1. I think that Chavez's point that she is trying to get across in the first six words is that politicians need to be politically correct in their speeches. That when politicians are in the public they need to remember that everyone is watching them and analyzing their every word, so they need to be very cautious on what they say. They need to remember that they are talking to the entire public and that anyone can take a word the wrong way.
2. Chavez uses the word bellicose in the sentence "Bellicose metaphors have been a staple of politics from the beginning." The purpose for using this word is to prove that politicians have been using fighting words since the very beginning. The word bellicose means warlike, and that is truly what politicians are; they need to always be ready to have a strong comeback. This word was used to get the point across that warlike metaphors are very common and useful in politics. They only strengthen the politicians argument in debates or speeches.
3. Chavez is trying to get the point across that politicians can still be forceful but at the same time be politically correct. She is saying that politicians should take other people into consideration while saying their speeches, but still be able to say what they want. They have already made rules of words that they are not allowed to use, but it is just common courtesy to others around you. She is trying to say that in order for politicians to make a point they can be strong in their opinion and statement while still being correct and proper. Her best example of this is when she talks about taking out the word "nigger" in "Huck Finn" and replacing it with "slave." The argument that it would cause the book to lose its effectiveness is true, and the reader would also lose the point that Twain was trying to make in the book. The reader would lose the effect of the times when the book was based and how people treated each other.
4. I agree with Chavez. I think that politicians can still make a point while being politically correct. They should not be able to say what they can and can not say in a speech because even though they are politicians they still have a right to freedom of speech. And if they are not smart enough to be proper in their speeches then they should not have been voted into office because that is not a leader that you want to follow. Everyone is able to say what they want to say, but at the same time you need to be aware of the people you are talking to. So people should be aware of their public surroundings and show civility. If everyone started showing more civility in their words then we would have less discrepancies in our society today.
