[Peace-discuss] Rewording

[John W.]

At 08:18 AM 7/4/2007, C. G. Estabrook wrote:

>John W. wrote:
>
>>...loaded phrases like "America's criminal wars of hegemony" often 
>>achieve the opposite of the desired result...
>
>That phrase did not appear in the draft or the text of the flyer.

Not precisely, no.  :-)  I was making a point.


>Are you contending that America's recent wars (Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan) 
>and occupations (Iraq, the West Bank and Gaza, Afghanistan)  are not criminal?

Legally and technically speaking, these separate events vary in both degree 
of criminality and in who precisely committed the criminal acts.  On the 
world stage I don't see a whole lot of actors without blood on their 
hands.  The proper question is not "Who is most criminal?" but rather "What 
can we do to attenuate the cycle of violence and predation in the world and 
in our own community?"


>Or just that such truths should not be displayed before the ignorant masses.

"Truths" should be exaggerated or embellished as little as possible.  They 
should be supported with facts and data as much as possible.  Hyperbole is 
generally counterproductive.  Loaded words, slogans, and cliches lose their 
force through repetition, and compromise the persuasiveness of your argument.

In the end, though, I'm not sure what difference it all makes.  Violent 
revolution is generally not a desirable thing, and quite impossible in 
America at the present time.  Institutional change is normally incremental 
and cyclical.  And on the grand scale, nothing has really changed in a 
thousand years except for the technological sophistication with which we 
make war on one another.  The masses vary in their degree of ignorance, but 
Joe Sixpack has no idea what the hell you're talking about most of the 
time, and you don't have a corner on the "truth" anyway.  Fortunately or 
unfortunately, the fate of civilization does not hang in the balance on the 
basis of the wording in your flyer.

Or maybe it does.  Maybe you're the modern-day Tom Paine, and your flyer is 
"Common Sense".  Time and events will tell.


>Tell the truth and shame the devil, John.  --CGE

I calls 'em as I sees 'em.  I'm not sure what the devil thinks of me, but I 
don't fear him in the slightest.