[rhizome]

That is a simplistic assessment.

"We chose to defy the law. We first broke the law in a way which avoided any recourse to violence; when this form was legislated against, and then the Government resorted to a show of force to crush opposition to its policies, only then did we decide to answer violence with violence."

Civil disobedience was outlawed and then the government used violence against peaceful demonstrators. Only after that did they fight fire with fire, and history tells us it's possible that that may be the only language that governments understand.

[iends]

Ghandi may disagree. Maybe not, I'm weak on history.

I don't agree the end justifies the means, maybe you do, it's far too easy to get into a debate on morality in these topics. :)

[genwin]

You probably agree that the end justifies the means, but not seeing that because you haven't explored the situations in which it would for you.

[rhizome]

I would suggest that while the ends don't justify the means, sometimes the end does depend on the means.