Newsmedianews | Egypt News page

EGYPT NEWS

Oldest intelligent homo sapien remains found in Ireland
Kerry farmer apologises for horrific ‘mix-up’
Elmo Maheeny has been replaced by Rumpold Slitskin
What a Load of Trash—self-generating trash research report
Our world today
Of Cannabis Freedom and Dictators
Börhd Hooligan goes ballistic
Reporters Without Borders - Freedom of Information
Crippling the Killing Machine —Hermit Empeysex on war
Contribute news direct to this website
Poll results say 'No-DSS' advertising 'unlawful and discriminatory'
Newsmedianews features index
The basement Years mp3 collection
A Question of Education? Perhaps—but whose? - Hermit Empeysex reports
An examination of Britain's ''improved' state welfare system
Lord Knoxborough still missing
Vote on a range of current and other issues
An encounter with the UK D-Notice-archived yarn
News from the European Union
Newsmedianews forum
Editorial
Our Muppet Democracies - Hermit Empeysex
Exclusive - the Toise Collection

Newsmedianews ads

Purchase a Keith Harris CD
Musical Instruments

+ Larger Font | - Smaller Font
View all direct news items Search Direct Input items

NEWS FROM EGYPT

Direct news input story index

No current entries to show

What’s this?

More from Ireland at www.thetruth.ie

Direct news input items

Be Kind to Those Offended By It printable version

16 Jul 2020: posted by the editor - Health, Opinion, International

By David Swanson
"Good Morning! Would you mind staying a safe distance away?"

"Hi! Nice mask! Could you please wear it on your face instead of your chin?"

Helping people reduce the risk of spreading a deadly disease requires being willing to offend them.

And as they long for a return to normalcy, you should be preparing to be a lot more offensive.

"That sounds delicious. Does it have any dead animals in it?"

"How's it going? Could you please not carry a gun around here?"

These are comments of the same sort as "put your mask on" in that they are aimed at helping the people you're confronting survive, whether they like it or not. The methane and other destruction and pollution of livestock will kill them, not just you. The guns increase the risk of gun death for everyone, especially gun owners.

But if you want to get really out-of-step, if you want to offend in the way actually needed, if you want to truly serve everyone's interests whether they will stand for it or not, then you have to disrupt, protest, and change public policy.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Mayor, all of these people will gladly get off your lawn and plant it with wild flowers when you support divestment from oil producers and weapons dealers."

"Nice offices, Congress Members. You can enter them as soon as you agree to end fossil fuel subsidies and shift $400 billion a year from wars to a Green New Deal."

"No, sir, I do understand that you're just trying to get to your job manufacturing nuclear weapons, but we're just trying to give your children a chance to live."

These, too, are acts of kindness toward those disrupted and inconvenienced and pressured to change their ways. And they'll hate you for it. But that doesn't mean you need to forget that you are being kind to them. That doesn't mean you need to become hateful or start wishing them harm or making jokes about "natural selection" taking care of the non-mask-wearers - a comment easily as cruel and ignorant as not wearing a mask.

The essence of nonviolent activism is helping people who do not want to be helped. Far from hating them, it requires actually listening to them. Sometimes some of them will know something that you don't know. Acting on the best information, whether popular or not, requires constantly searching for better information. But it does not require inaction or politeness that permits injustice and destruction to continue.

"That looks like a really nice Bible you're thumping, but outgrowing childish ancient myths would give us a better chance at survival in the times ahead."

"I'm aware there's an even worse political party than yours, but we need changes neither of those parties will stand for unless you help us challenge both of them."

These are fighting words. These are courting hatred, violence, ostracism, and mockery. But they are not doing so intentionally. They are doing so out of independent reliance on facts, and out of caring for the interests of others as you best understand them.

For better or worse, we're all in the same boat. Making fun of the jackasses drilling holes in their end of the boat isn't a recipe for survival. Asking boat-patch-haters to start patching up the holes is. One approach is easier and less confrontational. The other is actually kinder.

Perhaps someday someone may recognize that you were being kind to them, but I wouldn't count on it. It certainly isn't the point. Nor is getting such recognition from their great-grandchildren the point. The existence of their great-grandchildren is the point.

Join David Swanson's list here.

David Swanson is an author, activist, journalist, and radio host. He is director of WorldBeyondWar.org and campaign coordinator for RootsAction.org.

Tags: David Swanson

Back to headlines

comments (0)
recommend

bignewsnetwork.com latest rss headlines

"To expose truth...in front of the world": Congress MP Manish Tewari to lead diplomatic push against Pakistan's terrorism

New Delhi [India], May 24 (ANI): Congress MP Manish Tewari, who is part of an all-party delegation led by Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MP Supriya Sule, on Saturday said he will expose Pakistan's conspiracy to train terrorists and send them across the border to spread terrorism in India.

Tewari will be visiting Qatar, South Africa, Ethiopia, and Egypt.

