Comments on: Antiwar movement on hold http://polizeros.com/2008/01/17/antiwar-movement-on-hold/ Musings on politics: anti-war, global warming, peak oil and otherwise Wed, 07 Jan 2009 22:49:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: DJ http://polizeros.com/2008/01/17/antiwar-movement-on-hold/comment-page-1/#comment-147718 DJ Sat, 19 Jan 2008 16:22:54 +0000 http://polizeros.com/2008/01/17/antiwar-movement-on-hold/#comment-147718 That's true. It used to be that one could count on at least some sense of decency-- some line of abhorrency that the authority would not cross. No more: SLORC, Pol Pot, Al Queda, and others have seemed to be willing to kill EVERYONE if they have to. How does one respond to that kind of nihilism and rage-- except perhaps by being willing to stand up anyway, regardless of the cost or benefit? Perhaps that's the key: to do right even at the cost of our lives. It's a tall order, yet one that I have from time to time been willing to engage in. I once made a promise to a man, a dedicated peacemaker in Sri Lanka, that if he led a march from Colombo to Killinochi (or vice versa), I would walk by his side. To date, I have not had to keep that promise. As long as we don't want peace as badly as they want war, they will win. That’s true. It used to be that one could count on at least some sense of decency– some line of abhorrency that the authority would not cross. No more: SLORC, Pol Pot, Al Queda, and others have seemed to be willing to kill EVERYONE if they have to.

How does one respond to that kind of nihilism and rage– except perhaps by being willing to stand up anyway, regardless of the cost or benefit? Perhaps that’s the key: to do right even at the cost of our lives. It’s a tall order, yet one that I have from time to time been willing to engage in.

I once made a promise to a man, a dedicated peacemaker in Sri Lanka, that if he led a march from Colombo to Killinochi (or vice versa), I would walk by his side. To date, I have not had to keep that promise.

As long as we don’t want peace as badly as they want war, they will win.

]]> By: Bob Morris http://polizeros.com/2008/01/17/antiwar-movement-on-hold/comment-page-1/#comment-147692 Bob Morris Sat, 19 Jan 2008 02:06:21 +0000 http://polizeros.com/2008/01/17/antiwar-movement-on-hold/#comment-147692 It also could only happen when the powers-that-be will not, for whatever reason, not simply kill or imprison everyone, as sadly just happened in Myanmar. It also could only happen when the powers-that-be will not, for whatever reason, not simply kill or imprison everyone, as sadly just happened in Myanmar.

]]> By: DJ http://polizeros.com/2008/01/17/antiwar-movement-on-hold/comment-page-1/#comment-147690 DJ Sat, 19 Jan 2008 00:24:51 +0000 http://polizeros.com/2008/01/17/antiwar-movement-on-hold/#comment-147690 There will always be friction in human interaction. (The only exception might be preaching to the converted.) What Gandhi did was to use mass action as (1) a means to create a mass consensus and (2) a mirror to highlight the barbarity of the colonizers. Unfortunately, that's not the usual outcome. In that sense, Gandhi was a genius rarely duplicated. There will always be friction in human interaction. (The only exception might be preaching to the converted.) What Gandhi did was to use mass action as (1) a means to create a mass consensus and (2) a mirror to highlight the barbarity of the colonizers. Unfortunately, that’s not the usual outcome. In that sense, Gandhi was a genius rarely duplicated.

]]> By: Bob Morris http://polizeros.com/2008/01/17/antiwar-movement-on-hold/comment-page-1/#comment-147688 Bob Morris Fri, 18 Jan 2008 23:54:50 +0000 http://polizeros.com/2008/01/17/antiwar-movement-on-hold/#comment-147688 DJ - a thought perhaps on mass conflicts and friction “Change means movement. Movement means friction. Only in the frictionless vacuum of a nonexistent abstract world can movement or change occur without that abrasive friction of conflict.” -- Saul Alinsky DJ - a thought perhaps on mass conflicts and friction

“Change means movement. Movement means friction. Only in the frictionless vacuum of a nonexistent abstract world can movement or change occur without that abrasive friction of conflict.”
– Saul Alinsky

]]> By: Bob Morris http://polizeros.com/2008/01/17/antiwar-movement-on-hold/comment-page-1/#comment-147678 Bob Morris Fri, 18 Jan 2008 19:47:02 +0000 http://polizeros.com/2008/01/17/antiwar-movement-on-hold/#comment-147678 DJ - Ghandi used mass protest, so did Nelson Mandela. It clearly can work, seems to me. Maybe IVAW can mainstream the antiwar movement. Imagine marches with all sorts of folks, not just lefties, joined together. Mom and pop. Right as well as Left. With speeches just focused on the war too. No side issues. DJ - Ghandi used mass protest, so did Nelson Mandela. It clearly can work, seems to me.

Maybe IVAW can mainstream the antiwar movement. Imagine marches with all sorts of folks, not just lefties, joined together. Mom and pop. Right as well as Left. With speeches just focused on the war too. No side issues.

]]> By: Bob Morris http://polizeros.com/2008/01/17/antiwar-movement-on-hold/comment-page-1/#comment-147677 Bob Morris Fri, 18 Jan 2008 19:38:49 +0000 http://polizeros.com/2008/01/17/antiwar-movement-on-hold/#comment-147677 Garett is a board member of IVAW http://www.couragetoresist.org/x/content/view/284/69/ "As a sniper with the First Infantry Division in Iraq, I had an obligation to serve my country--and exercise my right as an American to speak out against a criminal war in Iraq. Courage to Resist continues to assist soldiers in both by giving expression to their moral duty to resist a dishonest use of the United States military in an unlawful occupation of Iraq." Garett is a board member of IVAW

http://www.couragetoresist.org/x/content/view/284/69/

“As a sniper with the First Infantry Division in Iraq, I had an obligation to serve my country–and exercise my right as an American to speak out against a criminal war in Iraq. Courage to Resist continues to assist soldiers in both by giving expression to their moral duty to resist a dishonest use of the United States military in an unlawful occupation of Iraq.”

]]> By: Garett Reppenhagen http://polizeros.com/2008/01/17/antiwar-movement-on-hold/comment-page-1/#comment-147676 Garett Reppenhagen Fri, 18 Jan 2008 18:55:58 +0000 http://polizeros.com/2008/01/17/antiwar-movement-on-hold/#comment-147676 Thank you to all the organizations that are assisting the Iraq Veterans and GI Resistance who are opposing this war. All of our mentors and friends from the peace movement will be needed to help educate and guide the next generation as we step into the role as leaders of the movement. We at IVAW feel we have a unique role and a link to the majority of Americans who are against this war, but thus far have been silent in their opposition. Hopefully by granting us this opportunity we can experiment with new strategies and focus on specific messages. IVAW does not wish to divide the movement, we still would love your support and cooperation. Help hold a spot light to the truth of the occupation of Iraq and help us hold our government accountable. Peace on Earth Garett Reppenhagen Thank you to all the organizations that are assisting the Iraq Veterans and GI Resistance who are opposing this war. All of our mentors and friends from the peace movement will be needed to help educate and guide the next generation as we step into the role as leaders of the movement. We at IVAW feel we have a unique role and a link to the majority of Americans who are against this war, but thus far have been silent in their opposition. Hopefully by granting us this opportunity we can experiment with new strategies and focus on specific messages. IVAW does not wish to divide the movement, we still would love your support and cooperation. Help hold a spot light to the truth of the occupation of Iraq and help us hold our government accountable.

Peace on Earth

Garett Reppenhagen

]]> By: Michael Pugliese http://polizeros.com/2008/01/17/antiwar-movement-on-hold/comment-page-1/#comment-147674 Michael Pugliese Fri, 18 Jan 2008 16:38:14 +0000 http://polizeros.com/2008/01/17/antiwar-movement-on-hold/#comment-147674 Why is Cindy Sheehan dating Lew Rockwell, who wrote all those racist newsletters for Ron Paul? Why is Cindy Sheehan dating Lew Rockwell, who wrote all those racist newsletters for Ron Paul?

]]> By: DJ http://polizeros.com/2008/01/17/antiwar-movement-on-hold/comment-page-1/#comment-147673 DJ Fri, 18 Jan 2008 16:26:21 +0000 http://polizeros.com/2008/01/17/antiwar-movement-on-hold/#comment-147673 Mass protest is only one tool for seeking peace-- and of arguable usefulness. It's much like the hammer in your tool box: essential for certain tasks, but insufficient by itself to build a house. Plus, a peace agenda combined with a political (e.g. Left) agenda is doomed to fail. A peace agenda must be, well, a peace agenda. The tools that have worked elsewhere are grassroots organizing, emphasis on holism, and bridging disagreements with inclusivity. These take work and time. But for those who say we don't have time, fear not: the war will continue until we make time. One of my team members believes that mass protests CANNOT be a tool for peace because they are by nature divisive and conflict-generating. I'm not sure I agree, but it is clear to me that the U.S. internal struggle over Vietnam is still being fought-- forty years later, that conflict has not yet been ended. Mass protest is only one tool for seeking peace– and of arguable usefulness. It’s much like the hammer in your tool box: essential for certain tasks, but insufficient by itself to build a house.

Plus, a peace agenda combined with a political (e.g. Left) agenda is doomed to fail. A peace agenda must be, well, a peace agenda.

The tools that have worked elsewhere are grassroots organizing, emphasis on holism, and bridging disagreements with inclusivity. These take work and time. But for those who say we don’t have time, fear not: the war will continue until we make time.

One of my team members believes that mass protests CANNOT be a tool for peace because they are by nature divisive and conflict-generating. I’m not sure I agree, but it is clear to me that the U.S. internal struggle over Vietnam is still being fought– forty years later, that conflict has not yet been ended.

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