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Nonviolence as a Way of Life

Chris Klug

Be kind because everyone you meet is carrying a great burden. —Philo

Aligning one's thoughts, words and actions with an ethic of nonharming is a life-long process.

It is motivated by the desire to alleviate pain and suffering, one's own and others, and an ongoing awareness of the countless ways we participate, both individually and collectively, in causing harm. The web of relationships in which each of us finds ourselves is the place this harm occurs, ranging from a simple act of unkind speech, to often deeply ingrained biased and prejudicial attitudes, to complex lifestyle choices (though, for many, there may be few, if any, choices) related to food, clothing, shelter, education, health, leisure, employment, governance, transportation, money/investments, etc.

Awareness of the harm we cause directly and indirectly can be heartbreaking and overwhelming and discouraging and numbing. It can lead to resignation, paralysis, and cynicism, and is often resisted. Yet, it is precisely this awareness that lights up the many places where we can make choices that lead to less and less harm, while at the same time planting the seeds for and/or strengthening less harmful habits. Here are a few examples. Acknowledging feelings of anger and speaking kindly and firmly is possible, and requires practice. Feeling afraid and making a sincere effort to understand and get to know those who are different is possible, and requires practice. Choosing to get from home to work on a bicycle or by bus instead of driving one's own vehicle is possible. Shifting one's investments away from corporations that exploit their employees and the environment and avoid paying their share of taxes, to ones that do not, is possible. Entering into this process more and more completely requires courage, commitment, patience and, especially, a light and wise touch so that efforts to bring about justice and peace don't themselves cause harm in the short term and sow the seeds of injustice and violence for the future; e.g., waging war to bring about peace.

Support from others who are also committed to the path of a less violent way of living and being can be very helpful. Here are some local and not-so-local organizations that could be helpful: PEACE Iowa, Iowa Veterans for Peace, Pax Christi, Living Nonviolence, Buddhist Peace Fellowship.
 

Campaign for Nonviolence

Ed Flaherty
Excerpts of a speech delivered on behalf of PEACE Iowa, Iowa City pedestrian mall, International Day of Peace, Sept 21, 2014

Campaign Nonviolence is a long-term effort to build a culture of peace, to end war, poverty, and the climate crisis. It's an effort to illuminate the inter-relationship of poverty, racism, militarism & violence, greed and environmental degradation and address them in a unified effort.

I'm an old guy who has not kept up to the musical times, though I love Adele. Some of you have heard Leonard Cohen, and one of his songs, “Everybody Knows.” I believe everybody knows, at some level in their being, that the American flag can stand for liberty and justice for all, and that forever in peace may she wave. It must not belong to those who see it as a symbol of the most exceptional nation in history with the right to impose its will whenever and wherever. Everybody knows that we, all people, have a right to clean air and clean water and food. Everybody knows that wars and domestic violence not only result from people being denied these resources because we do not respect Mother Earth, but also that military activity accelerates environmental degradation, and that the US military is the largest consumer of oil and the largest emitter of CO2 in the world. We know that saying from the Bible, Wheresoever your treasure is, there your heart is also. As a nation, we have invested our treasure in the tools of war, and we need to change our investment policy.

We all have reason to be sad. Our planet's health is deteriorating, income inequality and poverty are soaring, racism persists in old and new forms. We are engaged in the longest war in US history (Afghanistan) and appear to be on the threshold of a new war in Syria. The cloud of nuclear destruction hangs over our heads. Injustice and oppression permeate life here and abroad. Our heroes seem to be athletes, movie stars, CEOs, and the military.

Everybody knows those things, even if we don't act as if we do.

Let us summon the will to act on what we believe, and to take advantage of the wonderful resources around us. Let's work with the 100 Grannies, the Center for Worker Justice, Veterans for Peace, Physicians for Social Responsibility, The Consultation of Religious Communities, PEACE Iowa, and countless other organizations whose daily work is waging peace. Let us celebrate the People's Climate March, Iowa City as a UNESCO City of Literature, and the largest solar farm in Iowa located right here in Johnson County. Let's include folks like Eugene Debs, Muhammad Ali, Martin Luther King, William McKibben, and Daniel Ellsberg in our pantheon of heroes. Let's listen to our heart and what we know, and do what we can do to have this wave in peace, with liberty and justice for all.

Peace, salaam, shalom.
 

Reflections on the Season of Peace on Earth Goodwill Toward . . .

Sven-William Nilsson

It is literally a Hallmark card phrase. But how does one reconcile ubiquitous wishes for peace on earth and goodwill during the holiday season with the reality of endless warfare around the world, violence in the streets of American cities, and systems and cultures that, everywhere, seem to produce or reinforce so much materialism, competition, greed, inequality, and injustice? Many people in Iowa do experience a generous portion of peace, goodwill, security, and comfort. But it is important to reflect upon both extant joys and the struggles faced by people of conscience. The struggle: War seems a constant in the world. Americans participate in many ways. American tax money enables troops on the ground in Afghanistan and Iraq and drones overhead in Syria, Pakistan, Yemen, and elsewhere. American bombs destroy schools and their “collateral damage” often includes innocents. “Made in the USA” weapons can be found wherever conflict exists. America spent a trillion dollars in Afghanistan and now “leaves” much of the country in poverty and ruins.

The joy: A courageous young girl is awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace and earns the attention of the world for her message about the right for “beyond basic education,” not only girls, but for all impoverished children in the world. Her unwavering voice was heard admonishing the royal and the powerful even as they honored her. Caring people around the world proclaim, “I am Malala.”

The struggle: The American government abuses its power. Violence of and upon police troubles American cities. The NSA collects information on American citizens and breaks domestic and international laws in doing so. The CIA tortures and abuses prisoners of war and American prisons are packed to overflowing. Guantanamo remains open despite the President's long-standing pledge to close it.

The joy: Heroes, like Edward Snowden, risk everything to reveal the truth and protect civil rights and freedoms. Fearless journalists like Gary Webb investigate and expose abuse of power. Peace activists, like Kathy Kelly, voluntarily go to prison to bring a public accounting to the hidden use and abuse of military power.

The struggle: Greed dominates local, national and international politics. Moneyed interests control political discourse and, ultimately, legislation and policy. Popular culture, in film, games, and social media are replete with violent images, bullying, misogyny, and crass materialism. Economic prosperity is only available to the few, the socio-economic gap is an ever-expanding crevasse, and democracy now seems to be, more and more, a hollow ideal. The joy: There remains, in many, a strong spirit toward non-violence, justice, and morality. Some of the disenfranchised are willing to take their message to the streets in non-violent and constructive protest. True democracy can be heard in the voices that reject materialism and self-interest and promote the common good.

So: Peace on earth, goodwill to . . . all.

Sven-William Nilsson is the pen name of a PEACE Iowa member.
 

Thanks to Rose & Peter Persaud for this photo of the January 1, 2007
Iowa City vigil mourning the Iraq War dead—3000 U.S. soldiers and many more Iraqi civilians.

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