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Iowa City Oppressed Citizen, September 4, 1970

1970-09-04 Iowa City Oppressed Citizen Page 9

Non Violence or Anti-Violence?
A great deal has been said - and will continue to be said - about the use and non-use of violence in begetting change. I'd like to throw my thoughts on this matter in front of you now.
I'm well aware of the pathological nature of violence and would be the last to sing its praise. But, on the other hand, you can't drive people mad and then condemn them for being insane. I'm also aware that viole3nce usually stems from either our own self-righteous conviction that we are absolutely right or from our reaction to those who behave if they are absolutely right. This attitude leaves little margin for tolerance. The belief in one's cause becomes so great that all other moral considerations are swept aside-usually along with some mutilated and butchered bodies of men, women and children.
But violence itself is not the problem, it is merely the outgrowth of a deeper problem. It seems too many people are concerned merely with doing away with violence (e.g. capital punishment, Vietnam), and avoid looking deeper at the causes and conditions which maintain it. The history behind capital punishment should enlighten us as to the results of such surface efforts. (10 Amerikan states have abolished capital punishment and reintroduced it) The abolition of violence entails a fundamental change, and that cannot be achieved in the long run by leaving everything else basically as it is. It's like war. We cannot abolish war without first removing or changing the underlying conditions that lead up to it. We're only creating more confusion if we do not make clear to ourselves how much violence is inherent in the very society that engulfs us.
Perhaps the greatest cause for violence is the incredible slowness of reform measures and social advances. And even those rare exceptions in history where governments made bold moves on paper to answer the needs of its people, were provoked by, or the threat of, violence from its people. A related cause is also the lack of communication between the ruled and rulers. It seems some type of disruptive tactics is needed before the indifference of those who could help is broken through and drawn attention to insufferable conditions.
It seems the ambivalence over pacifist or violent tactics in striving for change divides the proponents of one or the other into defending it as a matter of principle rather than strategy; involving commitments exclusive of the other. When one holds this type of incompatible conviction he is surrendering critical judgement for choice, thus the tactic itself becomes the end. In this absence of tactics, the people are forced to live the role as if their example alone would achieve it, but their own conviction does not of itself gain the desired end. This is true for both sides. By evading the problem of power itself and who controls it, the attempts become a reform of corruption rather than a restoration of principles to humanity. 
The only justification for ever using violence is in order to do away with violence. However, before we reach that stage where violence is abolished we should face the fact that there are situations in which violence may be the lesser evil. Considering the extent of violence-maintained oppression in the world; it would seem that sometimes collective violence is a social necessity.For the conditions here in which blacks have lived for so long have been maintained by violence. Selma and Saigon aren't so far from each other. Non-violence is only a part of anti-violence and the passive-resistance movement in its different forms has a role to play on the road to abolishing violence. It is naive and possibly dangerous to regard it as a panacea. To say that all violence is evil and thereby try to stamp it out is not enough. This would be a very simple world if the advocacy and practice of non-violence ALONE would be enough to abolish violence in this long run, but to believe this means to minimize the overwhelming problems of violence. However, we must guard ourselves from remembering only that violence is the lesser evil and forget that it is evil.
Let's not go out this year with our tactics so firmly inbedded in our heads that we're blind to the varying situations and settings we find ourselves in. Amerika plays enough games with our lives-we don't need to add to them.
- craig muhl -

Mitrione, cont. from p.3
Uruguayans have absolutely no rights, it is doubtful that Pacheco Areco's oratory found many takers.
Instead, people are here trying hard to get a clear picture of the events of the last few days at a time when the officially - sanctioned press is more useless than ever. When Pacheco Areco and his Congress declared a national day of mourning for Dan Mitrione and closed all stores, schools, banks, and government offices, there was no sign of sorrowful mass parades or memorial services in Mitrione's honor. 
But the police, unencumbered by legality, are having a field day rounding up "suspected Tupamaros."

HAPPY DAY
RIVERCITY FREE TRADE
ZONE
Survival Shop
Leather Shops
Movies
Paper Place
Jamming
Crash Pad
121
EAST
COLLEGE
PAGE 9

BRING IN THE HOLIES & CRAZIES TOGETHER.
Before the shit hits the fan this time I just gotta say some words about last time. Maybe we can blame our untogetherness on the fact that Iowa U. hadn't been politicized for some years-discounting panty raids (which are fantastic for a starter). But christ! some of the crap that went on this spring was unbelievable. I mean really-the speakers at the pentacrest rallies largely consisted of either insisting on peace or violence as the right path to follow. After I'd finished listening to some sweet gentle creature rapping on how peaceful protest was the only answer and how love was our best weapon against our enemies, I'd get blasted out of my stained undies by a wild-eyed, crazed maniac who insisted on scaring the hell out of little old ladies in sneakers, breaking bottles in the streets etc. And this was supposed to be the beginning of a revolutionary conscience-or maybe I'd just better say the beginning of disgruntled people hoarsely crying out for some change...somewhere. The only thing that kept me from going into complete hysterics was the arrests and 'clearing' of the streets by our friendly, "pick up ball in the street for Janie", police. Them law n order people don't fuck around with this rhetoric of non-violence vs. violence. They're interested in merely doing there job which means putting down the people-fuck the issues they get  their damn job to worry about.
Now listen people this time I do not want to be forced into choosing between disguising myself as a virtuous martyr with aspirations of ripping God off for an angel emmy on the one hand, or as a blood obsessed terrorist with destruction of everything on my mind as the other. While we're here in Iowa City playing the pacifist-violence game Amerika continues its evil ways. We've got to get ourselves together and do our part in forcing this nation to realize and stop its pollution-moral and enviornmental-of its own citizens and country as well as other parts of the world. BELIEVE IT! Amerika ain't playing games. Get it together Iowa City - it starts with your own head.

