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| First they ignore you. Then they laugh at you. Then they fight you. Then you win. |
Individuals who consider the possibility of violence are easy targets for agents provocateur, and believe me, they are out there. To give in to incitements to violence will discredit OWS and cause the movement to be seen in a negative light, and rightly so. Violence is not,and never will be, a viable or sustainable option.
And while we are on the subject of violence, let's discuss the police. The police are in a hard position here. While it is wildly popular to hate the police, the 'man,' and very exciting to wave your hands in their faces and call them pigs, let's step back and consider. These men and women are doing their job, a job they don't get paid a lot for (approx. $50,000 a year in Denver. Not much for a job where you can be shot and killed). They do not make the laws, write the ordinances, etc. They enforce them, that is what they are supposed to do. On a march day, they are often greatly outnumbered by masses of shouting, angry people. Yes, they are armed to the teeth, as their protocol directs. It is still a highly stressful, and probably, at times, scary situation to be in. Many of them probably agree with the protesters.
So, what would make a bigger impact... Jumping in their faces, screaming at them, and basically inciting them to pepper spray you? Calling them names and continually approaching them in a challenging and sometimes threatening manner so that they feel compelled to push you backwards with their batons?
OR
Being polite, even kind to these people. Being truthful, being compassionate. Having some empathy towards their situation. Being NONVIOLENT! Because yes, jumping in an officer's face, or waving your hands in his face can be perceived as violent!
I have seen protesters right here in Denver do all of these things, and then then decry the police officer's reactions as "police brutality." Well no, numb nuts, you jump in a cop's face and he is going to hit you with a stick, that's the way it works, whether you are a protester or not. They are trained to defend themselves and believe me... they are better at it than you are. In a situation like this, one that they percieve could turn into a riot, is imperative that they remain standing. If someone bum rushes them or lunges at them (like the bearded guy in one of the Denver videos who kept lunging into the officer's face), they will do whatever it takes to keep that person at a distance and to stay on their feet. Usually that involves force.
People who engage in this kind of behavior are TRYING TO INCITE SOMETHING. They aren't thinking of the movement, they just want an adrenaline rush.
See, when you harass and vilify the cops, those people who view themselves as public servants who put themselves at risk everyday for your protection, you are engaging in a really negative tactic that will take you no place. The cop initially may be thinking "I really hate doing this. I can see where this guy is coming from, but I have to do my job too, and my boss says they can't be here and this isn't safe and I need to get them to move off someplace else."
There is some empathy in that thought process, and some cognitive dissonance because he can understand your position and he wishes he didn't have to tell you to leave.
But then he gets spit on.
People start screaming all kinds of expletives and bad names at him. 500 people are standing around him and his ten or twenty coworkers shouting "SHAME SHAME SHAME!" People are lunging in his face and challenging him and telling him he is a pig and garbage. The situation gets tense. The energy is raw and agressive. Now he thinks "well fuck you buddy, you run at me again I am gonna cave your head in."
Before I go on, I know not all cops are angels, and there have been a lot of abuses, especially in NYC. But I want to focus on what we can do. I can't do anything about what they do. I have seen protesters push as hard as they can against the cops in a really inciting and ridiculous way, and then cry brutality when they get force used against them. This kind of behavior doesn't do anything to help. We are all angry, but we need to remember, the cops are the 99% too.
If we are commiting to complete nonviolence we are not forcing the hand of the authorities. The empathy remains, and the men and women who might potentially agree with us may eventually stand with us, because they will be seeing with their own eyes our nonviolence, hearing with their own ears our reasonable voices. Yes, we may have confrontation, but let it not be from our own doing. We may suffer violence, but let it not be initiated by us. We must be willing to suffer the violence of others without giving in to violent acts in retaliation.We stand on the edge of making great changes in this country we so love, don't let it all go to waste because we can't control our actions.
At this time it is critical that we learn the lessons of history about what makes a successful and lasting movement that affects change, and what does not.
Gandhi wrote the book on nonviolent action. Literally. His philosophy on nonviolence, known as Satyagraha, eventually led to the Independence of an entire nation, and inspired successful movements across the globe, including the American Civil Rights movement, and the Anti-Apartheid movement in South Africa.
Satyagraha is different than just engaging in passive resistance. It is a mindset, a way you approach injustice, from a position of power and truth. It sets the tone for the type of energy you release into a situation, an energy of truth and righteousness that is difficult, if not impossible to deny. In Gandhi's own words:
"I have drawn the distinction between passive resistance as understood and practised in the West and satyagraha before I had evolved the doctrine of the latter to its full logical and spiritual extent. I often used “passive resistance” and “satyagraha” as synonymous terms: but as the doctrine of satyagraha developed, the expression “passive resistance” ceases even to be synonymous, as passive resistance has admitted of violence as in the case of suffragettes and has been universally acknowledged to be a weapon of the weak. Moreover, passive resistance does not necessarily involve complete adherence to truth under every circumstance. Therefore it is different from satyagraha in three essentials: Satyagraha is a weapon of the strong; it admits of no violence under any circumstance whatsoever; and it ever insists upon truth. I think I have now made the distinction perfectly clear."
