The point of my above comment – had I been witness to your fight and seen that it was unjust because the other guy was a big bully – is that I would have stepped in to stop it. I would likely have used physical force to step in. I suppose that I could have passively stood between him and you and taken the blows, but to make him let you go would have taken action – that could have been violent.
I’m thinking – it’s one thing to commit to non-violence when one is the victim of the hostility, but another when one is witness to it and is affronted by the injustice. How does such an affronted person desiring justice intervene non-violently?
I think restraining the aggressor is a form of active nonviolence. Your intervention could have taken that form, which is niether passive or violent. Unless justice requires the bully be beaten up, taught a lesson? Although I find it interesting that that still appeals to me after all these years. But I think you’re right, in some way it’s easier to be the victim than an observer who cares about the victim. Thanks for looking out for me:)
Hey, Steve – where were your big brothers when you needed them? And who was that big guy – do you want me to still deal with him?
The point of my above comment – had I been witness to your fight and seen that it was unjust because the other guy was a big bully – is that I would have stepped in to stop it. I would likely have used physical force to step in. I suppose that I could have passively stood between him and you and taken the blows, but to make him let you go would have taken action – that could have been violent.
I’m thinking – it’s one thing to commit to non-violence when one is the victim of the hostility, but another when one is witness to it and is affronted by the injustice. How does such an affronted person desiring justice intervene non-violently?
I think restraining the aggressor is a form of active nonviolence. Your intervention could have taken that form, which is niether passive or violent. Unless justice requires the bully be beaten up, taught a lesson? Although I find it interesting that that still appeals to me after all these years. But I think you’re right, in some way it’s easier to be the victim than an observer who cares about the victim. Thanks for looking out for me:)