Saving...

Non Violence or Anti-Violence? A great deal has been said - and will continue to be said - about the use and non-use of violence in begetting change. I'd like to throw my thoughts on this matter in front of you now. I'm well aware of the pathological nature of violence and would be the last to sing its praise. But, on the other hand, you can't drive people mad and then condemn them for being insane. I'm also aware that viole3nce usually stems from either our own self-righteous conviction that we are absolutely right or from our reaction to those who behave if they are absolutely right. This attitude leaves little margin for tolerance. The belief in one's cause becomes so great that all other moral considerations are swept aside-usually along with some mutilated and butchered bodies of men, women and children. But violence itself is not the problem, it is merely the outgrowth of a deeper problem. It seems too many people are concerned merely with doing away with violence (e.g. capital punishment, Vietnam), and avoid looking deeper at the causes and conditions which maintain it. The history behind capital punishment should enlighten us as to the results of such surface efforts. (10 Amerikan states have abolished capital punishment and reintroduced it) The abolition of violence entails a fundamental change, and that cannot be achieved in the long run by leaving everything else basically as it is. It's like war. We cannot abolish war without first removing or changing the underlying conditions that lead up to it. We're only creating more confusion if we do not make clear to ourselves how much violence is inherent in the very society that engulfs us. Perhaps the greatest cause for violence is the incredible slowness of reform measures and social advances. And even those rare exceptions in history where governments made bold moves on paper to answer the needs of its people, were provoked by, or the threat of, violence from its people. A related cause is also the lack of communication between the ruled and rulers. It seems some type of disruptive tactics is needed before the indifference of those who could help is broken through and drawn attention to insufferable conditions. It seems the ambivalence over pacifist or violent tactics in striving for change divides the proponents of one or the other into defending it as a matter of principle rather than strategy; involving commitments exclusive of the other. When one holds this type of incompatible conviction he is surrendering critical judgement for choice, thus the tactic itself becomes the end. In this absence of tactics, the people are forced to live the role as if their example alone would achieve it, but their own conviction does not of itself gain the desired end. This is true for both sides. By evading the problem of power itself and who controls it, the attempts become a reform of corruption rather than a restoration of principles to humanity. The only justification for ever using violence is in order to do away with violence. However, before we reach that stage where violence is abolished we should face the fact that there are situations in which violence may be the lesser evil. Considering the extent of violence-maintained oppression in the world; it would seem that sometimes collective violence is a social necessity.For the conditions here in which blacks have lived for so long have been maintained by violence. Selma and Saigon aren't so far from each other. Non-violence is only a part of anti-violence and the passive-resistance movement in its different forms has a role to play on the road to abolishing violence. It is naive and possibly dangerous to regard it as a panacea. To say that all violence is evil and thereby try to stamp it out is not enough. This would be a very simple world if the advocacy and practice of non-violence ALONE would be enough to abolish violence in this long run, but to believe this means to minimize the overwhelming problems of violence. However, we must guard ourselves from remembering only that violence is the lesser evil and forget that it is evil. Let's not go out this year with our tactics so firmly inbedded in our heads that we're blind to the varying situations and settings we find ourselves in. Amerika plays enough games with our lives-we don't need to add to them. - craig muhl - Mitrione, cont. from p.3 Uruguayans have absolutely no rights, it is doubtful that Pacheco Areco's oratory found many takers. Instead, people are here trying hard to get a clear picture of the events of the last few days at a time when the officially - sanctioned press is more useless than ever. When Pacheco Areco and his Congress declared a national day of mourning for Dan Mitrione and closed all stores, schools, banks, and government offices, there was no sign of sorrowful mass parades or memorial services in Mitrione's honor. But the police, unencumbered by legality, are having a field day rounding up "suspected Tupamaros." HAPPY DAY RIVERCITY FREE TRADE ZONE Survival Shop Leather Shops Movies Paper Place Jamming Crash Pad 121 EAST COLLEGE PAGE 9 BRING IN THE HOLIES & CRAZIES TOGETHER. Before the shit hits the fan this time I just gotta say some words about last time. Maybe we can blame our untogetherness on the fact that Iowa U. hadn't been politicized for some years-discounting panty raids (which are fantastic for a starter). But christ! some of the crap that went on this spring was unbelievable. I mean really-the speakers at the pentacrest rallies largely consisted of either insisting on peace or violence as the right path to follow. After I'd finished listening to some sweet gentle creature rapping on how peaceful protest was the only answer and how love was our best weapon against our enemies, I'd get blasted out of my stained undies by a wild-eyed, crazed maniac who insisted on scaring the hell out of little old ladies in sneakers, breaking bottles in the streets etc. And this was supposed to be the beginning of a revolutionary conscience-or maybe I'd just better say the beginning of disgruntled people hoarsely crying out for some change...somewhere. The only thing that kept me from going into complete hysterics was the arrests and 'clearing' of the streets by our friendly, "pick up ball in the street for Janie", police. Them law n order people don't fuck around with this rhetoric of non-violence vs. violence. They're interested in merely doing there job which means putting down the people-fuck the issues they get their damn job to worry about. Now listen people this time I do not want to be forced into choosing between disguising myself as a virtuous martyr with aspirations of ripping God off for an angel emmy on the one hand, or as a blood obsessed terrorist with destruction of everything on my mind as the other. While we're here in Iowa City playing the pacifist-violence game Amerika continues its evil ways. We've got to get ourselves together and do our part in forcing this nation to realize and stop its pollution-moral and enviornmental-of its own citizens and country as well as other parts of the world. BELIEVE IT! Amerika ain't playing games. Get it together Iowa City - it starts with your own head.