1. Linda Chavez intent of her first six words was to clearly state that she, by all means, completely agrees that acting civil in public interactions is extremely important and her opinion on word choice follows that theory.
2. Bellicose metaphors are intended to start quarells or fights. They have been around in politics since the beginning. Chavez used the word "bellicose" because it perfectly describes the way poeple express themselves with words that when used in literal sense, are opposite in meaning. She states that the phrase "took his best shot" is just another way to say someone tried their hardest, not that they actually shot someone. This displays bellicose, but only metaphorically.
3. Chavez is trying to persuad her audience that public civilty and word use is very important, but when choosing words, it is the intent of the speaker that makes a word civil or not. Bellicose metaphors and other saying are a way that people can more fully express themselves. They are not meant to be taken in a literal sense. One example she uses is the removal of "nigger" and "slave" from the literary classic Huckleberry Finn. She states that the removal of this word takes away the opportunity of students to learn about the racism and social statuses of an earlier time period. Diction is a very important element in literature, and it should be used accurately.
4. I completely agree with Chavez's article. People are always trying to stop the use of certain words, and though they may have a point, word choice is a freedom given that should not be taken away. I agree that it is not the word said, but the tone and intent when saying it. Speaking civily and politely during public discourse is indeed completely neccesary and correct, but certain phrases or saying should not be banned. Words can have a variety of different meaning. Everyone interprets these meanings differently, but that does not mean using simple words is neccesary. Diction is used to fully express thoughts, and should be used skillfully. There are some words though that are not polite to publically state and should be discarded. Thinking before speaking is one skill many still have to learn to master.
