THE DAY BEFORE THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF 9/11

In the beginning there was the word—and the word was used for good and the word was used for evil.

Every hour someone commits a hate crime. Every day eight African Americans, three whites, three gays, three Jews, two Arab Americans, and one Latino become hate crime victims. Every week a cross is burned.

Since the early 1980s I have spent considerable time studying extremist groups, hate crimes and the language of oppression. My studies have taken me to Ku Klux Klan marches, to Aryan Nations gatherings, to a sedition trial of white supremacist leaders, and to meetings at which members of The Order, a white supremacist terrorist organization, were present.

My studies took me to a place that is frightening and appalling—a world that shocks the sensibility of anyone who reveres human life.

In the world of white supremacy leaders preach that it is the divine mission of Aryan warriors to strike out against all those whose skin is darker than theirs, to take over the government of the United States of America, and to eliminate all enemies. 

And then, on April 19, 1995, in Oklahoma City, a domestic terrorist detonated a fertilizer bomb at the Murrah Federal Building—bringing terrorism to the heartland of our nation, and taking the lives of 168 innocent human beings.

We had no idea then that this incident of terrorism would be multiplied 40 fold just 6 years later on September 11, 2001, changing the 21^st century, and our generations forever.

Our media has devoted many hours to determining why these tragic events occurred. Theories abound. In the final analysis, however, I think we will find that the common factor is HATE. In the case of the Oklahoma City tragedy, Timothy McVeigh, had been taught to hate so vehemently that he lashed out at the federal government, punctuating his actions by claiming that the innocent children were merely casualties of war. In the case of the tragedies of last week, it appears likely that the terrorists had also been taught to hate.

In the beginning there was the word, and the word was used for good and the word was used for evil.

We are not born to hate—rather hate is rhetorically constructed. As a professor of communication the most fundamental unit I study is the word. In the case of white supremacists, my attention is focused on how they use the word to oppress and to propagate hate. 

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me."

We have all heard this childhood ditty—and I think most of us know that words can indeed hurt. In fact, there is considerable evidence that words not only hurt, but can oppress, wound and even provoke the devastation we saw in Oklahoma City, New York City and our nation’s capital.

Think of the role that words and names have played in world history—Pre-World War II Germany where Hitler justified his final solution by labeling Jews as vermin, bacilli and roaches; The indigenous people of North America, called savages, half-breeds, scalp hunting barbarians; The history of slavery in or nation where African Americans were defined as chattel, less than a complete human being. In all these cases, once a group is dehumanized, their victimization is enabled.

And think of some of the rhetoric that is going on right now concerning our neighbors of Middle Eastern descent or who believe in Islam. The words we find in our Internet chat rooms and on t-shirts are frightening.

It is interesting to note that our media does not refer to members of white supremacist groups in the U.S. as Christian extremists, yet they are quick to use the label Middle Eastern terrorists or Islamic extremists, even though the terrorists are no more representative of Islam and the Middle East as white supremacists are representative of Christianity.

Our hearts and thoughts go out to the thousands of victims of last week’s tragic events. We must make sure, however, that in a rush to judgment more innocent human beings are not victimized. NAFSA, the Association of International Educators, issued the following statement:

“It is vital to remember that the atrocities of this week originate in extremist and radical organizations, and do not represent the broader beliefs or values of any particular national, religious or ethnic group. The actions of groups that lack regard for human life must not lead to misguided judgments about ethnic or religious minorities in our midst. Our neighbors are not responsible for these acts. Our neighbors are hurting too. If we turn against our neighbors because they look foreign or are religiously different, we deny the very values that we seek to defend.”

In the beginning there was the word—and the word was used for good and the word was used for evil. Thus far my focus has been on how the word is used to promote evil. But think, if those that hate use words to oppress, why can’t the word be used to uplift, empower and liberate?

All across our nation people are standing up to hate, using words to promote tolerance, understanding and an appreciation for diversity.

The Southern Poverty Law Center tells us that to confront hate we must ACT:

“Do something in the face of hatred—apathy will be interpreted as acceptance, by the haters, the public and, worse, the victim”

As citizens of the world we need to reach out to those who may feel unsafe in our communities, letting them know that they are welcome. This may be as simple as smiling and saying hello to those who we pass on the streets. When we hear people making misguided statements we need to speak out. Now, more than ever, we need unity.

In the beginning there was the word—and the word was used for good and the word was used for evil. Let all of us use the word better than those who use it to hate. Let us use the word to uplift, empower and liberate.