From My Perspective - - -

We have been inundated with verbiage regarding Political Correctness. After the tragedy in Arizona this past weekend, we have moved into the arena of Colloquial Correctness. Colloquial means: language that is “characteristic of or appropriate to ordinary or familiar conversation rather than formal speech or writing; informal.” It can involve figures of speech or time-worn references. We use these expressions sub-consciously all the time. If someone is admiring an item they deem as a beautiful work, some one might say: “it’s all in the eye of the beholder.” When it comes to rhetoric, that colloquialism might be: “it’s all in the ear of the listener.”

Why is this being discussed in a Blog? It is based on a News Conference statement made by Pima County, Ariz., Sheriff Clarence Dupnik. He offered his opinion regarding why a 22-year-old would be driven to violence and shoot a Congresswoman and others in the group with her. He said: “I think the vitriolic rhetoric that we hear day in and day out from people in the radio business and some people in the TV business and what (we) see on TV and how our youngsters are being raised, that this has not become the nice United States of America that most of us grew up in…" On Sunday, he didn't back down. "I think we're the tombstone of the United States of America," he said of The Granite State, which a day earlier he called the “Mecca” of hatred and bigotry. "To try to inflame the public on a daily basis 24 hours a day, seven days a week has impact on people, especially who are unbalanced personalities to begin with."

Some Democrats jump at the opportunity to “spin” this event to their political advantage. Their comments were: “The sheriff out there in Tucson, I think he's got it right," Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., the assistant minority whip, told "Fox News Sunday." "Words do have consequences…this is nothing new. I've been saying this for a long time now." "I think the sheriff was right," added Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., who appeared on CBS' "Face the Nation." "Bob, when you and I grew up, we grew up listening to essentially three major news outlets: NBC, ABC, and CBS. We listened to people like Walter Cronkite and Eric Sevareid, and Huntley-Brinkley, and they saw their job as to inform us of the facts and we would make a conclusion...Far too many broadcasts now and so many outlets have the intent of inciting…people to opposition, to anger, to thinking the other side is less than moral…” Many are/were all-too-quick to imply that Sarah Palin may cause such behavior because of her colloquialism: “Don’t Retreat – Reload.” Also,  the fact of her Political Pac group that listed some who should not be re-elected by putting a Cross-Hair symbol on a political district or Office-holder.

We forget that some of the Colloquialisms we use in everyday language, have Biblical origin:
"Rise and shine" comes from Isaiah 60:1 "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you."
"Tearing your hair out" comes from Ezra 9:3 "This news made me so angry that I ripped my clothes and tore hair from my head and beard."
"Nothing new under the sun" comes from Ecclesiastes 1:9  "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”
"Reap what you sow" comes from Galatians 6:7  "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows."
"Handwriting on the wall" comes from Daniel 5:5  "In the same hour came forth the fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace..."
These statements have crept into our language use and we never give a second thought to them in terms of their origin. Don’t let the opinionated inhibit you. Consider these things with me!