Complete adherence to truth under every circumstance. Is waving your hands the face of, vilifying, and disrespecting the police complete adherence to truth?
Is stating you are there to take part in a nonviolent protest, then giving in to agitation complete adherence to the truth?
Satyagraha is the weapon of the strong. Do you have what it takes to wield it?
Some people will insist that injustice must be fought by any means necessary, but the Mahatma knew differently. The ends do not justify the means. In Satyagraha, the means are one with the end, and justice can never be achieved through unjust or violent means. What we engage in is what we will produce. We desire fair treatment, ethical leaders, truthful politicians, accountability in our banking systems, and a government that acts on the common good. If we are to achieve those ends then we ourselves at all times must be fair, ethical, truthful, accountable, and act toward the common good. It is that simple... and that complex. Viewed in this light, Gandhi's most famous quote, "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." takes on a whole new level of truth. The ends ARE the means.
We must make sure our actions are just. Gandhi said, “only when people have proved their active loyalty by obeying the many laws of the State that they acquire the right of Civil Disobedience."
In other words, only the just can achieve justice.
There is more to being a Satyagrahi than just showing up and carrying a sign. It is in every act and deed that you win your cause. It is how you obey the law, even if it inconveniences you. It is how you treat your fellow man and show them respect and compassion. It is how you engage in honesty and respectability.
Here are the rules that Gandhi proposed for resistance campaigns:
1.harbour no anger
2.suffer the anger of the opponent
3.never retaliate to assaults or punishment; but do not submit, out of fear of punishment or assault, to an order given in anger
4.voluntarily submit to arrest or confiscation of your own property
5.if you are a trustee of property, defend that property (non-violently) from confiscation with your life
6.do not curse or swear
7.do not insult the opponent
8.neither salute nor insult the flag of your opponent or your opponent’s leaders
9.if anyone attempts to insult or assault your opponent, defend your opponent (non-violently) with your life
10.as a prisoner, behave courteously and obey prison regulations (except any that are contrary to self-respect)
11.as a prisoner, do not ask for special favourable treatment
12.as a prisoner, do not fast in an attempt to gain conveniences whose deprivation does not involve any injury to your self-respect
13.joyfully obey the orders of the leaders of the civil disobedience action
14.do not pick and choose amongst the orders you obey; if you find the action as a whole improper or immoral, sever your connection with the action entirely
15.do not make your participation conditional on your comrades taking care of your dependents while you are engaging in the campaign or are in prison; do not expect them to provide such support
16.do not become a cause of communal quarrels
17.do not take sides in such quarrels, but assist only that party which is demonstrably in the right; in the case of inter-religious conflict, give your life to protect (non-violently) those in danger on either side
18.avoid occasions that may give rise to communal quarrels
19.do not take part in processions that would wound the religious sensibilities of any community
We must all strive to be Satyagrahis, and actively, nonviolently, resist any who would try to twist or derail this movement onto a path of violence. We must be people of power and righteousness, firm in our cause to affect positive change on this country for the common good.
We must, right now, be the change we wish to see.
@WeOccupyAmerica has released a set of guidelines for OWS put together by Dr. Cynthia Boaz (@cynthiaboaz) who is a professor of political science, and an expert on Satyagraha. I am posting them here in tweetable versions.
1) Nonviolent action AND speech, no matter what. Zero tolerance for violence. #8rules via @CynthiaBoaz #OWS
2) Unity of message across orgs & people. Consistent demands, all should know them. #8rules via @CynthiaBoaz #OWS
3) There must be a long-term and coherent strategy, not just tactics & actions. #8rules via @CynthiaBoaz #OWS
4) Police should be seen as potential recruits to movement, not enemy. #8rules via @CynthiaBoaz #OWS
5) Keep national/international audience in mind when framing. Goal is win ppl over. #8rules via @CynthiaBoaz #OWS
6) Defensive strategies never win. Don't respond to attacks using their language. #8rules via @CynthiaBoaz #OWS
7) Claim victory whenever possible. Important for morale. #8rules via @CynthiaBoaz #OWS
8) Keep anger in check /w solidarity actions & humor. #8rules via @CynthiaBoaz #OWS
Peace, my friends, especially to the steadfast Occupy Denver folks who are out there right now in the snow. Thank you for what you do.
Well said.
ReplyDeletePeace. Respect. Occupy.
ReplyDeleteYo!
ReplyDelete