The Power of Words

My four year old daughter was in tears the other day because one of her little school-friends told her that she no longer wanted to be friends. Only four and already she has experienced the power of another’s words to hurt and wound. It took many, many positive and loving words from her parents to calm her spirit and give her the courage to face another day at school. The funny thing is that no matter how old we get, words never seem to lose their power over us. Words of rejection or disrespect can totally ruin our day, whilst words of love and encouragement can inspire us to great heights.

What surprises me about Julius Malema is that he should more clearly understand the power of words. He has been central to the survival of Jacob Zuma’s political career over the last few years because of his wholehearted and passionate vocal support. Yet, Julius Malema’s career as head of the ANCL has been marked by very ill-considered and hurtful pronouncements. His latest words of controversy were sung along to an old resistance song made famous by Peter Mokabe - “Kill the boer (farmer)”. This is on top of the Equality Court ruling this week against him in a hate speech case regarding comments he made about the woman who accused Jacob Zuma of raping her.

To be fair, Julius Malema is not the only prominent member of society to ignore the power of words to hurt and victimise (a lesson even four year olds are aware of). Many politicians, shock jocks and hip-hop stars commonly utter words which only serve to label, stereotype and often seriously insult their fellow human beings. Maya Angelou, the American poet renowned for her wisdom and grace, was once queried about the fact that many of these people defended their right to do so by describing their efforts as part of their ‘art’. Angelou just gazed at her interviewer and replied, “Vulgarity is just vulgarity.” She is so correct, ugliness is just ugliness and there is no hiding from it. I am interested in the ANC’s response to the public outrage over Malema’s song by stating that this particular song is part of their cultural heritage and those offended are not fully appreciating its context. Well, I am sorry but vulgarity is just vulgarity and violence is just violence. If our words diminish or threaten our fellow human beings in any way, then to defend them by describing them as ‘art’ or ‘culture’ seems absurd.

Malema is a good example because he is well known, but really this is a lesson every human being should be deeply cognisant of ... that words have tremendous power to diminish and destroy, or to build and encourage. At this crucial juncture in our nation’s history, I would like to see our leaders and role models doing a little more building and less destroying, but this is not only a macro challenge for the famous amongst us. On a micro level the words we ordinary folk express to our neighbours, or our fellow commuters, or to those we walk past on the street should always be carefully considered – simply because our words do have such power to either build or destroy.

The reality is that not one of us is innocent of the kind of verbal violence Malema engaged in through singing that song. Many of us have repeated prejudicial, sexist or homophobic jokes just because we find them funny, or because they help us to feel superior. Many of us have at times allowed our anger, fear or personal issues to explode out of us in a torrent of words designed to punish and hurt. In some way we are all guilty of what Malema has done. As one pastor was heard to loudly proclaim to his congregation, “All those present here that are guilty of the sin of slander or gossip, may your tongue stick to the woof of your mowf!” None of us is innocent in this regard.

Equally, many of us have also been on the receiving end of hurtful words. We have endured the deep and bitter pain of being slandered, gossiped about, or disregarded. Sticks and stones break my bones but words will never harm me? What utter rubbish! We know from personal experience the tremendous power of negative words. This is why it is not hard to imagine what can happen when we begin using that power constructively. To intentionally and imaginatively use our tongues to build up, lend hope and empower. Imagine how we can transform society when we attempt to negotiate our differences more respectfully, and when we wisely use the power of our words to bless and inspire, to love and to create. I can’t help feeling that that’s how God originally intended it to be. For when God spoke, there was ... life.