I just saw it yet again, in a headline about the Conrad Black trial jurors.
My distaste for the phrase “speak out” has now reached full fledged loathing. I’m not sure I can exactly describe why I hate it so much - I’m sure it’s connected somehow with who does it, and/or how often it is done, and/or where they tend do it (jurors and celebrities, very often, and on TV news in all its forms, respectively).
If I can articulate why I hate it so much, I will do so. But for now, just know that given unlimited power, eternal torture for any copywriter or talking head who uses that phrase would be mandatory.
Just as irritating to me is the phrase “come together”, usually as spoken by some glurgey please-think-of-the-children type of local militant mom after a disaster.
“The community has to come together to speak out against violence in our schools!”
Um, like up until now, everybody has been for violence in school or something.
Wait, don’t forget to throw in, “…and raise awareness!”, as in, “The community has to come together to raise awareness and speak out against violence in our schools!”