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STOP NATO: ¡NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK
And please note the “Movement” credentials: Co-ordinator, PeaceNet (
“Through PeaceNet™, take action for
positive social change in the areas of peace, social and economic
justice, human rights and
[of course, our old friend,] the struggle
against racism.” ) “Featured” member of PeaceNet: The World Federalist Movement
(recall the anti-racist musings of WFM’s President, "Sir"
Peter Ustinov, on those “retarded creatures,” the Serbs, whose “subscription
to the human race” is “in arrears,” etc) STOP NATO: ¡NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------- ListBot Sponsor
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http://www.listbot.com/links/joinlb ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Please note that it is not a critique against real
well-hearted pacifist, but those closet fascists who tried to
sell us that motto: "there's nothing else we could do, just bomb
them". Give special attention to the paragraphs: "...I know very clearly that these are people
whose families are being executed, or driven from their homes. I know
they feel like every peaceful alternative has been
exhausted..." and that collaborationist "What's a pacifist to do? " Regards, Fco. Javier Bernal Taken from http://www.igc.org/igc/pn/hg/pacifist.html What's a Pacifist to Do? A tale of two demonstrations. Patti Mallin, PeaceNet Coordinator Living in a suburb of Washington, DC, presents all
sorts of opportunity for national-level activism, and
observation thereof. Wednesday, March 31 was such an opportunity. As the
PeaceNet coordinator I try to keep my eye on the actions
taking place here in the neighborhood, so that I can cover them for IGC,
if only in photos. I learned from the network that on March
31st, there would be not one but two demonstrations related to the NATO
air strikes in Yugoslavia. I packed up the camera and prepared to
spend the day in front of the White House. Shortly after 11 A.M., I arrived in Lafayette Park
to attend a rally sponsored by the National Albanian American Council.
It was promoted as a rally to "Stop the Genocide." I was
prepared for an emotional experience, but not at all ready for what I actually
encountered. I will say at the outset that I am horrified at the
slaughter and the violent displacement of ethnic Albanians in Kosova.
In my heart and in my mind I know this needs to stop. I was
expecting to be swept up in the moment. As I approached I saw a large crowd waving American
Flags shouting "U- S-A! U-S-A!" I wondered if I was in the wrong
place. It reminded me of the Olympics or a national political party
convention. As I got closer the Albanian flags came into view. I did see
much of what I anticipated -- parents and children worried about
their grandparents, people chanting about independence for Kosova, and
bringing an end to the genocide. But then my stomach turned. There was a NATO pep rally going on around me.
Adults and children alike yelling, "Bomb, NATO, bomb!" Signs
saying "Send in the ground troops!" And a Yugoslavian flag was burned. I
know very clearly that these are people whose families are being executed,
or driven from their homes. I know they feel like every peaceful
alternative has been exhausted. "We signed the peace accord, we
lived up to our part." But it really truly stunned me to see
the vehement call for more violence. There was no shortage of passion in
this rally. Granted most participants had been bussed in from
other cities as Washington has a very small Albanian community, but
orchestrated or not the passion was real. >From the stage, speaker after speaker --
representing the administration, Albanian-American organizations, the
American Jewish Committee and others demanded stronger actions from
NATO. "The only solution is to get troops on the ground as soon as
possible." "NATO must be on the ground as soon as possible."
"Inaction would deepen despair." Only the former ambassador to Albania
acknowledged that bombing meant more killing, not less. My heart broke a little more when a child spoke from
the stage and said, "I may only be nine years old, so I don't
kow how to bring Milosevic to the bargaining table. I do know the
only way to stop him is to bomb him." What's a pacifist to do? I can't bring myself to
believe that dropping bombs or sending in ground troops is a
morally responsible action. And yet, what are the alternatives? So later in the day I crossed the street to the
White House where a "Stop the Bombing" protest was taking
place. Here's where I'd find my answers about the alternatives. Here's where my
pacifist leanings would be strengthened again. At least that is what I
thought. What I found was a protest without heart or soul.
The passion, the spirit I saw earlier was nowhere in evidence. I saw
mostly the usual suspects walking their slow oval on the sidewalk in
front of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, being led through a series of
chants. "Clinton, Clinton, you can't hide, bombing equals
genocide!" Yes, I agree. But tell me something more than that dropping bombs is
bad. Tell me what to do. Help me think this through. There were more tourists pushing past the line of
sign-bearers to peer through the fence at the White House than in
the protest itself. Most folks took a photo and moved on. A man
approached me and asked if he could tell me why he was protesting. I eagerly
said, "Yes, please do!" and he handed me a photocopied
sheet of paper and walked away. It basically said that bombing is bad. Please tell me I don't have to choose between
escalated bombing and escalated ethnic cleansing. What's a pacifist to do? ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to
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- The Perfect Pacifist [WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK] Francisco Javier Bernal
- Jim Yarker
