NONVIOLENT   RESISTANCE
WE ARE ALL CALLED TO RESIST TRIDENT 
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 Mahandas 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 ersaries.  Openness to the truth of others is essential.
CHOOSING OUR LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION
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. 
Trident Campaign
1999

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