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Sun Tzu

From:Sally Caves <scaves@...>
Date:Thursday, September 13, 2001, 6:08
----- Original Message -----
From: J Y S Czhang <czhang23@...>

> Retaliating violently against terrorism only creates more victims,
more
> martyrs, more sympathizers, more terrorists, and more acts of terrorism. > Terrorists suffer the delusions of the Savior Syndrome and wish to die
a
> Martyr's death for their cause. Retaliation - war in any violent form-
only
> serves their cause more...
Well said, Czhang! How do you retaliate against terrorism without yourself becoming a terrorist? That seems to be the issue here. Especially against an enemy who, as Sun Tzu says, "is without ascertainable shape."
> The solution to stopping terrorism is not simple... it involves
seeking
> real, rational dialogue with people who have long-standing historical
grudges
> and grievances (if dialogue is done openly, honestly, rigorously and
certain
> amends made on both/all sides, this can cause the terrorists to lose
support
> and sympathizers. Disarm the arguement and the reasoning for terrorism > becomes blatantly irrational.) > Cut the base of popular support and the terrorist cause ceases to be a > rallying point- it becomes absurd and futile. > > czHANg, peekin' up from readin' Sun Tzu's _Art of War_
How fitting that you should be reading this! I'm teaching this in my Great Books course! We were slated to discuss the old Bing Fa on Tuesday, and classes were canceled. Sun Tzu said: "All warfare is based on deception." Sun Tzu said: "There has never been a protracted war from which a country has benefited." AND: Sun Tzu said: "To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill." Ah! If only! Should be interesting. And I've often thought that it would be curious to try to translate some of this into Teonaht, increasing its military vocabulary. And now, may we return to conlanging! vyko, Sally

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Sylvia Sotomayor <kelen@...>