We live in a world in a shadow. Bad things happen everyday and there's nothing we can do about it. However, as we grow we see people doing bad things to other people. We see people discriminate, lynch, brutally beat and kill others. How can we make sense of these atrocious acts committed to innocent people? How do we go about this painful reality?
Jesus tells us to love our enemies in Matthew 5:44: "love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." How realistic is that?
Martin Luther King was an African-American civil rights leader. He is best known for his role in the advancement of civil rights using nonviolent civil disobedience based on his Christian beliefs. He draw inspiration from his Christian faith and Gandhi's nonviolent principles. He spoke of "I have a dream" and brotherly love -- brotherhood among races. It is not a bad thing to love one another. It is a good idea. But the world we live in doesn't work that way.
Africa is torn apart by colonial parasites who fund wars and coups; loot, rape and kill people in the region. In spite of that Africans are told to "love" their enemies. In spite of slavery, colonialism and apartheid we are told let 'bygones be bygones'. Even if those who are ethically challenged when it comes to using violence, the African should "forgive" and reconcile with the enemy? Today we see our siblings in America being beaten, purposely incarcerated and killed in the streets of the U.S, still we are told to suffer peacefully and accept our lot in this life.
But Malcolm X came to the rescue and taught us that loving and forgiving your enemies is impossible. He wrote : "I believe in the brotherhood of man, all men, but I don't believe in brotherhood with anybody who doesn't want brotherhood with me. I believe in treating people right, but I'm not going to waste my time trying to treat somebody right who doesn't know how to return the treatment." The message of nonviolence resistance and forgiveness is simply disarming and placing the victims at the mercy of the perpetrators. Since there is not a single enemy government or opponent of Africans that believes in nonviolence and forgiveness, why should those who have a problem with the enemy's actions be taught to play by a different set of rules?
Five hundred of years of colonial oppression are to be undone by a mere "Get over it"? or "forgive and forget"? Even today the same people who do the oppressing urge victims to stop defending themselves against aggression. Nonviolence did little if nothing to end apartheid. There's hardly any peaceful revolution in world history. The so-called "peaceful" transition from apartheid to a democratic "Rainbow" nation was still a sell-out option which maintain the 80% land ownership for the offspring( i.e. Dutch Boers and British settlers) of the colonial terrorists. One should wonder what claims do Europeans have to Africa. How valid are the arguments made by Dutch Boers and other non-Africans to justify land dispossession from its owners? There's no evidence to support their claims.
The true purpose of "nonviolence and forgiveness" becomes clear when it suits and protects the interests of rich White elites. Africans and other oppressed people need not follow this false teaching that allows them to suffer peacefully. This is appeasement with the monster. Imagine if buffaloes didn't protect themselves against lions. Self-defense is moral. Forgiveness should be accompanied with repentance.
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