thus began my personal quest against the use of war terms.
When you start paying attention you'll notice everyday conversations are chock full of these words. In society's survival of the fittest, fear-based, power-hungry mentality, businesses think nothing of setting TARGET
dates or project DEADLINES
~ originally meaning the area military prisoners could not move beyond without risk of being shot by guards. And when an investment pays a hefty sum, people are making a KILLING.
In sports football players go for long BOMBS,
hockey has an ATTACK
zone and a player in control of a soccer ball is known at the ATTACKER.
Sportscasters and coaches twist games into combat, pitting teams against each other in a FIGHT to the DEATH.
Even a leisurely afternoon game of golf has its roots well buried in battle terms. CADDIE
for example is short for cadet, meaning someone training for military duty and FORE
was a term used as a warning for incoming fire on the front lines long before it became popular on the links.
We have groups out there FIGHTING
for freedom and justice or individuals BATTLING
cancer. We even have many of our best and most well respected spiritual teachers referring to those of us in search of our personal truth as Spiritual WARRIORS.
I truly believe the energy created by this terminal terminology, subconsciously reinforces negativity and brutality in our society. Now that you know where these words originated do you want to continue using them in your daily life? With our extensive capacity for creativity, we as spiritually enlightened beings can to do better than this.
The English language contains somewhere in the neighbourhood of 750,000 words. Let's meet this challenge together by committing to a non-violent society that encourages the use of peaceful language.
I'd love to hear your suggestions. Together our words can change the world!
And by the way ~ my original script made it to air.
Please send donations for the homeless through: www.ladybugfoundation.ca
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Biography
