Terrorism and Nonviolence by Arun Gandhi

[Guest guest]

another view point to ponder

with love carol

 

TERRORISM AND NONVIOLENCE

BY Arun Gandhi

 

Understandably, after the tragedy in New York and Washington DC on

September 11 many have written or called the office to find out what would

be an appropriate nonviolent response to such an unbelievably inhuman act

of violence.

 

First, we must understand that nonviolence is not a strategy that we can

use in a moment of crisis and discarded in times of peace. Nonviolence is

about personal attitudes, about becoming the change we wish to see in the

world. Because, a nation's collective attitude is based on the attitude of

the individual. Nonviolence is about building positive relationships with

all human beings - relationships that are based on love, compassion,

respect, understanding and appreciation.

 

Nonviolence is also about not judging people as we perceive them to be -

that is, a murderer is not born a murderer; a terrorist is not born a

terrorist. People become murderers, robbers and terrorists because of

circumstances and experiences in life. Killing or confining murders,

robbers, terrorists, or the like is not going to rid this world of them.

For every one we kill or confine we create another hundred to take their

place. What we need to do is to analyze dispassionately what are those

circumstances that create such monsters and how can we help eliminate those

circumstances, not the monsters. Justice should mean reformation and not

revenge.

 

We saw some people in Iraq and Palestine and I dare say many other

countries rejoice the blowing up of the World Trade Center and the

Pentagon. It horrified us, as it should. But, let us not forget that we do

the same thing. When Israel bombs the Palestinians we either rejoice or

show no compassion. Our attitude is they deserve what they get. When the

Palestinians bomb the Israelis we are indignant and condemn them as vermin

who need to be eliminated.

 

We reacted without compassion when we bombed the cities of Iraq. I was

among the millions in the United States who sat glued to the television and

watched the drama as though it was a made for television film. The

television had desensitized us. Thousands of innocent men, women and

children were being blown to bits and instead of feeling sorry for them we

marveled at the efficiency of our military. For more than ten years we have

continued to wreak havoc in Iraq - an estimated 50,000 children die every

year because of sanctions that we have imposed - and it hasn't moved us to

compassion. All this is done, we are told, because we want to get rid of

the Satan called Sadam Hussein.

 

Now we are getting ready to do this all over again to get rid of another

Satan called Osama Bin Laden. We will bomb the cities of Afghanistan

because they harbor the Satan and in the process we will help create a

thousand other bin Ladens.

 

Some might say " we don't care what the world thinks of us as long as they

respect our strength. " After all we have the means to blow this world to

pieces since we are the only surviving super-power. Do we want the world to

respect us the way school children respect a bully? Is that our role in the

world?

 

If a bully is what we want to be then we must be prepared to face the same

consequences as a school-yard bully faces. On the other hand we cannot tell

the world " leave us alone. " Isolationism is not what this world is built for.

 

All of this brings us back to the question: How do we respond nonviolently

to terrorism?

 

The consequences of a military response are not very rosy. Many thousands

of innocent people will die both here and the country or countries we

attack. Militancy will increase exponentially and, ultimately, we will be

faced with another, more pertinent, moral question: what will we gain by

destroying half the world? Will we be able to live with a clear conscience?

 

We must acknowledge our role in helping create monsters in the world and

then find ways to contain these monsters without hurting more innocent

people and then redefine our role in the world. I think we must move from

seeking to be respected for our military strength to being respected for

our moral strength.

 

We need to appreciate that we are in a position to play a powerful role in

helping the " other half " of the world attain a better standard of life not

by throwing a few crumbs but by significantly involving ourselves in

constructive economic programs.

 

For too long our foreign policy has been based on " what is good for the

United States. " It smacks of selfishness. Our foreign policy should now be

based on what is good for the world and how can we do the right thing to

help the world become more peaceful.

 

To those who have lost loved one's in this and other terrorist acts I say I

share your grief. I am sorry that you have become victims of senseless

violence. But let this sad episode not make you vengeful because no amount

of violence and killing is going to bring you inner peace. Anger and hate

never do. The memory of those victims who have died in this and other

violent incidents around the world will be better preserved and

meaningfully commemorated if we all learn to forgive and dedicate our lives

to helping create a peaceful, respectful and an understanding world.

 

Arun Gandhi

Founder Director

M.K.Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence

650 East Parkway South

Memphis TN 38104

Tel:(901)452-2824; FAX: (901)452-2775

email: gandhi

web: www.gandhiinstitute.org