kropotkindersurprise:

pisshets:

Funny how advocates for the Thoreauvian concept of “nonviolent civil disobedience” always forget that Thoreau had beaming praise and solemn reverence John Brown & co and thought it was like the only time anyone ever did anything good with a rifle

Yeah, go read A Plea for Captain John Brown, it’s good.

It was his peculiar doctrine that a man has a perfect right to interfere by force with the slaveholder, in order to rescue the slave. I agree with him. They who are continually shocked by slavery have some right to be shocked by the violent death of the slaveholder, but no others. Such will be more shocked by his life than by his death. I shall not be forward to think him mistaken in his method who quickest succeeds to liberate the slave. I speak for the slave when I say that I prefer the philanthropy of Captain Brown to that philanthropy which neither shoots me nor liberates me. 

What is the character of that calm which follows when the law and the slaveholder prevail? We preserve the so-called peace of our community by deeds of petty violence every day. Look at the policeman’s billy and handcuffs! Look at the jail! Look at the gallows! Look at the chaplain of the regiment! We are hoping only to live safely on the outskirts of this provisional army. So we defend ourselves and our hen-roosts, and maintain slavery.