reply to post by TheCanuckian
pacifism has not worked. It was always a real threat that made things happen.
Pacifists offered an alternative that power usually took but only because the pacifist solution was backed up by a possibly worse scenario or tried to
avoid it.
if Gandhi failed, India would have plunged into war for independence. If Martin Luther king and the others had failed with civil rights, the US would
have plunged into a race war, ect.
Seeing the alternative the power usually chooses a nicer alternative that has better press and results for everyone.
You think there weren't pacifists for every other revolution of independence, or social struggle? you really think that is something new or special?
When war or violence broke out it was because the power did not take the alternative.
Pacifism would do little here since there is not strength to back it up. You can only negotiate from a position of power. It is not the end all be all
to problem solving. In this case, if we sit on our hands, we will lose yet even MORE of our rights, as per the trend this past decade. Too much too
quick. Nothing is absolute, not even pacifism.
Sometimes and with some people, you NEED to push back.
edit on 29-12-2012 by zedVSzardoz because: (no reason given)
