Do Words Still Matter?

I'm in the middle of a second semester of Greek, where we're learning to accurately translate the Biblical Greek of the New Testament. We're not only learning what words mean but in what sense, tense, mood, etc. based on usage, context and pointing. I'm happy enough with just getting the gist of what the words mean, since no one really knows exactly what was the author's original intent.

This experience reminds me of a thought I've had previously: in a postmodern world, where meaning is contingent on context rather than having absolute meaning (that is, truth with a small "t" rather than a big "T"), does nitpicking over words really matter? Are we spending too much time debating semantics rather than focusing on a larger common ground that might mean different things to different people? It's the sentiment that asks, Can't we all just get along?

I remember when Darfur was first coming onto the international news cycle, there was noticeable talk about how the Bush administration was not using the word "genocide" in referring to the, well, genocide. I think it was Colin Powell who first used the word as then-Secretary of State, and the news analysts all debated if this word usage would force the US to act decisively.

Now here we are in 2009, and the genocide continues in Darfur, unabated. The US has made a few strides to stop the genocide, but haven't used all available options - and thus the people of Darfur continue to be slaughtered, maimed and raped of their human dignity. Here is an instance where words should matter, but they don't lead to any substantial action.

And after years of being told by Pres. Bush that we as a nation do not torture, in this most recent WP article, the top overseer of the military trials for Guantanamo Bay detainees, Susan Crawford has declared the sum total of the interrogation methods used on the alleged 20th-9/11 hijacker to be torture. Yes, that's right. We, the US of A, have tortured our alleged enemies. Thus we have lost any ground to object to questionable interrogations of our own citizens and soldiers. Our righteous words cease to matter, for the actions of our hands have negated the words from our mouths.

Will anything happen? I doubt it. Words are cheap. Anyone can blog. Anyone can spout. But where is the action? Where is the change? We're inundated with words on the 15-min news cycle, the talk shows and the conversations we have with each other. But if these words do not translate into concrete action, I fear all this talk is for nought.

Actions speak louder than words. Let us act with our hearts and minds, speaking truth as we see it and showing people we mean what we say in the way we treat each other with respect, dignity and love.