Comments on: “That which exists is possible” http://young.anabaptistradicals.org/2006/09/22/that-which-exists-is-possible/ let's activate something Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:37:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Lora http://young.anabaptistradicals.org/2006/09/22/that-which-exists-is-possible/#comment-22 Lora Sat, 23 Sep 2006 23:54:55 +0000 http://young.anabaptistradicals.org/2006/09/22/that-which-exists-is-possible/#comment-22 I don't think that Sharp had specific critiques of groups like CPT, as he didn't seem very familiar with their work. He did really emphasize the need to educate Americans, so on that level he might have concurred that it is important work--and that's the level where I'd say all accompaniament is crucial. Of course, neither of them were going to convert each other and it dropped quickly. It was just interesting to me that several CPTers took his remarks with a bit of defensiveness. But it's difficult to get at the nuances in a blog-and-comment setting. Maybe I'll ask others who were there to make sure I'm reflecting this accurately. I don’t think that Sharp had specific critiques of groups like CPT, as he didn’t seem very familiar with their work. He did really emphasize the need to educate Americans, so on that level he might have concurred that it is important work–and that’s the level where I’d say all accompaniament is crucial. Of course, neither of them were going to convert each other and it dropped quickly. It was just interesting to me that several CPTers took his remarks with a bit of defensiveness. But it’s difficult to get at the nuances in a blog-and-comment setting. Maybe I’ll ask others who were there to make sure I’m reflecting this accurately.

]]> By: TimN http://young.anabaptistradicals.org/2006/09/22/that-which-exists-is-possible/#comment-20 TimN Sat, 23 Sep 2006 22:09:10 +0000 http://young.anabaptistradicals.org/2006/09/22/that-which-exists-is-possible/#comment-20 This sounds like an especially interesting speech. I'm sorry I missed it. I take it that despite being succesive, the CPT advocats were not particularly <i>succesful?</i> Did Sharp feel that they were outsiders too much? I'd be interested to hear more details about his responses. Personally, I resonate with number 3 in your list. While handling media interviews during the CPT hostage crisis in London, I got really tired of ending up arguing about just war or the classic hypothetical situations with grandmas and guns. I decided that it was more important to suggest that peacemaking and nonviolence was a <i>possibility</i> rather than the only way, because there are many people who believe in peacemaking who also believe in war. We pacifists are losing a large chunk of the population if we seek to convert people rather than simply finding allies. This sounds like an especially interesting speech. I’m sorry I missed it. I take it that despite being succesive, the CPT advocats were not particularly succesful? Did Sharp feel that they were outsiders too much? I’d be interested to hear more details about his responses.

Personally, I resonate with number 3 in your list. While handling media interviews during the CPT hostage crisis in London, I got really tired of ending up arguing about just war or the classic hypothetical situations with grandmas and guns. I decided that it was more important to suggest that peacemaking and nonviolence was a possibility rather than the only way, because there are many people who believe in peacemaking who also believe in war. We pacifists are losing a large chunk of the population if we seek to convert people rather than simply finding allies.

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