"In Hell (with Jean-Claude van Damme), a bleak story set in a corrupt post-Soviet Russian prison, contains a surprisingly accurate Christological moment. Van Damme plays an American working in Moscow who, sentenced to prison long-term for killing the murderer of his wife, has to fight brutal to-the-death duels with other prisoners to satisfy the guard who put high bets on the fights. Unable to finish off his beaten opponent, van Damme refuses to fight and is cruelly punished, chained to a high mast where he hangs for days without food and water, until he will once again agree to fight. One of the prisoners, observing from the cell window, complains to his mates: "Why does he refuse to fight? He will not only lose and die, but also bring trouble to all of us!" A wise colleague replies: "No! Can't you see he is not fighting for all of us!" And he is of course right: van Damme's refusal to fight is in itself a more dangerous fight to change the whole life of the prison, so that prisoners will no longer be forced to stage cruel combats for the obscene amusement of their jailers. This is a paradigmatic case of Jesus' line from Matthew [Matthew 5: 38-40]: "Whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other to him also." Sometimes, a refusal to fight amounts to a much more violent gesture of refusing the entire field that has determined the conditions of the fight; likewise, sometimes, directly striking back is the surest sign of compromise."
- Slavoj Zizek, from "Living in the End Times" pp 126-127
I agree! :) I think sometimes non-violence is the most dangerous act of all and the refusal to compromise yourself and to have integrity can be the most powerful weapon. And I like to think that strength and courage can come in the most unexpected or unconventional form.
ReplyDeleteI think this quote sums it up: "Non-violence is not inaction. It is not discussion. It is not for the timid or weak... Non-violence is hard work. It is the willingness to sacrifice. It is the patience to win.” - Cesar Chavez