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----- Original Message ----- From: Antony Nelson To: soc-casi-discuss@lists.cam.ac.uk Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2001 10:26 AM Subject: Constructive campaigning 'I do agree that any statement should be a statement of fact but, more then this I am begining to question what can be acheived by challenging the sanctions and the bombing useing argument. People have a nasty tendancy to be stuborn MP's included and I suspect that most arguments serve only to reinforce the pro sanctions position which they (are told) to hold.' If we divide the population into three categories: 1) people who can be swayed by argument and evidence 2) people who cannot be swayed by argument and evidence 3) MPs We have information, evidence and argument to use with category (1). Category (2) is out of reach. Category (3) are primarily affected by perceptions of self interest, ie pressure. On the analysis so far, the only pressure we can create is by mobilising people in category (1). So the quality of information, evidence and argument is critical to the success of the campaign, and the future of millions of ordinary families in Iraq. 'The main problem which I see is that the MP's are so full of self importance that they no longer see a world populated by people but rather a world populated by MP's. So it is perfectly acceptable for them to criple and bomb a country since the only people who are important to them are the political leaders who reside there. The big question is how to demostrate to a politician that the people of the world are far more important then the politicians.' If the analysis above is reliable, we are lucky in that there is no need to change the internal moral fabric of our politicians, but merely to rouse ordinary people who can still feel outrage and shame and anger and compassion, and who are willing to be honest and follow logic. Together, we ordinary people can exert enough pressure on politicians to make a difference to their behaviour, even though they may remain self-serving and self-important (in Antony's analysis). Cheers Mil Milan Rai Joint Coordinator Voices in the Wilderness UK National Office 16B Cherwell St, Oxford OX4 1BG Personal contact details 29 Gensing Road, St Leonards-on-sea TN38 0HE ph 0845 458 9571 (local rate) pager 07623 746 462 -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a discussion list run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq For removal from list, email soc-casi-discuss-request@lists.cam.ac.uk Full details of CASI's various lists can be found on the CASI website: http://www.casi.org.uk