[Peace-discuss] Rethinking Oct. 27

[Laurie]

Karen,

That was a very good response.  Ironically, I agree that inaction is a form
of action and there is no such thing as an innocent bystander.  Indeed,
inaction can be frightening.  I just think that there are more effective and
proactive actions that one could take and be more effective.  Disruptive
civil disobedience, a willingness to stop business form being carried out as
usual by the general public so as to piss them off, and even acts of
violence against property might be more effective than marching with signs.
Sometimes you have to become a monster to fight a monster.  Often the
non-violent protests are only effective, if at all, because they are carried
out against a background of disruptive and violent protests.

Aside from that, as I have said frequently to Nick, I am pessimistic about
effecting any major changes as a result of any actions that might be taken;
hence I no longer seek effective outcomes but merely personal pleasure in
engaging in the process of being a social critic and commentator.  It is an
intellectual exercise and mental masturbation to be sure; but it is
personally pleasurable even if socially ineffective. Being a thorn in
someone's side can be fun and enjoyable even if you know you stand no chance
of actually being effective.  That is why I said that I hoped that everyone
who gets involved in the demonstration gets personal pleasure form the
intellectual exercise and the mental masturbation that they are engaging in.
It just happens to be a form of those things that do not give me personal
pleasure.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: peace-discuss-bounces at lists.chambana.net [mailto:peace-discuss-
> bounces at lists.chambana.net] On Behalf Of Karen Medina
> Sent: Wednesday, October 10, 2007 4:21 PM
> To: peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net
> Subject: [Peace-discuss] Rethinking Oct. 27
> 
> Laurie wrote: > I sure hope everyone enjoys the mental masturbation and
> intellectual exercises of constructing signs and marching around waving
> them.
> 
> It is the person who stays at home that frightens me. For that person
> is passively giving their consent to the perpetrators of the violent
> crimes. To put it a vocabulary that Laurie might use, better to
> masterbate in public than to passively give consent at home.
> 
> -karen medina
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