The choice between freedom and death: Why the resistance does not seek validation from the idle

In an era of profound global imbalances, where the scales of justice are discarded and “might” dictates “right”, a question arises whether resistance is an act of folly and recklessness? Should the victim be responsible for the wrath of the oppressor? Today, we are witnessing a narrative that seeks, consciously or otherwise, to flip the truth on its head; where the defender of home and honour is branded reckless, while the brutal aggressor is framed as a fact of life that should to be tolerated.

The deception of victim bashing: A partnership in depravity

The primary lapse in consciousness we see today is the attempt to blame the victim for the atrocities thereupon inflicted. Commentators emerge, analysing the scene with cold logic, asking: “Why did they provoke the enemy? Why did they bring this destruction upon themselves?” Such reasoning is nothing less than an open partnership in depravity with the aggressor. The fact must remain that the aggressor alone is responsible for their aggression, and the occupier remains the original source of all forms of subsequent violence.

To attempt to hold the victim accountable for their own ruin simply because they chose to say No and to attempt to defy the aggressor, is an affront to human dignity before it is a serious political error. The oppressor requires no pretext to slaughter; their appetite for killing is not satiated by stagnation but rather fuelled by submission. Therefore, the logic that acquits the blade and blames the neck belongs to the subservient; those who delude themselves into thinking peace can be purchased from the hand of the killer through a bow of the head.

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Resistance is not the outcome of ballot boxes

Another illusion being peddled is the necessity of consensus or a majority to decide on resistance. Here, we must speak the truth without equivocation: Resistance is not a democratic choice, nor is it subject to the whims of the majority in moments of brokenness, as the price of freedom is exceedingly high, and the human soul is naturally inclined towards safety and the avoidance of sacrifice. Resistance is the choice of a believing elite; those possessed of a dignity and a foresight that transcends momentary pain towards a future of pride. Had prophets, reformers, and revolutionaries throughout history waited for a public vote before confronting injustice, no land would have been liberated, and no justice would have prevailed. The masses may lean towards safety, which is their prerogative, but the vanguard draws the path with their souls, and the rest follow only when victory looms.

The oppressor requires no pretext to slaughter; their appetite for killing is not satiated by stagnation but rather fuelled by submission.

Resistance is the choice and the destiny of nations who refuse to become extinct. It does not wait for statistics or opinion polls, as nations are not polled on their right to exist, rather they exercise that right through action on the ground.

Seeking wisdom from the submissive

 In every age, a class emerges that excels in the art of defeated guidance. These individuals claim wisdom and objectivity while warning against the recklessness of confronting an invincible power. They attempt to convince us that bowing to the occupier’s dictates is a form of political realism or strategic maneuvering, and that clinging to the crumbs of a meagre existence is better than sacrificing for the sake of dignity.

Yet human history clearly indicates that no people attained their freedom from tyranny by submitting an application or by begging for it. Not the Vietnamese, nor the Algerians nor indeed any other who fell to the clutches of colonialism and tyranny. Indeed, freedom and dignity are only attained through struggle and sacrifice, and rights are only restored by being forcefully seized. Therefore, the prudence and wisdom of the submissive is nothing but a local anesthetic to dull the pain of humiliation and a path leading towards eternal enslavement.

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Recklessness vs. heroism

To describe resistance as acts of recklessness is to measure matters solely by a material scale. Resistance is not an act of suicide but rather one of faith; an absolute belief in the necessity of sacrifice. One can even argue that recklessness would actually be to surrender your land, your rights and freedoms and your people, while remaining silent, under the illusion that silence will somehow protect you.

A victim facing their occupier, fully aware of the disparity in power, is not at all reckless but profoundly realistic, having realised that the cost of submission is one that must be paid every single day, and is far greater than the cost of full-on confrontation, which demands a price paid once.

Resistance as a moral act and historical destiny

In its essence, resistance is a moral act that sides with the human being against the machine. It is the cry that reminds the world that there are souls that cannot be bought or sold. When a people choose the path of resistance, they are not choosing death. They are choosing a way of life that befits the free.

We of course realise the path is long and the price is steep. The blood being spilt is the fuel that lights the path of return for future generations. Ironically, those who blame the resistance today for the victim’s pain are the same ones who will stand tomorrow to lead the victory parade, claiming they were its patrons.

No rational person can equate the executioner with the victim, and no believer in freedom can pawn their decision to the dictates of the defeated. Resistance exists to stay because the occupier exists to vanish. It is not an up for debate; it is an existential necessity.

Those who think the subservient will bring peace are delusional. Surrender only breeds further savagery in the enemy. As for resistance, though difficult and bitter, it is the medicine required to excise the tumor of occupation, tyranny and oppression.

The whole world and history ought to know that people who decide to live in dignity do not seek the permission and license to do so from anyone, nor do they heed the screams of the alarmists. For freedom is not gifted; it is ransomed and captured by force.

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.