Words are funny things. They are sounds you make with your mouth and tongue, differing from grunts which come from deeper down in the larynx. (I'm guessing, I did not spend any time researching the subject.) We all learned the saying as kids on the playground, "Sticks and Stones may break my bones but words will never harm me." All I can say about that is, "Ha!"

In the current climate of hatred throughout America, typified most noticeable by the members of our government and the media, both groups supposedly in existence to help us, words are now used as poison darts. Right now the most poisonous one is racism. (Watch out, that one can end your career, your marriage or your life!) Not too long ago it was molester or sexual predator that was the most heinous label, and before that it was Wall Street broker.

It's hard to keep up, but one word I know to avoid for sure is "colored." It's perfectly acceptable to identify someone as a "person of color." But if you slip up because you tossed and turned all night worrying about whether you have enough black friends or hate Donald Trump enough, thus wake up groggy and mistakenly say "colored person" in conversation, get out of town fast -- preferably at night.

If you ask me, these days you're a lot safer throwing sticks and stones than calling names.