When Revolution Goes Awry
by Robert Russo
The apparent takeover of the Gaza Strip by Hamas broke on CNN Thursday along with most other news services, but not AOL News which is sort of like getting your news from Late Night. They ran the Duke rape case instead, and the current top stories as I write this are Storm Swamps Mobile Homes, Wal-Mart Dumps Familiar Icon, Cops Round Up 700 in Global Online Pedophile Ring, Sextuplet Births Spark Debate About Fertility Drugs, Fashion Journalist Faces Sentencing for Bizarre Attack, Airport Security Counters Mom's 'Sippy Cup' Claim.* A coup d'etat in an important part of the world is certainly more newsworthy to me than this week's domestic issues, but perhaps not the best scoop for an internet provider greeting its members with new features. Are libertarian forums like this? Is foreign affairs just presumed to be one of the least items on the agenda? It's true that we have more domestic issues than anyone because we question every part of our society that otherwise goes unthought. In the nations of Europe being informed seems to equate with global events because there is relatively less groundbreaking local news in a small overcrowded culture-state. We libs would be fighting tooth and nail against the public surveillance cameras in Britain, religious persecution in France and educational persecution in Germany.** (Although I say this with little knowledge of how activists in Europe are doing right now.) Unfortunately in our country being informed means getting the gossip. Relevance is minimized to how it affects the people and products that matter, success dependent on their favor. What the rest of the world thinks isn’t common knowledge.
The Palestinian Conflict is a textbook on how not to fight for independence, just as the American Revolution is a discourse on its success. Because they don't respect government, the terrorists are the only ones who seem to understand revolution must be swift or it doesn't work! The side to which we are allied likes the legislative process and committees. The slow, staggering, "let's make it economically feasible", never gonna happen strategy. A revolutionary abandons doubt and fear. We would not be activists if everyone already agreed with us, it has to be rallied in one united positive action that influences culture and ideals like the Declaration of Independence. Everyone wants peaceful, problem-free transition, and this normally practical savvy must be cast aside for one paradigm idea. It requires spitting in the face of law, government and responsibility. It is far more precarious to try to maintain a constituency over a long process, everyone splitting off into their own camps. There is far more violence in the hopelessness of stagnation than there is in a decisive agreement people will come to accept. (The fight for American independence was not a mutual land dispute and agreement lost to infighting, but there's no such thing as a perfect analogy.)
Having never been to the Middle East, I believe our concept of terrorists vs. the moral majority doesn't exist there except to diplomats who have adopted American-speak. The state of our nation in 1776 is what Palestinians feel they are in right now. We had our own terrorist group, the Sons of Liberty, who went around tarring and feathering tax collectors. That is how they see Hamas. How can a nation broker its independence when an inseparable chunk of its constituency uses terrorist measures and has the support of everyone's friends and neighbors? We are self-righteous to think its easy to draw a line. A recent survey "shocked" the nation (or at least the reporters) that one out of four American Muslims under 30 agree martyrdom is acceptable in some cases to defend one's religion, leading the New York Post to publish "Time Bombs in Our Midst: 26% of Young U.S. Muslims Back Killings", dehumanizing and misinterpreting them. Muslims see their religion as under assault. The article "Who Are Terrorists?" provided by Bill Walker considers all anti-government groups, issues and beliefs "domestic terrorism" (next to what appears to be an image of the Swamp Fox).***
A gang of faceless, nameless gunmen running a state is the ultimate perversion of independence. They represent neither the people nor themselves. Guerilla government is a product of desperation, along with tactics like suicide bombing and child soldiers. Desperation and despair come from stagnant social, economical and political establishments that do not turn with the wheel of frequent, healthy revolutions. Stagnancy is confused for stability but all it comforts is the mob. It pacifies fear, uniting our fears into one huge oversight. Ignorance is what makes people nameless and faceless, incapable of governing. Revolution leaves no concern unnoticed, even if one is not on the winning side it provides hope that things continuously change. I look for updates on this conflict at cnn.com.
*www.aol.com
**http://www.richmondliberty.org/mt/2007/01/homeschooling_now_an_internati.php
***http://www.pa-aware.org/who-are-terrorists/domestic-6.asp
Question of the Week: It was announced yesterday and today that the Palestinian authority having separated itself from all Hamas activity is backed by both the U.S. and Israel and will continue to receive aid. This is a good sign. Any group fighting for its independence has the difficult task of allying its members or cutting loose detractors. Are we libertarians in the same boat? Send your thoughts to henrico@richmondliberty.org.
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