Pro-Palestine protestors storm Democratic holiday party. One woman punched in face

[The Magistrate]

240. It Only Works, Ma'am, If The Protesters Do Not Resist, Or Flee

Gandhian non-violent resistance is the purest distillate of guerrilla strategy.

The method of guerrilla war is to act in a manner which provokes an opponent to violence, so heavy-handed and atrocious as to call into question the political legitimacy of the opponent. The usual means employed is atrocious acts by the guerrillas, but either of small enough scale they are dwarfed by the response, or well enough aimed many people find them supportable as rough justice. Somebody kills a policeman, everybody nearby is beaten, look at the vicious cruelty of our opponent!

Gandhian non-violence skips the 'inflict minor atrocity' step. Rather, it finds some action the opponent must either break with violence, or allow to proceed in open violation of its authority. It is a startlingly cruel method, by the lights of anyone who considers doing violence a great wrong, for by engaging in it, you are tempting another to a profound sin. It's strong stuff, not to be suggested or undertaken lightly.


"Saints are to be presumed guilty till proved innocent."