Civil disobedience — the conversation continues

OK to keep continuing my theme, re. activists, language, oppression, assholes, and “playing nice,” I want to toss this one out there: Civil disobedience. I believe in civil disobedience and believe that it WORKS. That’s just judging by (my understanding of) history, not by any personal participation in any acts of civil disobedience. Ghandi has been on my mind lately. (“Be the change,” etc.) With Wikipedia as my source, Ghandi has this to say on the subject:

“Civil disobedience is the inherent right of a citizen to be civil, implies discipline, thought, care, attention and sacrifice”

1. A civil resister (or satyagrahi) will harbour no anger.
2. He will suffer the anger of the opponent.
3. In so doing he will put up with assaults from the opponent, never retaliate; but he will not submit, out of fear of punishment or the like, to any order given in anger.
4. When any person in authority seeks to arrest a civil resister, he will voluntarily submit to the arrest, and he will not resist the attachment or removal of his own property, if any, when it is sought to be confiscated by authorities.
5. If a civil resister has any property in his possession as a trustee, he will refuse to surrender it, even though in defending it he might lose his life. He will, however, never retaliate.
6. Retaliation includes swearing and cursing.
7. Therefore a civil resister will never insult his opponent, and therefore also not take part in many of the newly coined cries which are contrary to the spirit of ahimsa.
8. A civil resister will not salute the Union Flag, nor will he insult it or officials, English or Indian.
9. In the course of the struggle if anyone insults an official or commits an assault upon him, a civil resister will protect such official or officials from the insult or attack even at the risk of his life.

Extreme “turn the cheek” passivism … or extremely effective methodology? Discuss …

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REVISION AND ADDENDUM ALERT! REVISION AND ADDENDUM ALERT!

Now, for the sake of being “fair and balanced,” I also think that another 20th century “philosopher” of sorts makes a lot of good points here too. I think points 1 through 5, 8 and 11 apply almost dead-on to some things I’ve been discussing/pondering about rude vs. “patient” behavior with idiots in the blogosphere. Perhaps this fella has it right after all. My problem has always been with #4, I have a “gift” of being able to annoy people without realizing I’m doing it (which is why I’m trying to pay more attention to my language and thoughts). So I would often wonder why people would be so cruel to me. (Though, in one instance, a particularly cruel female wasn’t really in *her* “lair” since she wasn’t paying rent [though she fancied it hers]. Though her attitude was MORE than effective in getting me to leave …) Pondering over numbers 1 and 2 make me contemplate hanging up the blog again.

1. Do not give opinions or advice unless you are asked.
2. Do not tell your troubles to others unless you are sure they want to hear them.
3. When in another’s lair, show him respect or else do not go there.
4. If a guest in your lair annoys you, treat him cruelly and without mercy.
5. Do not make sexual advances unless you are given the mating signal.
6. Do not take that which does not belong to you unless it is a burden to the other person and he cries out to be relieved.
7. Acknowledge the power of magic if you have employed it successfully to obtain your desires. If you deny the power of magic after having called upon it with success, you will lose all you have obtained.
8. Do not complain about anything to which you need not subject yourself.
9. Do not harm little children.
10. Do not kill non-human animals unless you are attacked or for your food.
11. When walking in open territory, bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask him to stop. If he does not stop, destroy him.

So, who said it??? Do you think, like I do, that he makes some good points? And would probably tell Ghandi to go fuck himself?