kort@hounx.UUCP (B.KORT) (02/02/86)
While I am not knowledgeable about the Soviet Refeniks, I believe they are applying an ancient Jewish tradition in coping with political authorities. It is the method of passive resistance and non-cooperation. Michener, in _The Source_, made a point of highlighting examples of Jewish passive resistance. The idea was carried to extreme by Jesus, and later used very effectively by Gandhi. In our own time, Martin Luther King revived non-violence + non-cooperation as a powerful tool for dealing with oppression. The method forces the oppressor to "go public" with his enforcement, and the police state becomes visible to all. It's a courageous, but dangerous way to live. --Barry Kort