Again.

As a poet, I find word definitions interesting because I’m reminded or surprised or struck by the nuances of words, even commonly used and understood words like “again.”

Here’s what struck me about the word again when I looked at its definition today.  It, of course means what we all think of it as meaning, “another time” or “once more.”  But depending on how the word is used, it can also mean, “on the other hand” — she may, and then again, she may not.

We have failed miserably in our actions when we use the word again, as in never again, as in not another time. The title of this opinion piece by Nicholas Kristof says it all: Yet again in Sudan.

Words are powerful, and while they don’t provide aid to people displaced by genocide, nor medicine to those injured by atrocities, they can provide comfort, and most importantly, all of us at One Million Bones hope, they can spur change.

What if rather than saying never again, which we continue to fail at spectacularly, we made a pledge to use the word again with the “on the other hand” meaning.  What if we started saying we may let atrocities happen in Sudan, and then again, we may not. What if we started saying we may let mass rapes in Congo continue another 22 years, then again we may not. Never again is a catchy slogan, but maybe it loses power because it doesn’t mention the crux of the issue:  Atrocities.  Genocide.  Mass rape.  If we looked at situations around the world this way, as a concrete choice between letting atrocities go on, or stopping them would that make it easier for us to make never again mean never again? I have no answer, there may not be one, but something has to change, and why not start with how we talk about the world?

We have an opportunity in Sudan, we can let the killing, fighting and suffering go on, and then again we could end it now. This makes for a tidy little segue from R2P to Sudan, but it addresses the singular question I ask myself: How can anyone in a position to do something about Sudan, or any of the other places we talk about, continue to let these atrocities happen?

PS. I like Kristof’s work.  If you do as well, here is a link to his bio, and to his blog, and you can find his twice weekly op-ed pieces at the NYTimes website.