Living through most of the 20th century has made me acquainted with the power of words to distort reality, twist the truth, and make people do what in their right mind they would not do, including things that could harm them, often tragically.

Was it not the words of Hitler in his 1930s public rantings that roused Germans to action that led to the killing of millions of people in a world war?

The trouble with words is made forcibly clear in the film “We Are Not Alone” in which an innocent man (played by Paul Muni) accused of murder and facing death by hanging says, in a moment he steals to speak in his defense: “Words can be true – and still have no truth in them.”

The mindless and often malicious use of words can make what is false appear true, what is fake appear real, what is wrong seem right, and what is right seem wrong – a misuse of words that is familiar to anyone whose brain has not been washed by those cunning enough to make information serve as propaganda, the kind frequently sending innocent people to jail or to an early grave.

Speaking truthfully – “telling it like it is,” even over intimidation – is a necessary part of fighting falsehood. Sounding off with truth punches holes in what is fake, dishonest, and insincere. Silence, let us always remember, gives consent to actions that can harm people. Time is........

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