Say What You Mean & Mean What You Say

1. Chavez' intent with the first 6 words of her column is that the words people choose to speak should be used wisely and respectively. Although people shouldn't change the message they are sending, they should be cautious of how they present it.

2. The word bellicose means favoring to start quarrels. Chavez used the word bellicose to describe metaphors made because in many cases, phrases that people have become accustomed to say are found offensive and can even lead to fighting. Slang terms and racial comparisons spark conflict between groups of people, and describing them as bellicose is very fitting.

3. Chavez is trying to persuade the reader into believing that all of the dispute over the words people use to express what they think is not because of the words themselves, but the tone of them and the context in which they are said. The best example to support her point in my opinion is in the quote, "Such rhetorical devices enrich our language and putting them off-limits would deprive us of the ability to express ourselves fully."

4. I agree, and I understand that it's important to think about what we say. But if we change how we say it, we can't fully get a point across.