The members of Weatherman and the Weather Underground considered ourselves part of a global movement to overthrow U.S. imperialism and to substitute freedom and justice for the reign of war and exploitation. Idealists, we wanted to end not only the Vietnam War but the entire system that gave us such wars. We believed the only way to do this was through the creation of a revolutionary army, with mass support, that would overthrow the state through armed struggle, ie., violence.
Obviously the country was not ready for revolution, and our street actions and bombings, instead of attracting support, isolated us. In forming the Weather Underground, we destroyed SDS, the largest radical student organization in the country, doing the FBI's work for them.
Over the last forty years I've thought intensely about the choices which I and my comrades made, coming to the practical conclusion that only nonviolent mass political action can be successful in this country. I've also learned about the successful history of nonviolent strategy in this country and around the world in the twentieth century. In this section you'll find the results of this painful rumination.