Mightier Than the Sword

There have been times when a few words have had a great impact in this world. One or two instances come to mind such as, the Declaration of Independence, Martin Luther King Jr.'s “I Have a Dream” speech and the supreme court ruling of Roe vs. Wade. These and other bits of words have shaped the way we live and who we are. They represent a power greater than weapons; a power that deserves our respect.

History is replete with instances of attempts to silence words in order to gain or maintain control. A few words from a little french girl turned away the most powerful army in the known world and caused an entire country to seek her destruction. She never lifted her sword against her enemy, but only raised her voice to her people and her king and yet she was victorious, though she was burned to death for her words. The amazing Martin Luther wrote a few words on the door of a church, marking the beginning of a revolution which has rocked the world for centuries. Many in power at the time attempted in vain to erase the effect of those words upon the minds of the people. William Tindale translated some words and set in motion an irreversible chain of events that changed the course of human history forever. He too was killed for his words. John F. Kennedy was also killed... for his words.

We are the recipients of many of the words of these great men and women who have lived and died for those words. What does this mean to those of us who are still here? Do we have any kind of responsibility to them and their words? Shouldn't this be part of the legacy we leave to our children?Can we afford to lose those and other words from our collective memory?

This makes me think of a modern example. There is a man who has been actively seeking and sharing powerful words through the medium of the internet. Because of his work and the impact it was having, some people in power have sought ways to stop this flow of words. This man happened to be seeking to expose corruption. The corrupt, of course, do not want to be exposed. People in power eventually trapped and imprisoned this man. I doubt if we will ever see or hear of him again, until he is dead.

Now here I am writing words! Each week that I write, I ask myself: what impact, if any, will this have? Will anyone read it? Is there anything here that could be construed as dangerous? Am I putting myself at risk? These and other questions come to my mind as I struggle with the words I should say. I realize the potential for good as well as the potential for damage. I see that what I say could put me at risk and might make me an outcast. I wonder if there is anything worth saying that can be said without getting me into trouble. Is it any wonder that the founders of this country worked so hard and sacrificed so much in order to secure freedom of speech? That freedom is probably the best and most powerful tool which can be given to anyone. Without it, we are fugitives no matter where we live.