Satyagrahis

[kpete]

Only those who realize that there is something in man which is superior to the brute nature in him and that the latter always yields to it, can effectively be Satyagrahis. This force is to violence, and, therefore, to all tyranny, all injustice, what light is to darkness. In politics, its use is based upon the immutable maxim, that government of the people is possible only so long as they consent either consciously or unconsciously to be governed.
—M.K Gandhi

http://www.mkgandhi.org/sfgbook/fifteenth.htm

[anamandujano]

1. Have speakers been mentioning this during their occupy talks?

This would be a great thing to be discussing these days for the crowds at various camps, mainly to reinforce the "peaceful" in peaceful assembly. It might help the police and their superiors take pause. Dreaming, I know.

[lunatica]

2. Since the OWS has consciously chosen peaceful resistance and Ghandi's

methods are widely known I imagine they've discussed the higher spiritual basis of the act of peaceful resistance as the way to implement real change. And remember they keep reminding the world that they aren't a political movement. They are a societal change movement which entails conscious participation based in expanding awareness of the tenets of universal truths. Using our mental capacities of reason rather than our purely emotional reactive tendencies.

My thought is that they have been very conscientious of emphasizing the peaceful intent and their activities in every general assembly meeting.

[anamandujano]

3. That's good since people probably wander into the crowd

thinking it's a free for all. Not to mention TPTB will be infiltrating to cause trouble and blame the movement.

[Rabblevox]

4. Satyagraha is discussed regularly at Occupy Portland...

There is a daily free-school at the camp, and from what I've seen philosophies and tactics of nonviolent resistance are regularly on the schedule.

Personally, as much as I admire Gandhi, I do not subscribe to Satyagraha, it's overly religious and too restrictive for me.

I prefer a more pragmatic approach (i.e., I don't attack police because I feel it's always morally wrong to do so, but because it usually puts you in a big world of hurt for no real pay-off.)

[Fire Walk With Me]

5. K&R!