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Non-violence a non-starter as counter to established modern tyranny
September 8, 2008 | Tagged Castro, Gandhi, Hitler, Mao, Non-violence useless against established modern tyranny, Saddam |
Much is often made by Left-wing “pacifists” about the fact that Gandhi was successful in ending British rule in India through the use of non-violent protest. If the game is Gandhi versus Great Britain with the world press looking on and sympathizing with the anti-colonials, Gandhi wins. But what would have happened, if Gandhi had been dealing with Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Ho Chi Minh, Saddam, Castro or their successors? I believe that non-violence would have miserably failed and any one of the dictators would simply have murdered Gandhi, Nehru, and anyone else associated with the anti-colonial movement in India. Why have I reached this conclusion?
First, modern dictators have largely succeeded in destroying, buying, bribing, expelling, seducing, or otherwise controlling both the indigenous and foreign press in their countries. The Communist dictators were able to take advantage of dupes, fellow travelers, and paid agents.
Stalin and Company had Lincoln Steffens to trumpet after visiting the USSR, “I have been over into the future and it works.” Steffens later reportedly lost his zeal for Communism. I.F. Stone was apparently a paid agent of Moscow. He also became disillusioned with Stalinism, much too late for many of the dictator’s victims.
In spite of the howls of Hollywood and movies to the contrary, e.g., The way we were, and Good Night and Good Luck, there were Communists in the American Entertainment Industry at a time when the Communist Party of the Soviet Union was advancing its goal of world domination. Lillian Hellman didn’t repudiate Stalin until 1956. Pete Seeger didn’t come down on “Uncle Joe” in song until well into the 21st Century, although according to a New York Times article, Seeger first denounced Stalin in 1993, just a few years too late. Seeger, interestingly enough, mentioned non-violence in his interview for the article.
The North Vietnamese Dich Van propaganda program paralyzed the U.S. Government’s ability to defend South Vietnam by cleverly using the Mainstream American Media, university professors and students. They managed to change American Public Opinion against the conflict, even though the UN mandated the original partition of Vietnam and the U.S. won every major battle in the military arena.
Pictures of Castro’s Cuban Revolution and the Vietnamese Conflict were extremely telling of the Left-wing orientation of most American TV, newspapers and magazines. Look at the pictures of the insurgents. Virtually all photos and film show resolute, handsome and beautiful young men and women with their shining faces directed toward the hated enemy as they advance resolutely to victory. Compare that coverage to pictures of exhausted, wounded, or dead American military personnel or allies and civilian casualties attributed to friendly action. There is virtually no difference between enemy propaganda and American media coverage in many cases. You didn’t have to guess which side the U.S. Media was on.
(By the way, check out the coverage of the war against Islamofascist Terror. Any doubts?)
Saddam Hussein solved the press problem by making deals with TV networks. They either self-censored their reports to minimize criticism of his regime, or he denied them access to Iraq. Read the story here on how CNN “modified” its reporting to stay in the country. “…simple and beautiful as all truly great swindles are.” O’Henry was “right on,” to quote a popular 1960’s expression.
Saddam also corrupted the UN with his oil for food kickback scheme, but that is another story. No wonder France and Russia opposed the 2003 invasion.
Second, remember what Mao said about political power and gun barrels? The above mentioned dictators disarmed “ordinary” citizens and vested recourse to force exclusively with their henchmen. You want to stage a peaceful demonstration? Ask the few survivors of the Warsaw Ghetto and the Czechs who survived the Russian invasion following the Prague Spring, how large groups of political opponents were dealt with by the dictators. (Hint: resolution of the situations usually involved tanks and heavy machine guns.)
Adolph Hitler and his associated developed a handy technique for dealing with dissidents called “Nacht und Nebel,” night and fog. The Gestapo came at night in the Nazi version of no-knock raids and arrested/abducted political opponents, who were never seen again. This proved to be quite an effective deterrent to non-violent protest.
Finally, the Indian version of Hitler’s death camps, Castro’s Isle of Pines, and Stalin’s gulags would have been the final destinations of hundreds of thousands or millions of persistent pacifist protesters not senior enough to be given the individual attention of Nacht und Nebel. Ghettos would have been created and “cleansed.” India would have been scientifically subjugated according to the tried and true formulas of media control and disarmament employed by modern statist dictators of whatever stripe. QED.
How does this little historical expose relate to us sophisticated, post-political, post-modern Americans? Protect the First and Second Amendments and the rest of the Bill of Rights as though your life depended on it, because it does. Stop the “Fairness Doctrine” and other attempts to muzzle free speech. Stop gun control, before an increasing socialist state mentality assumes a monopoly on armed force and destroys our legal right to self-defense against crime and tyranny.
Vote Republican, because they are the only ones with a chance to win with whom we have any influence. Sarah Palin, the Governor of an unrestricted concealed carry state could be the future of the GOP, or she could be an also-ran defeated by third-party, stay-at-home, or write-in voters.
“Ask not for whom the Bell Tolls…”
Def Mech
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[...] Non-violence a non-starter as counter to established modern tyrannyThe North Vietnamese Dich Van propaganda program paralyzed the US Government’s ability to defend South Vietnam by cleverly using the Mainstream American Media, university professors and students. They managed to change American Public … [...]
[...] Non-violence a non-starter as counter to established modern tyrannyThe North Vietnamese Dich Van propaganda program paralyzed the US Government’s ability to defend South Vietnam by cleverly using the Mainstream American Media, university professors and students. They managed to change American Public … [...]
[...] Non-violence a non-starter as counter to established modern tyrannyThe North Vietnamese Dich Van propaganda program paralyzed the US Government’s ability to defend South Vietnam by cleverly using the Mainstream American Media, university professors and students. They managed to change American Public … [...]