nonviolence

I read this on sojourners' web site. I thought it was an interesting article about nonviolence in an age of terrorism. What do you think?
*****************
Nonviolence and the strategy against terrorism
by David Cortright

In the months after 9/11, Jim Wallis challenged peace advocates to address the threat of terrorism. “If nonviolence is to have any credibility,” he wrote, “it must answer the questions violence purports to answer, but in a better way.” Gandhian principles of nonviolence provide a solid foundation for crafting an effective strategy against terrorism. Nonviolence is fundamentally a means of achieving justice and combating oppression. Gandhi demonstrated its effectiveness in resisting racial injustice in South Africa and winning independence for India. People-power movements have since spread throughout the world, helping to bring down communism in Eastern Europe and advancing democracy in Serbia, Ukraine, and beyond. The same principles - fighting injustice while avoiding harm - can be applied in the struggle against violent extremism.

Bush administration officials and many political leaders in Washington view terrorism primarily through the prism of war. Kill enough militants, they believe, and the threat will go away. The opposite approach is more effective and less costly in lives. Some limited use of force to apprehend militants and destroy training camps is legitimate, but unilateral war is not. In the three years since the invasion of Iraq, the number of major terrorist incidents in the world has increased sharply. War itself is a form of terrorism. Using military force to counter terrorism is like pouring gasoline on a fire. It ignites hatred and vengeance and creates a cycle of violence that can spin out of control. A better strategy is to take away the fuel that sustains the fire. Only nonviolent methods can do that, by attempting to resolve the underlying political and social factors that give rise to armed violence.

The most urgent priority for countering terrorism, experts agree, is multilateral law enforcement to apprehend perpetrators and prevent future attacks. Cooperative law enforcement and intelligence sharing among governments have proven effective in reducing the operational capacity of terrorist networks. Governments are also cooperating to block financing for terrorist networks and deny safe haven, travel, and arms for terrorist militants. These efforts are fully compatible with the principles of nonviolence.

Terrorism is fundamentally a political phenomenon, concluded the U.N. Working Group on Terrorism in 2002. To overcome the scourge, “it is necessary to understand its political nature as well as its basic criminality and psychology.” This means addressing legitimate political grievances that terrorist groups exploit - such as the Israel-Palestine dispute, repressive policies by Arab governments, and the continuing U.S. military occupation in Iraq. These deeply-held grievances generate widespread political frustration and bitterness in many Arab and Muslim countries, including among people who condemn terrorism and al Qaeda’s brutal methods. As these conditions fester and worsen, support rises for the groups that resist them. Finding solutions to these dilemmas can help to undercut support for jihadism. The strategy against terrorism requires undermining the social base of extremism by driving a wedge between militants and their potential sympathizers. The goal should be to separate militants from their support base by resolving the political injustices that terrorists exploit.

A nonviolent approach should not be confused with appeasement or a defeatist justification of terrorist crimes. The point is not to excuse criminal acts but to learn why they occur and use this knowledge to prevent future attacks. A nonviolent strategy seeks to reduce the appeal of militants’ extremist methods by addressing legitimate grievances and providing channels of political engagement for those who sympathize with the declared political aims. A two-step response is essential: determined law enforcement pressure against terrorist criminals, and active engagement with affected communities to resolve underlying injustices. Ethicist Michael Walzer wrote, counterterrorism “must be aimed systematically at the terrorists themselves, never at the people for whom the terrorists claim to be acting.” Military attacks against potential sympathizers are counterproductive and tend to drive third parties toward militancy. Lawful police action is by its nature more discriminating and is more effective politically because it minimizes predictable backlash effects.

Gandhi’s political genius was in understanding the power of third party opinion. He did not try to challenge the British militarily but instead organized mass resistance to weaken the political legitimacy of the Raj. The nonviolent method, Reinhold Niebuhr wrote, undermines the authority and “moral unction” of the adversary. Gandhi realized that political struggles are ultimately a battle for hearts and minds. In all his campaigns, he assiduously cultivated the support of third parties by avoiding harm to the innocent and addressing legitimate grievances. These are essential insights for the struggle against terrorism. The fight will not be won on the battlefield. The more it is waged on that front, the less likely it can be won. The goal of U.S. strategy, said the 9/11 Commission, must be “prevailing over the ideology that contributes to Islamic terrorism.” Nonviolent resistance is the opposite of and a necessary antidote to the ideology of extreme violence. Gandhi often said, “An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.” Better to keep our eyes open as we search for more effective means of eroding support for extremism, while protecting the innocent and bringing violent perpetrators to justice.

David Cortright is the author of Gandhi and Beyond: Nonviolence for an Age of Terrorism (Paradigm Publishers, 2006) and co-founder of the Center on Global Counter-Terrorism Cooperation.

updates...

