say what?

Should anything be said when there's nothing left to say? Usually someone will come up with something that, suffice it to say, shouldn't have been said. That in turn provokes a response that also need not be said.

These unnecessary responses are caused by a lack of agreement on whether or not the speaking should cease. If the condition of silence is asked for unilaterally - as opposed to bilaterally or multilaterally, depending on the number of speakers involved - then it would depend on the amount of respect (or fear) the asked has for the asker as to whether or not verbal expression desisted.

Once the present speaking stops, the past words must be attended to, but something, once said, cannot be unsaid, even though this has been tried, but the more said trying to unsay something, the more things are said that need not be said, shouldn't be said and also can't be unsaid.

Being unable to turn back time, the best we can do is to say something to make up for or apologize for what should not have been said to start with. Even in this we must be careful to say the things that should be said in lieu of what shouldn't be said. But at a time like that it's hard to know what to say.

Sometimes if nothing is said, the lack of words speaks volumes, and can be misinterpreted. Just the raising of an eyebrow or other subtle body language can communicate much. What if Ole Abe had given the Gettysburg address in body language only - they would have thought he had flipped out.

Speaking of politicians - what if they were required to list the ingredients contained in each speech? For all too many of them the contents would read something like this: This speech contains: 20% Hogwash - 20% Malarkey - 20% Hot air - 20% Bunkum - 20% Baloney - 20% Tripe - 20% Claptrap - 20% Unmitigated gall - Artificial color and flavor, just barely enough - Truth, one grain. I realize this comes out to more than 100%, but this is in concentrated form, just dilute it with more hogwash.