Sticks v. Stones

"It kind of scars us. We grew up in a world where racism exists, and there's nothing we can do to change that," said Matee Ajavon, another member of the team. "I think that this has scarred me for life."

"Mr. Imus' comments have taken away all of the joy that has gone into us achieving the ultimate college basketball achievement," Adams said. "We didn't even have a chance to come back to Rutgers and reflect on what an amazing year we have had and what we had done." 

Words hurt.  They don't scar for life if you don't let them.  They don't take away your achievement if you don't let them.  They don't take away your joy unless you allow them to.

Bullets, on the other hand...

I have been very moved by the way Virginia Tech is handling their tragedy.  The esprit de corps, the community that supports the victims and their loved ones.  The strength of the campus leadership in evidence at the convocation yesterday.   Surely, once the shock has worn off and things begin to be normal on the surface, then the grief will be felt in earnest.  And for those who are alive, there will truly be scars.

We would give anything now for words that were only crass and twisted mutterings.

Comments

[aelfheld]

Let me echo your sentiments regarding Virginia Tech.

For the Rutgers basketball playerettes, though, I can't understand how anyone over the age of 13 can spout such drivel and expect to be taken seriously. If these girls are so delicate as to be "scarred for life" by a crass attempt at humour by some irrelevant buffoon, why aren't they in a nunnery? Considering the youthful penchant for casual vulgarity, I misdoubt that any of these sensitive young things have not heard, or used, much worse. There is something about their reactions that seems manufactured and false, as if they were playing to a script.