A Personal Reflection on the War
October 7, 2001
The movement in resistance to globalization walks on a knife’s edge. It must widen this edge until it is transformed into an avenue that leads to a new world. On one side there is the recovery by way of globalization. For example the masters of the world say, we will globalize some of the discontents by offering them a piece of the pie. On the other side are Milosevic and other nationalist extremists. The two options are an illusion, traps; just as much the recovery by way of globalization as the way of the radical nationalists. We know that this is a false alternative. What we have to do is widen the edge of the knife to open a space of possibility for the advance of the global progressive movement that impedes that the two extremes which present themselves as the only options before globalization; that one is favor of globalization and al of its brutality. or to favor nationalist or religious fundamentalists and all of their violence.
Conversations with subcomandante Marcos
por Ignacio Ramonet, Le Monde Diplomatique
Mayo de 2001
The image of our movement existing on the edge of a very sharp knife is terribly appropriate at this critical moment.
“We are the only alternative to barbarism”, confidently insist those who have planned and executed horrific terror campaigns in places as diverse as , ,
The hands of the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the the White House are stained with far more blood than any religious fundamentalist or ultranationalist strongman that exists in today’s world. Those who have struggled in years past for peace and justice know the magnitude of the hypocrisy of those in power and we are as opposed to neoliberalism as any religious or nationalist extremist. In particular, I personally remember burying Nicaraguan school children and parents who were murdered by terrorists organized and directed from the basement of the White House by Col. Ollie North under the leadership of President Ronald Reagan and Vice-president George Bush.
The Sept. 11 attack against the pentagon in
Today we cannot know where the current course will lead nor how bad it might become. We cannot know how many of our sons and daughters, or the sons and daughters of others, will be mindlessly slaughtered. However as the corpses pile up and the magic of war continues to disappear sanity and rationality, we can be clear about our responsibilities.
Those who believe in tolerance and social justice must widen the space of that razor sharp divide mentioned by Marcos by working for peace.
We must carefully and effectively include our friends and our families, our organizations and our neighbors, in a massive campaign for a just and dignified peace. At the same time, we must continue to promote and sustain the many causes and projects that will eventually widen that razor thin space of tolerance and justice so that it can eventually become a grand avenue leading to a new world.
I believe we at Schools for
Certainly we will listen and consider carefully everyone’s viewpoint before reaching any decisions and I propose that the Oct. 20 Schools for
“The implementation of NAFTA is a death sentence for us,” said the Zapatistas on Jan. 1, 1994 as they declared war on the Mexican government. However rather than responding to the genocidal trade agreement with terror, the Maya communities of Chiapas have carefully respected all international laws governing warfare while building schools, health centers, and negotiating a dignified peace agreement (The Accords of San Andres were signed by the Mexican government, but the indigenous communities are respecting a cease fire and waiting for the government to meet it’s obligations under the agreement.)
Rather than relying on guns and violence, the indigenous rebels of have used carefully chosen words and creative democratic actions to win supporters throughout and the world.
Zapatista schools offer an important alternative to the terror and violence of corporate directed globalization, ultranationalism, and religious fundamentalism. We know the autonomous schools of
The knife’s edge on which we now exist is a very uncomfortable place, but it is exactly where we belong. The moment has arrived to build a new peace movement in the face of war; let us face that challenge with joy, creativity and hope for the future.
Peter Brown
pedrocafe@hotmail.com
