LETTER: I choose to believe our economy is sound

Dear Editor:

This letter is a little different and is being sent to you because of your access to so much information and people. It’s sort of a question, in part anyway. Do you know people who remember the early TV commercials of the 1950s? Today, I was reminiscing and I remembered the earliest commercials for Winston cigarettes. “Winston tastes good, like a cigarette should,” was how the jingle went and it was a catchy phrase that everyone repeated as much as the Lucky Strike commercials, and later the Alka Seltzer jingle, and the one for the Clarks Teaberry gum.


Anyway, I’m sure most everyone can remembers some commercial that stayed with them – like Brill Cream’s “a little dab will do ya,” from the ads on TV and billboards for miles on the highway. People actually begin to repeat them to the point that they forget about proper English or using a word correctly. English teachers were outraged about the Winston commercial, not because people were attracted to cigarettes, but because the English was incorrect. It should have said “Winston tastes good, as a cigarette should.”

That one little difference created a sort of downfall in America’s use of the English language. I have noticed how so many people have used the word “elite” since Ms. Clinton said it about Barack Obama. The people seem to believe it means wealthy. Then when the video about Barack being “the chosen one” came out, some saw it as something very negative. (Perception and misinformation again I suppose – elite means “elected” or “select.” It obvious to me that Hillary was saying that their own party had chosen Barack as the elite.

Then the drumbeat went on from there. The word “audacious” isn’t a good thing at all, and yet because of The Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s choosing the word and his phrase “audacity of hope,” Barack decided it was catchy and it became the title for his book. It means “overbold in wickedness, insolent, impudent, shameless, unabashed.” (I can find “hope” in scripture, but not audacity, and if I find curses, those are definitely not directed in vain or in a simple sermon.)

If you look at the word “flatter” you can see it right next to flatulent and despite their being side by side, and similarly spelled, the meanings are different but if you combine “flatulent flatterer” you get a blowing that confirms ones own good opinion of themselves.

Today, I heard John McCain rightfully say that despite the greed that created the downfall of Lehman Brothers, “the fundamentals of the economy are sound.” Well, folks sure jumped on that word, wanting to believe “fundamental” and “sound” means all good, and looking for territory to criticize. They’ve made fools of themselves, since the word fundamental means – the part of the body on which one sits, groundwork, root, basis, foundation, truth, principle, rule, law,..

I choose to believe that our economy is sound – like the roots of a strong tree. Pruning is necessary to maintain a tree’s life, but its roots are good.

I have faith in God and I am an optimist.

Sincerely,

Jo Anne P. White