Peaceful Resistance Really Works
December 5, 2016
Can you imagine defending yourself against attack dogs and refusing to leave? Can you imagine standing outside in 25 degree weather and being shot with high-pressure water hoses – lethal force – and refusing to leave? Can you imagine having what amounts to a private police force shoot at you with rubber bullets and led-filled beanbags from guns that don’t say “not lethal” but “less lethal” and refusing to leave? Can you imagine being maced and tear gassed and refusing to leave? Can you imagine psychological warfare – floodlights shining on you all night long – and refusing to leave? Can you imagine standing up to concussion grenades that are blowing off body parts of people standing next to you and refusing to leave?
The water protectors in North Dakota are the light years beyond the definition of heroic and inspirational.
And those US military veterans who swore to uphold the US Constitution against enemies both foreign and domestic, those women and men who drove up to Cannon Ball, North Dakota and stood in front of the water protectors and said if you want to attack these innocent citizens, if you want to attack the US Constitution, then you go through me – I don’t even have words to describe my admiration and respect for those people.
Peaceful resistance really works and I can’t remember the last time I felt this proud to be an American.
We have an incoming administration in this country that doesn’t believe in climate change and that believes fracked oil is a good thing (I’m sure the citizens of Mayflower, Arkansas might disagree) and who will more than likely ignore and deny the public safety and environmental hazards caused by the 3,300 pipeline leaks in this country in the last five years, so who knows what the future holds for us, but today; today is good.
Peaceful resistance really works.
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Michael B. Fishman
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