Advocates of the current violent military intervention have, either unsuspectingly or quite intentionally, reverted to the very own methods of propaganda that they accuse the regime of Slobodan Milosevic of practicing. This includes a distorting simplification of the situation as a "genocide resembling the Holocaust," which would naturally evoke a great degree of sympathy from the public. To feed off of the fear and horror which would stir inside us by associating Nazism with what is Serbian, the authors irresponsibly pronounce that "the three-finger Serbian salute resembles the Nazi salute." The authors have made a powerful accusation on a people, enforcing a demonizing label upon them when indeed many national salutes or hand salutes symbolizing opposition resemble one another. It is also irresponsible to make such an accusation without exploring the practice's cultural roots. In this case a display of three fingers (the thumb, index and middle finger) signifies a declaration of the principle that underlies Orthodox faith: The Holy Trinity (the Son, the Father and the Holy Spirit).
If the authors are prepared to support "arm(ing) the Kosovars so they can defend themselves from Serbian aggression" they should also be prepared to endorse an arming of a whole lot of other ethnic groups, such as the Kurds, the numerous indigenous peoples of Latin America, and even the Native Americans who live in reservation camps in the United States.
What also cannot be tolerated is disrespect for our leaders of global peace and civil rights by using their messages of social equality and human justice to advocate violent means of problem solving and opposition to evil. Although Dr. Martin Luther King (which the viewpoint had quoted) reminded us that "the tragedy is not the brutality of evil, but also the silence of good people," the foundation of his teachings and advocacy was based on nonviolent resistance. We have the leaders, international institutions and diplomatic means to deal with such conflicts. Ironically, the authors ask us, "What has happened to our sense of humanity?" Indeed what has happened to our sense of humanity, when people have accepted violence as the only means to deal with our problems, and still have not recognized its cyclic nature?
- This viewpoint was written by LSA senior Stephanie Pitsirilos
05-17-99
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