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OUR LIFE The word, the human language — what an extra ordinary blessing. People await their child’s first word with anticipation and love; they follow the unique, child ish language of their babies with rapt attention analyzing every sound. Words give people the opportunity to communicate with others, to express their thoughts and feelings. They unite and tie people together into one whole. Language is the most precious treasure a nation has. One must study and nourish language, one must treasure it and honor it. Thousands of Ukrainians have suffered and are still suffering in prisons, concentration camps and psychiatric hospitals for the right to free expression of thought and ideas. The hope for freedom of expression brought many of our political emigres to America. But every freedom — including the freedom of speech — involves the exercise of responsibility. Orators use language to attract people to them selves and to their ideas. Their words delight their listeners, and inspire them to endurance and to actions — be they good or bad. Words can bring joy and hope, or provoke pain. Used lightly, words are capable of causing misunderstanding and even enmity among people, to inspire suspicion and hatred. There are people gifted with the skill of oratory. For such people, words flow easily, form easily into phrases which glisten like a sparkling stream. Such people have a gift for selecting the right words, metaphors, analogies. A famous orator once said: ”1 more often lacked ideas — rarely words.” It is wise to always weigh one’s words carefully — both in public and private life — for words carelessly spoken can do harm which is hard to repair. The words of a loved one can become a source of joy, or one of profound pain. In public life, a negative idea or opinion grows as it travels from mouth to mouth, and becomes not a supposition or personal opinion but a conviction, or ’’statement of fact.” The obvious analogy is to a snowball rolling downhill, gathering layers of snow until it becomes an avalanche, destroying everything in its path. An apparently innocent remark, when passed from person to person, can be transformed into a legend, complete with details and even assurances of ’’certain sources.” Not all orators anticipate the effect of their statements on their listeners. They make brilliant pronouncements, the more dramatic for being expressed so forcefully. But do they have they have the feeling of responsibility for their words? Our community organizations and associations do not always function the way one might like, perhaps they do not have the kind of orientation one might like. Certainly they are not perfect. One can and should be critical — in the right time and place. But in doing so, one must make use of certain facts — verified, actual — not just guesses or suppositions. After all, regardless of what institutions we are talking about, people who work in them are sincere, committed and honest, especially in material matters. Thse people are chosen by the community, they are examined by delegates from the community. How easy it is in a flashy phrase or two to provoke an unjustifiable suspicion of the work of these people! Just as excessive admiration can turn into a choking litany of praise, so unjustified intimations of dishonesty can turn to serious suspicion and distrust. A word, even the most well chosen — must carry a certain weight, a certain value, a certain beauty and strength, but most important of all, must be honest. The mere talent for beautiful phrase-making, for charming with words, is not enough. We must value the gift of words and use this gift with a sense of responsibility toward goodness, toward spiritual growth, toward the strengthening of the in dividual as well as the community. (transl. by A. H. S) WE WELCOME OUR NEW MEMBERS AND WISH THE NEWLY FOUNDED BRANCH 117, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON EVERY SUCCESS. Austin Elaine — president, Babiar Stephanie — corresponding secretary, Cappelo Ruth, Cittadine Patricia — treasurer, Cossette Klara, Gladston Lydia, Lawryniuk Nadia, Loken Ladda — scrapbook, Mirchur Helen — recording secretary, Ponomarchuk Zinaida — education, Reshetar Helena — monthly program, Roberts Dorotea — Museum project, Robertson Rachel — financial secretary, Vironia Walker — vice-president, Fornia Betty. Editorial ”IF YOU ONLY KNEW HOW HEAVILY THE WORD WEIGHS ..." Видання C оюзу Українок A мерики - перевидано в електронному форматі в 2012 році . A рхів C У A - Ню Йорк , Н . Й . C Ш A.
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