The tactics of "nonviolence" are defined by the nonviolence codes and trainings of political activists. The nonviolence codes of Northern California Earth First!, the MEC, and most other environmental and peace and justice groups forbid actions that could cause physical harm to their opponents or their opponents property. Nonviolence trainings, common during large civil conflicts, teach how to avoid using words, movements, and appearances that are culturally associated with and therefore escalate violent situations - such as sudden movements or wearing a black mask. As an expression of solidarity in their alliances with unions and workers, the Northern California Earth First! movement stopped advocating tree spiking and sabotage in favor of large blockades. A minority of activists still advocate the "rearrangement of inanimate matter." They tend to be lone rangers or smaller groups without mass popular support.
"Black Block Anarchists," who broke windows at the WTO protests in Seattle, and other self described "nonviolent" movements who advocate sabotage, write about a difference between "tactical" and "senseless" sabotage. The difference for them depends on how effective the action was in stopping or disrupting the operations of their opponent and whether anyone was injured by the action. An extreme minority of environmental activists go so far as to sabotage using arson. The Animal Liberation Front (ALF), who oppose animal experimentation, slaughter houses and fur farms, inspired The Earth Liberation Front (ELF); both use arson. The ELF burned down an environmentally destructive ski lodge in Vial, Colorado in 1998; the ALF destroyed slaughter houses and factory farms with fire in Sonoma County more recently. In the perception of the ALF and the ELF, their sabotage was nonviolent in that no person was injured.
Tactical nonviolence is less concerned with "right" and "wrong" than with what will actually bring political change. Because both the public and most activists disagree with violence or sabotage, its advocates tend to have to work solo, or in small groups without the support of the public. If they are caught, they can not expect the legal and media support offered to groups and individuals believed to be nonviolent. Window breakers in the WTO action were attacked in the media and did not receive the free legal support enjoyed by the blockaders and marchers who were arrested in Seattle.
Nelson Mandela and the African National Congress were committed to a massive campaign of nonviolence for about a decade. Eventually they moved to a national movement of sabotage and even attempted to buy arms from China for a revolution. Mandela explained that "the oppressor chooses the mode of conflict." To these true believers in nonviolence, violence came to be believed nationally as their only hope. In the end, Mandela and the white South African President both won a Nobel Peace Prize by helping to resolve the conflict without civil war. Unlike South Africa during apartheid and many third world countries now, the U.S. public will only support direct action that practices nonviolence in the spirit of the following example of a nonviolence code. This code is from Earth First!; it is the one used in the Headwaters conflict.
"Our attitude will be one of openness, friendliness, and respect toward all people and the environment around us. We will use no violence, verbal or physical, toward any person. We will not damage any property. We will not bring firearms or other weapons. We will not bring or use illegal drugs or alcohol."
Copyright Mendocino Environmental Center 2000
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