Peaceful Evolution Not Violent Revolution

by | Mar 18, 2014 | 22 comments

The-Atlas-Statue-At-Rockefeller-CenterChris Cantwell published a blog post this week in which he made the case that violent revolution is moral, possible, and practical.

To me, Cantwell’s argument comes down to: “Violent revolution is the right thing to do.” Specifically, he advocates for killing in self defense. In other words, killing police that would otherwise be killing you. He argues that peaceful resistance is fruitless because, “ideas require teeth.” He seems to assert, “Why allow our friends to be relegated to the dustbins of history for standing on principle? As long as the State can legitimately kill and cage us, we’ll never have peace or freedom!”
(more…)

Response to Carolyn Szoc’s Letter to the Editor

by | Jun 18, 2012 | 19 comments

On June 16 the Keene Sentinel published a letter to the editor regarding my participation in the local Memorial Day Parade.

The letter reads,“I was angered and saddened to have to bear witness to the protesters that felt it necessary to be at the end of the parade.
I do respect and understand their right to protest the war… they can do this every Saturday in Central Square.”
It seems Ms. Szoc wants to limit dissenting speech to a single day and to a single location in town. I’d like to remind her and others that free speech means just that FREE SPEECH. It does not mean popular speech or limited dissent only when other approve of the time and place of the dissent. (more…)

“Why Peace” compilation includes essay from FreeKeene.com blogger

by | Jan 23, 2012 | 17 comments

Many individuals around the world have learned that only by interacting peacefully can we achieve a more harmonious, prosperous, healthy, fair and tolerant society, that our lives on this planet can be far better. People universally oppose acts of aggression, theft, and fraud when committed by individuals. We accept the principle that the initiation of physical force against others is illegitimate, immoral, and may rightly be defended against. For the most part, we also insist that organizations of individuals, such as corporations, also abide by this natural tenet.

When it comes to state aggression, however, especially that wrought by democratic governments, the perspective for many can change. Individuals too often excuse the state when it harms innocent individuals. This may be because they feel powerless to effect change or uninformed, preferring to defer to those more knowledgeable. They may possess cultivated feelings of nationalism and exceptionalism; expectations of benevolence and altruism in state officials; fears of attack, fostered by interventionist propaganda and complicit mainstream media; yearnings for conformity; or just a willingness to harm, burden or restrict others, in the expectation of benefit to ends and causes they themselves consider to be good ones. Thus, when our governments act as aggressors rather than protectors of human rights, many individuals remain silent.

So begins the the forward to Why Peace, an over 600-page compilation of pro-peace essays edited by Marc Guttman, a book he he says:

(more…)