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As callous as it sounds: Responding with violence is not going to change a thing. Also, telling such a community that their anger isn't helping, also helps nobo
by bayesianhorse 12y ago
As callous as it sounds: Responding with violence is not going to change a thing. Also, telling such a community that their anger isn't helping, also helps nobody.
Peaceful, non-violent resistance might work.
- onli 12y agoCitation needed. Really. There were peaceful protests that were successful. But there were also many violent ones. Violence can and has changed many things. I don't like violence, but I like those wrong etaist pacifist statements even less. Edit: Or are you talking only about this specific situation and this is your opinion? Then nevermind, could very well be true here.
- bayesianhorse 12y agoYou can research Gandhi's non-violence principles. In essence violence justifies counter-violence. The more the angry protesters threaten or attack the police, the less "wrong" the current response looks. Non-violence tries to starve the legitimization of excessive force. This militarization is not a good idea and should be limited or abandoned. But "riots" are hardly making a point against military gear.
- th0br0 12y agoBy your logic, assuming that violence justifies counter-violence, the arms upgrades etc. that the police have received in the past could be portrayed as a form of violence. (If not physical, then at least psychological as a form of intimidation or similar) Therefore, the violent reactions are justified, also if they are more violent than past ones.
- bayesianhorse 12y agoNo, I am not implying "ultimate" justification, but yes, it goes both ways. Look at the comments in this discussion to view evidence of how people are sympathizing with a rioting mob which destroyed or harmed the businesses, property and person of totally innocent third parties. In the near east there is a similar problem. There is so much violence going on from both sides, that people can sympathize with cruelties from both sides.
- stefan_kendall3 12y agoGandhi had no real impact on the world. The American Revolution did. Colonists had to murder plenty of police and military.
- secstate 12y agoI'm sorry. But Gandhi is just one of many who practised non-violence. Are you honestly going to sit there and tell me the MLK, Jr. had no real impact on the world either? I'll just go ahead and leave this here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_F._Kennedy's_speech_on_the_assassination_of_Martin_Luther_King,_Jr.#Earlier_that_day http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_F._Kennedy's_speech_on_t... The legacy of people who believed that violence is never justified, never necessary and can be overcome with compassion.