>> Lou Paulsen wrote:
>>
>>> On this list there seems to be a relatively high proportion of people
>>> whom,
>>> in relation to this war, I would classify as belonging to the "ladder of
>>> force left".
>>
>>
>> A bunch of people that have demonstrated themselves capable of
>> stunning acts of violence have resolved to kill lots of Americans.
>> That would include you, Yoshie, Carrol, even Lou Proyect. There's no
>> class warrior exemption (actually they don't like Communists very
>> much, so American Communists are doubly doomed). Does this bother you
>> at all? Or are you willing to take a spore for the anti-empire?
>
> I've been mugged by a black man, but I'm against the "war on crimes,"
> racial profiling, etc.
>
if i may jump in: yes you may be against those responses just as many (all?) of those you are responding to are also against the "war on terrorism" or "enduring freedom" (chomsky pointed out in that talk that someone forwarded a URL to, that enduring also has the meaning "suffering" ;-)). since you did get mugged, i assume you support some form of response: perhaps its a combination of long term actions that remove the need to mug, but possibly you also support some short term measures to keep you safe. i think that may be the point that doug or others raise. there are some people who are going to target you (and doug, i am not american, so how do i apply to be excluded? ;-)) and other americans. so what do you do in the short term to avoid being killed? do you feel that the threat is negligible? are you just willing to die? if not, what do you propose to do that would be just (and i assume these gentlemen suggesting escalating violence or ladders and so on have some justifiable means of carrying it out - of course if you are an out and out pacifist then there is no justification possible and nothing more remains to be said)?
i am a bit lazy to search the list archives, but i hope that doug or whoever has proposed the ladder of force has outlined a clear plan on how this would not cost innocent lives (for want of a better phrase), would fix the immediate threat, etc.
not that my opinion was called for ;-),
--ravi