Slain Journalist's Tweet Against Hate Makes Waves

Kenji Goto reflected on what he'd learned in Syria, Iraq
By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 2, 2015 11:07 AM CST
Slain Journalist's Tweet Against Hate Makes Waves
This screen shot made Monday, Feb. 2, 2015, shows a tweet posted by slain Japanese journalist Kenji Goto on Sept, 7, 2010.   (AP Photo/Kenji Goto via Twitter)

More than four years ago, journalist Kenji Goto tweeted a message whose power has only grown after he was apparently killed as an ISIS hostage. The tweet, the AP reports, has gone viral both in Japanese and in English. A translation of the Sept. 7, 2010 message: "Closing my eyes and holding still. It's the end if I get mad or scream. It's close to a prayer. Hate is not for humans. Judgment lies with God. That's what I learned from my Arabic brothers and sisters." The tweet, which has been retweeted nearly 22,000 times, reflects on Goto's experiences as a journalist in Syria and Iraq, Mashable reports.

His wife issued a statement today about his mission: "I remain extremely proud of my husband, who reported the plight of people in conflict areas like Iraq, Somalia, and Syria," the statement says. "It was his passion to highlight the effects on ordinary people, especially through the eyes of children, and to inform the rest of us of the tragedies of war." The AP yesterday also noted a message from a video Goto made before he made his last trip to Syria: "No matter what happens to me, I will always love the people of Syria," he said. (More Kenji Goto stories.)

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