'For the last 45 years, Pakistan has

Russia and the Arab League can reshape the world together

Its time for the relationship between Moscow and its Middle Eastern partners to evolve into a new international institution

Russian President Vladimir Putin has sent an official telegram to the leaders of the member states of the League of Arab States, as well as to the Secretary-General of the League, extending a formal invitation to participate in the first Russia-Arab Summit, scheduled to take

Mineral desire: Moscow has enough to satisfy India

With global power dynamics shifting and Arctic resources surfacing, New Delhi has a timely chance to deepen ties with Russia

Once a frozen frontier, the Arctic is rapidly transforming into a geopolitical and geoeconomic focal point. Melting ice is exposing vast reserves of critical minerals, hydrocarbons, and strategi

BRICS bank gets new member

NDB president Dilma Rousseff has said Algeria will strengthen the institution's global influence and regional development role

Algeria has officially become a member of the New Development Bank (NDB), the financial institution established by the BRICS group of nations.

The announcement was made by the NDB's pre

Nahyan bin Mubarak receives multi-party parliamentary delegation from India

ABU DHABI, 23rd May, 2025 (WAM) -- Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, affirmed the deep-rooted historical ties between the UAE and the Republic of India, describing them as a distinguished model of constructive cooperation and mutual understanding, underpinned by a shared leadership vision for sustainable development and global peace.

His remarks came during a meeting with

Nahyan bin Mubarak hails UAE's historic T20I series win over Bangladesh

DUBAI, 23rd May, 2025 (WAM) -- Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Emirates Cricket Board's Chairman, has congratulated the UAE Men's team on their historic series win over Bangladesh at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

Sheikh Nahyan said, "The Emirates Cricket Board is delighted with the outstanding performance of the UAE Men's team in the three-match T20I series against Ba

Nahyan bin Mubarak continues his visits to 'Make it in the Emirates 2025'

ABU DHABI, 22nd May, 2025 (WAM) -- Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, continued his field visits today, Thursday, to the fourth edition of the Make it in the Emirates 2025 platform, hosted at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).

His visit came on the concluding day of the country's premier industrial event, which attracted broad participation from major indust

Israeli troops fire warning shots at foreign diplomats

The IDF has accused the international delegation of straying from an approved route in the West Bank

Israeli soldiers fired shots near a group of foreign diplomats visiting the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, prompting representatives from over 20 countries and accompanying journalists to scramble for cover, according to videos from the scene.

The tour, organized

Egypt condemns Israeli gunfire during Egyptian ambassador, foreign diplomats visit to Jenin

CAIRO, 21st May, 2025 (WAM) -- Egypt on Wednesday condemned the Israeli army for opening fire on a group of foreign diplomats - including the Egyptian ambassador to Ramallah - during a visit to Jenin, the occupied West Bank.

In a statement, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the incident as a "clear violation of all diplomatic norms," and called on Israel to provide an official explanation of the

Netanyahus forever war is killing Israel faster than its enemies

The total victory the PM has set as his goal is impossible, with or without American support

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has trapped himself in a predicament that requires him to either bow out of power or drag his whole state down with him. In over 18 months, Israel has failed to defeat any of its enemies and escalation in Gaza could be the most dangerous decision he has taken yet.

Nahyan bin Mubarak attends AUB's annual gala dinner in Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI, 21st May 2025 (WAM) -- Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, attended the annual gala dinner hosted by the American University of Beirut (AUB) at the InterContinental Hotel in the capital, Abu Dhabi.

The event was held in celebration of AUB alumni residing in the United Arab Emirates and in recognition of the deep academic and cultural ties between the two brother

Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Centre for Arabic Language Education opens at Keio University in Tokyo

TOKYO, 21st May, 2025 (WAM) -- In a generous initiative by H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, the "Mother of the Nation", Chairwoman of the General Women's Union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood (SCMC), and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF), the Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Centre for Arabic Language Education was officially inaugurated at Keio University in

Daily World Briefing, May 21

World Health Assembly adopts global pandemic agreement

The World Health Assembly, the highest decision-making body of the World Health Organization, adopted the global pandemic agreement in Geneva on Tuesday.

The "pandemic agreement" proposes the establishment of a series of new platforms and mechanisms aimed at comprehensively reforming the existing systems for pandemic surveillance, prevention and respons

Crown Prince of Fujairah meets with Egyptian PM

FUJAIRAH, 20th May, 2025 (WAM) - H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, met with Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister of Egypt, at the Cabinet HQ in Cairo.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Egyptian Prime Minister welcomed the Crown Prince of Fujairah on his current visit to Cairo to participate in the Arab Sustainability Day.

The meeting included discussions on

Hamdan bin Mohammed chairs Defence Council meeting

Dubai [UAE], May 20 (ANI/WAM): Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, chaired a meeting of the Defence Council, where he stressed the importance of strengthening efforts, fostering teamwork, and deepening collaboration to release the leadership's vision for advancing the UAE's defence