Violence

While reading Gandhi I was totally convinced in the ways of nonviolence and could raise no objections to this philosophy. But in terms of many social movements that I have been learning about, I do not see how many would be successful without the use of violence, even if it is only being used sybolically. I did not read the autobiographical section and would be interested if it explained how Gandhi started his movement and how he contributed through his nonviolent means. But for some more recent movements, violence is a way of crying out for international and local attention and can help a lot. The Zapatistas declared war against Mexico and fought with government troops, and made threats, many which probably they would have been unable to back up. But they used this violence as a way to gain international attention and support for their cause, so I feel that in cases such as these, violence is necessary and nonviolence would lead to the slow suppression and eventual end of these people and their way of life.
Travis