There’s Blood on Their Hands—Lots of It

Anti-colonialism demonstrators before the 1945 Sétif and Guelma massacre of Algerians by the French
Image by Vikoula5 and in the public domain.

The recent massacre of civilians in Paris was horrific, unconscionable, and despicable—as has been the response in Paris, the US, and elsewhere in the West. Revenge, revenge, revenge is the resonating cry. The innocent victims of the terrorist attacks did not deserve their fate; nor did the innocent victims of centuries of French—and other Western, including American–colonialism.

The ethic of reciprocity, that “do unto others” Golden Rule, is a life- and fairness-promoting mantra; too often, we hear instead an “eye for an eye” refrain. Here we go again, with violence begetting violence and  it is fool-hardy to think further violence will put an end to the discontent, the rage, the enmity associated in part with centuries of Western exploitation, repression, and violence in other parts of the world.

Let’s take the case of France. During the 1600s, France began establishing colonies in North America, the Caribbean, and India—although “establish” is a euphemism. What France did was aggressively seize control of areas far from its own borders, and rule them until control was seized by someone else, generally Great Britain (another model of ruthless imperialism).

In the mid-nineteenth century, France extended its strong arm into Africa, Indochina, and the South Pacific. When people whose skin is black, brown, or yellow—“people of color”—are ruled over by white people, history has shown us that the rulers do not grasp the hands of the indigenous people in brotherhood, whatever their national mottos might be. The bloody wars in Algeria and Vietnam were in my lifetime. Hard for me to believe that there are nations in these “modern” and “civilized” times whose leaders view it as okay to take over land long occupied by other people, or leaders who do not think of “colonization” as a dirty word.

Historical memory tends to be very long. For many decades after the last rebellious Native American Indian went to his reward, American children played “Cowboys and Indians,” and all those children, like you, knew who the “bad guys” were–at least according to the stories told to them.

Let’s start working on better ways of dealing with violence then engaging in yet more acts of revenge that can only perpetuate the cycle.

P.S. The attacks on Beirut and the Russian plane were just as unconscionable as the one in Paris and should not be brushed aside just because we are better able to see the French as like us.

Kathie Malley-Morrison, Professor of Psychology

Global day of listening: An opportunity to listen and learn

March 20, 2011, is “GLOBAL DAY of LISTENING to ‘live without wars.’”  Inspired by Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers, Afghans For Peace, and the Iraqi & American Reconciliation Project, the organizers of the latest Global Day of Listening event are providing opportunities for everyone to talk with ordinary people  from Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine, Israel, Egypt, Yemen, and other countries around the world.

Follow the instructions and you will be able to hear the stories of people who have firsthand experience with war, occupation, terror, and the death of innocent civilians, and you will be able to ask questions of these people, who are choosing peace rather than revenge as a result of their experiences.

Most Americans get their “news” from the “popular media” that are controlled by the same rich and powerful interests that exercise enormous influence over governmental policy and that gain much of their wealth through the country’s involvement in wars. Don’t believe their propaganda; do not let them convince you that “the only good X (insert name of one of the current popular ‘enemies’) is a dead X” or that you have to “kill or be killed.” Throughout history millions of people have pursued and achieved peace.

Even if you do not take advantage of this opportunity to talk to someone in Baghdad, Kabul, and elsewhere over the weekend, do take some time to click on the links provided above to learn more about these organizations and their fight for peace and/or view some brief videos in which survivors of the invasions in their countries make their pleas for peace.

After you participate in the listening, please share your reactions by commenting here on Engaging Peace.

Kathie Malley-Morrison, Professor of Psychology

Healing in the aftermath of 9/11

Ground Zero memorial
Ground Zero (Photo by Niesy74; Permission is granted to use this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2. From WikiMedia Commons)

As we reflect back on the events and aftermath of September 11, 2001, it is useful to consider the question of healing.

Let’s look at an example from the last century. The U.S. and several of its allies learned, at least temporarily, a lesson after World War I.

They learned that a rabid preoccupation with revenge and punishment can keep hatred and a desire for retaliation alive and lead to further violence. Thus, the outcome of World War I led to World War II.

The aftermath to World War II was handled differently and with wisdom, as the allies helped the Axis powers rebuild. Today Germany and Japan are major allies of the United States.

Furthermore, the U.S. government has apologized to the innocent Japanese Americans who were corralled into concentration camps in the U.S. for no reason other than their Japanese ancestry.

Today in New York City we see a reprise of the kinds of hatred and distrust being leveled at innocent Americans because of their ancestry–in this case because they are Muslims.

The efforts to stop the building of an Islamic cultural center near Ground Zero are fueled not just by prejudice and ethnocentrism but by the political agenda of power-seekers.

Those power-seekers know that one way to get people to follow you and build your power is to foment fear while also making them believe that you have the answers. But are they the right answers?

Kathie Malley-Morrison, Professor of Psychology