NONVIOLENT
RESISTANCE
| Nonviolent
resistance or nonviolent direct action dates back to ancient times,
i.e. the Egyptian midwives who hid baby Moses in defiance of the
King's order, Jesus on several occasions in the gospels, Gandhi
in the early 1900's, A.J. Muste and many others affiliated with
the Fellowship of Reconciliation, Martin Luther King Jr. led many
in the Civil Rights Struggle, many persons during the Vietnam
War; and more recently and ongoing resistance to nuclear weapons.
These are only a sampling. History gives many more (Boston
Tea Party, Abolition of slavery, War Tax Resistance, Labor Movement,
Women's Movement, Farmworkers' Movement etc.).
In the mode of Mohandas
K. Gandhi, the spirit of nonviolence embodies a belief in the
basic unity of humankind. Every person, even an adversary,
is a sister or brother. Such a spirit offers openness,
communication, and invitation to dialogue. It refuses
to do personal harm to anyone. It transcends an "Us-Them"
way of thinking. It is based on true respect and love
for both friends and adversaries. Openness to the truth
of others is essential.
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CHOOSING
OUR LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION
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In
any resistance action we have three basic choices:
- Witnessing the action
- a non-arrest situation
- Engaging directly in
the nonviolent direct action -- a probable arrest situation
- Supporting those doing
nonviolent direct action - a non-arrest situation
Each of these choices
are equal in value to the overall nonviolent direct action.
AFFINITY GROUPS -
This is a small group of people who have met before the action,
and bonded together in community. It is here that each person
will decide at which level they choose to participate. They
will also decide the main message of their action, what will
be done during the action (prayer, song, symbols, dancing, silence,
etc.), what preparations need to be made and what process will
be used to make decisions as the action is taking place.
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NONVIOLENT
COMMITTMENT STATEMENT
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In preparation for
nonviolent presence at _________________________ today, I commit
myself to:
- Refuse to engage
in verbal abuse or physical violence.
- Pledge not to
bring or use any drugs or alcohol other than for medical purposes.
- Carry no weapons.
- Refuse to retaliate
if injured.
- Maintain a spirit
of openess, friendliness and respect toward police officers,
court officials, and all others I encounter.
- Share my message
of peace with clarity.
- Listen with my
heart fully present and alert.
- Remain gentle,
never righteous or hostile.
- Keep in mind that
transformation and conversion to peace must begin with my
own life.
- Sustain this discipline
throughout all consequences, even under the legal violence
of the state.
NAME: _____________________________________
DATE: __________________
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