I'm generally optimistic and encouraged these days. That doesn't mean there aren't challenging things on the radar, but I feel like I've come through a season in which God has been putting His finger on some heart issues in my life. As that season draws to a close, I sense that it's a "rest" period for that. This doesn't mean it's not important any more, but that I've seen what He wants me to see, made some adjustments to how I do life and think about life, and now is the time to assimilate those lessons into habits that help me move forward. I love to grow and learn. It's hard, but so worth it.

We're wrapping up a series on men at Northwest. I've had a great time doing this series and love seeing some of the impact of it in some others. Even women have commented to me how significant this has been for them. I've found encouragement in that -- mostly because the work being done is genuinely of the Spirit; my part has been to be faithful in presenting certain things and then let God do His work. That's fun to be a part of.

I'm in a couple Fantasy Football leagues. Heidi and I didn't do that last year, but enjoyed it the year before. One team has already been drafted and seems to be pretty good. I'm pleased. Will probably post on that a bit more later.

Peace,

M@

PGA Championship...

I find myself easily distracted today. Because of yesterday. I'll explain...

For Father's Day, Heidi (and the kids, no doubt) gave me a special gift - tickets to a practice round for the PGA Championship in Medina (sound of us about an hour). Yesterday was the day.

I had an amazing time with Heidi at my side, graciously walking from hole to hole, trying to catch glimpses of great golfers on a great course. The weather was perfect. The company was perfect. And it was fun to see these men (many we recognized from watching golf on TV) hone their craft.

The day ended following John Daly on a couple holes. Waiting for him at the 10th tee, which is a "grip-it-and-rip-it" kind of hole, I was excited to see him drive...he's a long-baller on the drive. He walked up to the tee...and then right past the tee...to the car waiting just on the other side of the fence. I guess he's had enough practice. My guess is that the weekend will prove that he could have used a few more holes of practice...we'll see.

That disappointment began our long journey back to the clubhouse to go home. The course was changed a bit to accomodate the PGA, so the 10th tee, normally very near the clubhouse, was actually at the furthese possible point away from it. We got our walking in, for sure.

Heidi was hit in the leg by a little-known guy (at least to us). Joey Sindelar...he's shooting plus-2 as I write this...the curse of hitting Heidi Furr in the leg!! She got his ball as a gift.

What a day...Thank you, family. You love me well!

So today I'm a bit distracted. I'm checking on the scores and remembering what I saw. And smiling...

Furr

amazing gift...

Heidi gave me an amazing gift today. She created the space for me to head to Grand Haven, MI to meet with some mentors of mine (and my family). These are people that I try to connect with in person at least one time per year (my mentors...my family has to put up with me more than that!).

The journey of discovery began about 415am, when I pulled out of the driveway. Surely this will be early enough to avoid much traffic in the city of Chicago. I discovered that there are way too many people on the road at 4am in Chicago. Go home, people! Sleep in a bit more. The work will be there at 6, too!! Wow!

Got to Grand Haven, which is right on Lake Michigan. I grew up in this town and have always loved going to the waterfront. After 3.5 hours in the car, my muscles were aching. So I pulled into a parking lot and enjoyed a little morning jog near the water. From one end of the boardwalk to the end of the pier and back -- about 3 miles altogether. It was fun!

Spent some time with my folks and used their shower. Thank, Mom and Dad!!

Had lunch with Denny. Denny has been one of my biggest encouragers since I was a little kid. He took me under his wing when my father died and has always made time for me in his busy schedule. Denny is an encourager. He is also someone who kicks my arse...I got a bit of both during lunch. What did he speak into my life? That's for me to know and you to find out! Seriously...some of the stuff is close enough to my heart to share here. But I left my time with him both encouraged and challenged. It was worth the drive. Thanks, Denny.

After some time with family in the afternoon and a little shopping for my wife (no, I won't tell you what it was until I get home), I spent the evening with Larry and Brenda. I have spend countless hours in their living room since I was in High School. They have been profound mouthpieces of God into my life. Tonight was no exception. With a few simple questions, I shared with them what was going on in my life and at Northwest. They offered encouragement, insight, challenge, and powerful words into my life. Again, the specifics can feel somewhat sacred, so I won't write them out. But it was an incredible time with them.

Right now, I'm sitting in Jumpin' Java downtown Grand Haven. Processing my stuff a little before the drive home. I'm sort of stalling since I don't want to drive through the city too early -- the Sox will be finished whipping the *&%$&*^ Yankees tonight and I want to miss the traffic if possible.

Thank you, Heidi, for offering me this space to feed my soul. It's an amazing gift. It wasn't the same as Cambridge...but totally affirmed it...

My body is a little weary right now. But my soul is nourished. I realize at moments like this how totally blessed I am to have people who will invest themselves in me the way these folks do. I work hard for their investment to pay off...by God's grace.

Well...about time to hit the road. Gas is cheaper in Michigan...

Go Sox (White and Red)!!!

M@