A Spelling Bee For Modern Times

What a few words mean and what they should mean to all of us

With words magically being redefined in today’s mad, mad, mad world I decided to do something I haven’t done in a while.  I looked up some words we often hear thrown about by all “sides” of any issue facing humanity and was quite surprised by what I found.  Keep in mind that some of the definitions were lengthy and so I kind of picked and chose what parts of the definitions I wanted to share with you, my wonderful readers.  I took these definitions from my prized Hardcover Merriam-Webster 10th Edition dictionary printed in 1994. (Yep, a real book with pages and everything!)  I posted the definition first and the word at the end on purpose. I think it’s important to read the definition first because we often think we know what a word means and, sometimes we really don’t.

Before we start, I want to provide a quick disclaimer.  The emphasis (italics, etc) on words throughout are my own and are not from Merriam-Webster.  I am not an attorney and don’t claim to know anything about “law” per se’, but I do have common sense and can read a dictionary.  What I say about the words described below is my opinion only and should not be construed as any kind of legal advice.

While you read these definitions, I would like for you to think about the last couple of years and what we have been through in the “name” of almost every word in this post.  Think about how the words have been used incorrectly and to get people to “go along to get along” as well as other incredible madness.  Enjoy!

: the laws or regulations prescribed by the founder of a religious order for observance by its members. : a standard of judgment. : to exert control, direction, or influence on. : to exercise control over especially by curbing or restraining.  : to exercise authority or power over often harshly or arbitrarily.

What’s the word?  If you said RULE(s), you get an A+.  Over the last couple of years we’ve heard “we have to follow the rules.”  Hmm, judging by the definition, it sounds to me like a lot of rules are put in place by people who just want to control others.  Period.

: a binding custom or practice of a community. : a whole body of such customs, practices, or rules. : the control brought about by the existence or enforcement… : something compatible with or enforceable, obligatory to observe.

What’s this one?  If you guessed LAW(s) you get a gold star.  How does this play in the last 2 years of madness?  Almost nothing, and I mean nothing, that has been done has been lawful according to laws on the books.  Maybe in a few rare cases here and there some of the insanity has been lawful, but in almost 100% of all cases it has been someone waving a magic wand and making up a “rule”.  We are *not* and I repeat, *not* obligated to follow magical rules.  Laws are different, but even then, if a law is unethical, immoral, or actually *hurts* us or others (the risk of a substance literally shot into our body, which isn’t a law, it’s a “rule”) we absolutely have every right to say *no* to it.  Yes, there may be consequences, but that’s where our principles have to be more important than the evil “law” we are being forced into obeying.

: the power to do as one pleases. : freedom from physical restraint (lockdowns, curfews). : freedom from arbitrary or despotic control (power mad governors and other politicians placing chains on us). : the positive enjoyment of various social, political, or economic rights… : the power of choice. : a right or immunity enjoyed… : permission to go freely within specified limits…

Did you guess this one?  If you said LIBERTY you win!  In the name of a “world ending” “pandemic” we have been told we have to give up everything.  We can’t go anywhere without following the “rules” (remember NOT laws) and if we do go somewhere we have to restrict our ability to breath the air (masking) and we have to punish ourselves by not being close to or touching anyone (a violation of social rights).  Let’s pretend that we don’t have a constitution or “law of the land” in America.  Liberty is a fundamental *human* right.  No one, and I mean *no one* (not politicians, law enforcement, business owners, neighbors or Karens) have the right to demand we give up our liberty.  Not in the name of anything.  They cannot claim we are killing someone without proof (you didn’t wear your mask, you are killing people, etc). Liberty should *never* be taken away in the name of an “emergency” because there will always be an emergency.  If we think about it for a bit, politicians and “rulers” can claim an emergency for pretty much anything.  The sad part of this?  People are often willing to give up their liberty out of fear of the so-called emergency (or pressure from the herd members in their circles).  We cannot do this.  We *must* garner courage.  I know it’s kind of a cliché, but “liberty freely given up is *never* regained”.  (Without a horrible fight and even then, often, the people fail to get those liberties back).  STOP COMPLYING (sorry for yelling haha). Hang on to your liberty by practicing it every single day.  Boldly, proudly and without fear! 

And, finally (I had a whole list of words, but I chose just four of them because I didn’t want to make this wayyyyyy too long).  I’m ending with probably my favorite word in this post:

: the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice of action. : liberation from slavery or restraining or from the power of another. : the quality or state of being exempt or released from something onerous. : the quality of being frank, open or outspoken. : a political right.  

That’s right, the word is FREEDOM.  I know you all guessed it so you have all won today.  I heard it said long ago that true freedom is the ability to say *no* to something without fear of punishment or reprisal.

So, what do we do with our new found understanding of these words?  We live them!  We hold on to them in our minds and our hearts and we let these words sink into our very being.  We pass them on to our posterity and tell them, and anyone who will listen, to never give up!  We adhere to these words and stop complying with the insane opposite definitions of what some of these words truly mean.  And we do it *now* before the very definition of them is changed for ourselves and countless billions of people who follow after us. 

If you get nothing else out of this post, I hope you at least have it reaffirmed for yourself that, if you have been resisting insanity because it just didn’t feel right to you, you are doing the right thing! You have been saying *no* to madness.  You’ve been right even if you couldn’t quite put your finger on the reason why.  Thank you to those who don’t feel bad for standing up for these words in your own life.  They may just be words, but words actually mean something.  Words have power if we are willing to accept that power, grab it for ourselves and practice the true definitions of them in our lives every single day.