So you call yourself non-resistant.
Okay… but do you expect someone else to protect you? If not, then okay. But if you do, then I say you’re just a selfish coward. You think it’s okay for someone else to risk their own safety, but you’re not willing to risk yours.
What if you saw a woman being beaten in the street, right in front of you? Would you do anything to try to stop it? Maybe put yourself between the woman and her abuser? That’s forceful resistance – imposing your will on others. AKA, “governing.”
And you know you have an obligation to do that. Only the most morally destitute person would refuse.
But what if just getting in the way doesn’t help? What if her abuser has a weapon? What if he goes around you, or pushes you out of the way, so that he can continue to hurt her? What if force is the only thing that actually helps? What if the only way to stop him is by using violence?
Do you honestly believe that refusing to use violence, in that situation, would be the right thing to do?
You could say, “In that situation, maybe violence is necessary. But I’m not the right person to do it. It isn’t my job.” Someone should risk their safety to help her – but not you. Which is selfish and cowardly, no matter how you look at it.
And what if it wasn’t a stranger? What if it was your spouse, or your children? You have an instinct and a responsibility to keep them safe. You can’t just ignore that responsibility in the name of “non-resistance.” Choosing not protect yourself is okay… but not protecting your children?
Or let’s say your government has gone overseas to fight a war. Just like you are responsible for the safety of your family, the government is responsible for the safety of all its citizens. But maybe you expect the government to abdicate that responsibility. Maybe you expect them not to protect people who depend on them for their safety. Maybe you’re against all war – against all use of force and all violence. Well, that’s just as immoral.
I saw a group protesting “the war,” chanting, “Ceasefire now!” But all people have a right to defend themselves. If you looked down an alley and saw me fighting for my life, would you demand that I give up my weapons? Because that’s what you’re doing when you march in the streets and call for an end to “the war.” It’s the same as saying you want to take away my right to defend myself – which is immoral. It’s fine for you, if you choose not to defend yourself. But don’t take away my right to do it.
Everyone’s safety is everyone’s responsibility – including yours. And each person has the right to defend himself. You can’t take away my right to defend myself, and you can’t just look the other way while others are being harmed. You can’t “delegate” the use of force to a third party, and be totally unwilling to do it yourself. And you can’t demand that someone else come and take away my right to defend myself, while you smugly claim to be “non-resistant.”
That’s why non-violence, anti-war or anti-government activism, and the refusal to “get your hands dirty” are selfish, cowardly, and immoral.