They’re only words

10:00am Saturday 29th September 2012 in Letters By Reader's letter

I AM fed up to the back teeth at reading about people getting upset at what they consider “verbal abuse” of one kind or another.

When I was 11, at a new school, I was fair-skinned and auburnhaired, but because my mother had been born and brought up in India I was dubbed “Indian girl” by some spiteful kids.

I often went home in tears – too young to have formed that necessary protective skin. My mother told me to take no notice and remember that “sticks and stones may break my bones, but angry words can’t hurt me”.

It was something I never forgot, it was true, and it worked. I never responded angrily again.

Now I am constantly reading about grown men, with important, responsible positions, or leading sportsmen in their field, who are either too over-sensitive or selfimportant to “turn the other cheek”.

After all, what are words – why should they assume such importance when uttered in spite by people who should know better?

Surely people are adult enough to give back as good as they get, verbally, and leave it at that? Or are they simply after the notoriety they achieve?

To me it is about time they grew up and concentrated on what is really important.

Heather Causnett, Escrick Park Gardens, Escrick, York.

Comments(12)

CHISSY1 says...
11:36am Sat 29 Sep 12

"Well said Heather,i agree 100%,but no doubt the sad hand wringers will start complaining".

Report this post »

Buzz Light-year says...
12:50pm Sat 29 Sep 12

CHISSY1 wrote:
"Well said Heather,i agree 100%,but no doubt the sad hand wringers will start complaining".
You're a moron.

Report this post »

CHISSY1 says...
12:57pm Sat 29 Sep 12

Buzz Light-year wrote:
CHISSY1 wrote:
"Well said Heather,i agree 100%,but no doubt the sad hand wringers will start complaining".
You're a moron.
First one,"remember sticks and stones".

Report this post »

last of the mandms says...
5:25pm Sat 29 Sep 12

Of course Chissy agrees with Causnett the letter is a thinly veiled attack on Anton Ferdinand. The very next time I am on my way to Selby via Eskrick I will pop in and call them both what Terry called Ferdinand then we'll see who is over sensitive.

Report this post »

Micklegate says...
6:26pm Sat 29 Sep 12

What a stupid letter, the writer says the abuse was 'spiteful' and she 'often went home in tears', yet condones abuse overall. No one should have to put up with abuse that upsets them. The sticks and stones expression is as old as it is wrong, fair enough if people can ignore abuse but why should they have to? We do have some stupid 'discrimination' cases where people have accidentally said/done things wrong, but abuse is just that it is rudeness meant as rudeness and there is no excuse.

Report this post »

CHISSY1 says...
6:48pm Sat 29 Sep 12

last of the mandms wrote:
Of course Chissy agrees with Causnett the letter is a thinly veiled attack on Anton Ferdinand. The very next time I am on my way to Selby via Eskrick I will pop in and call them both what Terry called Ferdinand then we'll see who is over sensitive.
"Thats 3.Who may i ask is Anton Ferdinand and Terry ?.I do not live in Selby so you cant pop in and call me names,so there.

Report this post »

goatman says...
9:03pm Sat 29 Sep 12

Anton Ferdinand will always be remembered for being a poor little victim, and not a 'Premier Sportsman'. Terryi is not a likeable person IMHO, but there's no way he would have become captain of a multi-racial side if he was a racist, no way at all. Rio couldn't wait to step int Terry's shoes if he got axed, and that speaks volumes. This whole affair stinks.

Report this post »

CHISSY1 says...
9:20pm Sat 29 Sep 12

goatman wrote:
Anton Ferdinand will always be remembered for being a poor little victim, and not a 'Premier Sportsman'. Terryi is not a likeable person IMHO, but there's no way he would have become captain of a multi-racial side if he was a racist, no way at all. Rio couldn't wait to step int Terry's shoes if he got axed, and that speaks volumes. This whole affair stinks.
" Little boys calling each other names,pathetic as bad as the people who
complain about it"

Report this post »

old_geezer says...
11:32am Sun 30 Sep 12

"I AM fed up to the back teeth at reading about people getting upset at what they consider “verbal abuse” "

And I want to live in a society where the misery caused by verbal abuse is reduced by legal and social sanction. I'm glad there are laws against expressing racial and other bigotry, and don't see them as conflicting with free speech

Report this post »

Magicman! says...
3:37am Mon 1 Oct 12

Unfortunately in the school yard, teachers may see a kid strike another child so that they cry... the teacher will reprimand the one that struck the other, but 99% of the time the kid has struck the other one because of receiving 'verbal abuse' of some sort or another - the teacher cannot see what words are said though, and so a child can be bullied verbally for years and all teacher will ever say is "6 of one half dozen of the other"....
Well, unless Haxby Road Primary has changed in the several years since I was there anyway.

Report this post »

last of the mandms says...
12:40pm Mon 1 Oct 12

CHISSY1 wrote:
last of the mandms wrote:
Of course Chissy agrees with Causnett the letter is a thinly veiled attack on Anton Ferdinand. The very next time I am on my way to Selby via Eskrick I will pop in and call them both what Terry called Ferdinand then we'll see who is over sensitive.
"Thats 3.Who may i ask is Anton Ferdinand and Terry ?.I do not live in Selby so you cant pop in and call me names,so there.
Ah Dear old Chissy as we all said when Grandad passed on "Poor Grammar"

Report this post »

CHISSY1 says...
7:22am Tue 2 Oct 12

last of the mandms wrote:
CHISSY1 wrote:
last of the mandms wrote:
Of course Chissy agrees with Causnett the letter is a thinly veiled attack on Anton Ferdinand. The very next time I am on my way to Selby via Eskrick I will pop in and call them both what Terry called Ferdinand then we'll see who is over sensitive.
"Thats 3.Who may i ask is Anton Ferdinand and Terry ?.I do not live in Selby so you cant pop in and call me names,so there.
Ah Dear old Chissy as we all said when Grandad passed on "Poor Grammar"
"I am not old".

Report this post »

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree