[Peace-discuss] Tires Plus: Expect meanness, respond with kindness or disengagement

[Charlotte Green]

I agree that we have to be firm and hold fast to our
anti-war message.  We are doing so by showing up week
after week to demonstrate our opposition in front of
Tires Plus.  

I think Carl's phone call is not a timid move--he is
confronting our opposition in a respectful manner and
offering to discuss the issues.  I think sending a
letter indicating that we respect the property of
Tires Plus and asking for their respect for our right
to demonstrate, which is an integral part of living in
a democracy, as well as the reasons why we oppose the
war, is right on track.  

I think a boycott would be counterproductive.  It
seems to me that a boycott would be a retaliatory
move, which would only give people (Tires Plus and
others) reason to retaliate against us.  Our anti-war
message would be overshadowed.  

If we operate by a higher standard than our
opposition, people will be drawn to our cause. 

Charlotte

-



-- "Morton K.Brussel" <brussel at staff.uiuc.edu> wrote:
> 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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