[Peace-discuss] Tires Plus: Expect meanness, respond with kindness or disengagement
Morton K.Brussel
brussel at staff.uiuc.edu
Tue Feb 18 10:53:32 CST 2003
I get the impression that we are becoming overly timid. I'm referring
to the question of whether it should be promulgated that Tires Plus is
antagonistic, or worse, to the anti-war movement. I believe that there
are instances where you have to know your antagonists as distinct from
those who are uncommitted to the war issue, or committed by
mistake—i.e., by ignorance. Should Israeli goods be boycotted? Many
believe this to be an effective way to affect Israel's governmental
policies. Should we have boycotted the apartheid South Africa's goods?
Should we be afraid of criticizing, harshly, George W. Bush, Cheney,
Rumsfeld et al, lest we offend people who believe that they are
honorable men? Should we be afraid to condemn corporations that that
support the weapons industry, or who give funds to politicians to do
that and support war? Should we be nice to avowed racists, e.g.,
businesses that discriminate against ethnic groups?
There are many people whose minds about war in Iraq you will not be
able to change. Many of these believe that those against war are
traitors to their country, contemptible peace-nics. You can ascribe
their war-like tendencies to various causes, trust in their leaders,
for example, but they exist. I don't think that special consideration
needs to be extended to these types; rather non-violent militancy
against them is in order. You can try to convince them otherwise, but
you should be firm that you will oppose them for their inimical
actions. Gandhi had no scruples about severely condemning the British
in India before independence. Nor did Martin Luther King worry about
offending the southern mentality of segregation.
I look at the managers/owners of Tires Plus in this light. I do not
think we need be timid about saying that they have been more than
unfriendly to our efforts. It is entirely conceivable that we could
gain respect by not being so timid. It is also conceivable that Tires
Plus might become less aggressive to us if they knew that there would
be economic costs involved.
I haven't decided whether a letter to the N-G is appropriate for what
has transpired between us and Tires Plus, but I am tempted to let the
public know what has happened.
As for the comment that signs such as "Bomb Texas" are used by our
opponents [The N-G] against us, perhaps. That may be a tactical error,
but a good political point was being made, if perhaps too
belligerently. Let's not discourage the diversity of our sentiments
and metaphors.
Mort Brussel
On Monday, Feb 17, 2003, at 22:05 US/Central, Joan Nelshoppen wrote:
> I'm not sure that anyone was targeted. My minivan looks a lot like
> the one they were trying to tow and they initially thought that the
> woman with two small kids (me) was the one parked there.
>
> I agree with what everyone is saying about responding with kindness.
> I believe it is really important that protestors for peace act in a
> nonviolent manner.
>
> Please do not publicly target the tire place for a boycott. That will
> not win anyone over.
>
> Also - would it be useful to reexamine some of the new signs?
> Although things like "Bomb Texas" may make a few protestors laugh I
> think signs like that do more harm then good and are not perceived
> well by people you might be trying to get to join you. I didn't get a
> chance to look at all the signs as I was driving over to protest on
> Saturday (I was just totally amazed and proud at the number of people)
> so I don't know if it was still out there. But if I had seen that one
> I would have been offended. (I should mention I am someone who
> totally opposes this war.) Incidentally, that sign made the News
> Gazette and not in a flattering light.
>
> Joan
Preferred email: brussel at uiuc.edu
Morton K. Brussel
2003 George Huff Drive
Urbana, Illinois, 61801-6203
Tel. 217 337-0118
Preferred email: brussel at uiuc.edu
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