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Showing posts from January, 2019

When Not Speaking Up Is As Good As Lying

        So last night's NFC Championship game was one for the books for all sorts of reasons.  But mostly because of a blatant infraction by the Rams against the Saints at a crucial time in the game when the Saints could likely have won the trophy.  Unfortunately, due to some clearly faulty officiating, the Saints did not get the chance.  According to nearly everyone who watched the game in the state of Louisiana (and many outside as well), the feeling is summed up in the photo below that appeared on the Causeway in New Orleans:     To be fair, the Rams played a strong game against the Saints.  But officiating has a critical part in whether a game is won honestly.  When officials don't carry out their duties with accuracy and fairness, they can sway the outcome of a game in ways that are damaging to the sport and the league.  Such is the case in the Rams vs. Saints championship game.  Those who watched are aghast at how egregious the penalty calling was carried out

What It Means to Speak Truth to Power

     "Speaking truth to power" has become a common phrase to use when speaking about truth and/or power in a discussion that encourages courageous discourse on controversial matters.  It is an old phrase coined back in the 1950s by the Quakers and is defined as "a non-violent political tactic, employed by dissidents against the received wisdom or propaganda of governments they regard as oppressive, authoritarian or an ideocracy." (Wikipedia)      I've heard it overused in a lot of ways and not with a clear purpose in its meaning within the context of what was being spoken.  We latch onto certain words and phrases as language goes in and out of style on almost a monthly basis.  In this current generation, there seems to be a new word or phrase created daily and then abandoned when they become overused like worn out sneakers from last year's fall collection.  But words have staying power even if you get tired of hearing them.  They last even longer if th