Pet Peeve.... (small soap box warning!!!)

I have a pet peeve. It deals with those who become dependent on their word processors spell check! Why in heavens name do I bring that up at this point of our mission? I'll explain.

Part of my responsibilities is to accompany missionaries who may need to return home for health issues. It doesn't happen often but it does happen. So as I write this post I am doing so from the comfort of our oldest daughter's apartment in Taylorsville, Utah. One of my other responsibilities is to carry an empty suitcase with me on my way to the states and on the way back carry a full suitcase with Walmart products.

While I was at Walmart I noticed a thank-you board that had been placed near the checkout lanes for those who may want to write thank-you notes to our veterans- specifically our Vietnam Veterans. This is a great gesture to our veterans. As tomorrow marks Veteran's day in the United States I hope all can reflect on those whose backs freedom is maintained.

Why, though, am I venting about spell check? On the table was the Presidential declaration that President Obama signed honoring those who fought and served during that war. As I read the declaration I was appalled at an error that I saw in the declaration. The word was spelled correctly but it was the wrong word!
Fortunately, before I ranted too much, I looked up the Proclamation on the internet to see how it was supposed to have read. This was how it came out of the White House:

Vietnam War Memorial in Washington D.C.

Eleven years of combat left their imprint on a generation.  Thousands returned home bearing shrapnel and scars; still more were burdened by the invisible wounds of post-traumatic stress, of Agent Orange, of memories that would never fade.  More than 58,000 laid down their lives in service to our Nation.  Now and forever, their names are etched into two faces of black granite, a lasting memorial to those who bore conflict's greatest cost.

This isn't what I saw at Walmart. What I saw at their was a declaration that someone didn't proof. It appeared that they decided to let spell check do their job for them. What I read was that 58,000 men laid down their lives in service to our Nation and that their names were etched into two faces of  "back" granite. Someone, somewhere, should be embarrassed by the lack of discipline in making sure the words are not only correct but the correct words. It was after getting to that point in the document that I stopped reading as I was pretty upset.

Full picture

Close up

Here is a photo of what I saw at the store.






To read President Obama's Proclamation click here.


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