Alternatives to Vigilantism/War Crimes: Historical Examples?

[NuttyFluffers]

(if too long, just read last paragraph)

trying to phrase this as poignant, yet calm and encompassing, as possible. we see, again, that mondo phreak-outs and vengeance really gets all of us nowhere, particularly on the world stage. when the tools of authority are abused, legitimization and moral framework sustaining the system break down into states where violence is the only voice that speaks and is heard. the rectification process is to return to a framework that begets faith in its legitimate and moral framework. which is a roundabout way of appealing to history for guidance in our modern times of trial:

i believe our past has shown that the best way to create dialog and peace is to: not abuse people with your power, listen to them, build their faith in you, allow this to cooperatively end violence by marginalizing the antagonists by just displays of authority, which often seem quite restrained. i speak of namely: diplomacy, intelligence work (preferably the tete-a-tete kind), courts, education, etc. in the end it is the cooperation and dialog, the conversion from enemy to friend, that brings real peace.

so, i ask my fellow DUers, a pool of quite capable researchers and thinkers if i've ever seen one, to let us compile historical examples of this wisdom in action.

let us see of nations, or movements, in history that end (or at least marginalize) terrorism/war crimes: let us share when the courts brought justice, when diplomacy brought dialog, when intelligence brought precision, when education brought awareness and resistance against the conditioning of bigotry... with the poisons of our world once again rising, now in our time, it helps to see that we knew of another answer besides violence -- and we should remind ourselves the success it brought.

if the only way to salvation we are allowed to see is 'death and destruction to all who oppose me' then we shall only be greeted by that, be it conventional/guerrilla/mercenary/loner/etc. we need to remind ourselves that there's another way, and that it is good/successful. so let us remind ourselves now. cite your favorite success story: victories of diplomacy, of economic revitalization, of education, of intelligence/judicial system, of peace movements, etc.

[Taxloss]

1. South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission is rather inspiring.

In fact, the struggle against Apartheid as a whole is inspiring - a victory that seemed impossible, achieved by peaceful ends, without the victors pursuing retribution for the sake of it.