Keywords

Non-violence

Law, Politics, Race

In his book Stupid White Men, Michael Moore included an open letter to Palestinian President Arafat:

I have the key to your success. I know how you can unilaterally end the killing on both sides — and, as a bonus, wind up with a Palestinian state!

I know, you’re thinking, Hey, who is this guy?” And you’re right.

But hear me out. I want to propose something so revolutionary that it will flip out every Israeli right-winger and send every Israeli peacenik running to your side.

My proposal is not a new idea. It involves no armies, no money, and no UN resolutions. It’s dirt cheap. It has been tried many times, in many countries — AND IT HAS NEVER FAILED. It demands no hatred, and requires no weapons. In fact, it is all about no weapons.

It’s called mass non-violent civil disobedience. It worked for Martin Luther King Jr. – his non-violent movement brought an abrupt end to legal segregation in America. It worked for Gandhi — he and his fellow Indians brought the British Empire to it’s knees without firing a shot. It worked for Nelson Mandela — he and the African National Congress brought about an end to Apartheid with no violent revolution.

If it worked for them, trust me, it can work for you.

Well, even if Arafat didn’t listen, it seems like Gandhi did. Arun Gandhi that is. Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson is all set to to kick off an unarmed Palestinian movement against Israeli occupation which is being launched by a group of social and political activists in Ramallah.” Good luck to them!

(via Sepia Mutiny)

UPDATE: Meanwhile:

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has authorised the construction of 1,000 settler homes in the West Bank.

UPDATE: Al-Muhajabah’s latest post on Palestinian non-violence links to a number of older posts on the subject as well (at the bottom.)

(via Dove’s Eye View, an excellent blog I just recently bookmarked.)

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