• VanillaFrosty@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    Most successful instances of revolution included a threat, or use, of violence. IE: Blank Panthers in the US, IRA in Ireland, the citizens of Italy, etc…

    Anyone who thinks non-violent revolution is possible is ignorant to the majority of human history. Is it possible? Sure, probably. Is it likely? No, far from it.

    • aquablack@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      From “Why Civil Resistance Works” by Erica Chenoweth.

      Nuance - yes, no campaign is completely violent or nonviolent. However, the effect of a radical violent flank on the success of a nonviolent core group is overstated and depends on a variety of factors (i.e., contrast Black Panthers with Weather Underground).

      • Match!!@pawb.social
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        3 days ago

        a radical violent flank is to be expected for any movement. do not waste energy trying to stop it or worrying about if they’ll help or hurt your cause, stay on target and build your own organization, fight the enemy not the weirdo

        • VanillaFrosty@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          They’re disappearing people to El Salvador and you call me the weirdo for understanding that this is ALREADY a violent conflict.

          You people aren’t ready for what’s coming. And frankly, your inability, or downright refusal, to accept where we already are in this coup, means you aren’t ready for what’s already happening.

          I truly hope we all make it out the other side. Good luck.

        • aquablack@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          There’s nothing wrong with wanting folks to pursue a variety of tactics. I get annoyed when folks say stuff along the lines of “Well, voting and protesting haven’t worked yet, so obviously the most extreme actions are our only option.”

          Though I wouldn’t count this article’s action as the “most extreme” and it is arguably still in the realm of nonviolence since nobody was hurt.

          I think making sure folks are aware of the options available to them and their potential effectiveness (and blowback risk) is a decent use of 5 minutes of my time, since I was reading this book anyways. Just like you arguing that I shouldn’t argue might be a decent use of 5 minutes of your time, since you believe (perhaps correctly) that swift, efficient action is more important than the specific actions involved. Planning is good, plans are useless, and sometimes it really is best to just act.