WHEN WORDS ARE WEAPONS      The McGill Report        3.6.02       Lest one think for even an instant that the       sword is mightier than the pen, consider the       case of Hassan Ngeze, the former editor of       the Rwandan newspaper Kangura.       The paper’s ceaseless caricaturing of       Rwanda’s Tutsi population as evil, sex-       crazed, and genetically dishonest helped       set the stage for the murder of more than       800,000 Tutsis whose radio station, the       infamous RTLM, spewed hate-mongering       rants and broadcast the locations of individual       Tutsis and targeted for murder.       These two men and a third, Jean-Bosco       Barayagwiza, are standing trial at the Rwanda       war crimes tribunal for genocide and incitement       to genocide, in a case that may set a precedent       for future hate speech prosecutions around the       world.       We need to think more about hate speech       in the United States. The other day the       Fox TV personality John Gibson, on his       show The Big Story, summed up the recent       Gallup Poll of Muslim world opinions of the       United States by saying: "They HATE us!"       An insignificant example? I don’t think so.       For one thing, hate itself was not even       among the attitudes measured in the Gallup       poll, so Gibson was factually wrong. For       another, the word "hate" is in itself a bomb,       and using the word irresponsibly is like       bomb-throwing. It’s yelling "fire" in a crowded       theater. What’s the gut response to hearing       that someone hates you? Even before         thinking, it’s to hate them right back.       When you hear the word "hate," tolerance and       reason and moderation are short-circuited       and we’re off to war.       In Cincinnati last year a black radio station       called The Buzz played a critical role in a       domino-effect that led to a week of rioting       and looting. After a young black man died       in a police shooting, the station called for       black citizens to mass demonstrate in down-       town Cincinnati -- a reasonable reaction.       But the call to demonstrate was couched       in hate speech leaving little doubt that more       than marching was being recommended.             In such a way, the media can create an       atmosphere ripe for explosion. We may be       creating such an atmosphere in our country       now. The trial in Rwanda is worth watching       because it may help us learn to recognize       when hate crosses the line from word to       weapon anywhere in the world. Including at       home.       A READER RESPONDS: The hate monger-       ing in Rwanda was reprehensible. Yet, con-       victing (imprisoning, executing) someone for       what they say creates other thorny prob-       lems. I am sure the Israeli and Palestinian       media are quite inflammatory now. It does       not feel right to put those speakers on a war       crimes list. The traditional civil libertarian       response to the problem of hate speech is       to counter it with more speech. Imagine a       speech-offensive in It would be difficult for        the USA to send in military in every commu-       nity where hate/genocide is occurring. A       broadcasting offensive, giving voice to the       reasonable would-be leaders in those com-       munities may do some good. Radio stations       are easy to set up. The rebels in El Salvador       carried a portable transmitter around for       years to communicate with the nation. Did       NATO bring a radio station with them when       they went into Kosovo? I know the US used       radio in Afghanistan.       TMR: I think in some cases, words equal       weapons. The question is to define when       words that threshold. It's illegal to yell "fire"       in a crowded theater, right? Also check out       these words from a Rwanda radio broad-       cast made during the genocide: "It should         be stressed that people must bring a       machete, a spear, an arrow, a hoe, spades,       rakes, nails, truncheons, barbed wire,          stones and the like, in order, dear listeners,       to kill the Rwandan Tutsis, who are currently       in the Ituri District. So what should Hutus do       against the Rwandan Tutsis? They must       attack them. Wherever you see a Rwandan       Tutsi, regard him as your enemy. We shall       do everything possible to free ourselves       from the grip of the Tutsis. Open your eyes       wide. those of you who live along the road,       jump on the people with long noses, who are       tall and slim and what to dominate us..." etc.       READER: Wow! I think that does cross        the line, probably even in this country.       This is more akin to directing violence       than "expressing ideas."