Waging peace peacefully

(Photo by Pattymooney)

Having recently been invited to a Saratoga Peace Alliance (SPA) "Gun Show Silent Vigil," I was particularly impressed with the "Statement of Nonviolence" that accompanied this invitation.

Because this vigil was meant to "engage not enrage," participants were asked to make the following commitments:  We will not vandalize; we will not use or carry alcohol or illegal drugs; we will refrain from insults and swearing; we will not run or otherwise make threatening motions; we will not assault, wither verbally or physically, those who oppose or disagree

with us, even if they assault us; we will protect those who oppose us from insult or attack; our attitude as conveyed through words, symbols and actions will be one of openness, friendliness, and respect toward all people we encounter including police officers,

military personnel, members of the larger community and all marchers; we will carry no weapons; as members of a nonviolent demonstration, we will follow the directions of the designated coordinators;

in the event of a serious disagreement, we will remove ourselves from the action.

For those who are wondering whether this can actually be achieved by living, (and sometimes fire-) breathing

humans, Linda LeTendre's "Miracle at Ash Wednesday arrest" can serve as an inspiring example.  Within this article, she describes an encounter between an anti-drone peace demonstrator (i.e., herself) and a police

officer.  Some very meaningful, as well as respectful, dialogue occurred between them – a highlight of which

was this statement from LeTendre:  It is OK if you arrest us; we do not see you as the enemy.  We are here for you too…

Resources

http://www.dailygazette.com/weblogs/letendre/2013/mar/15/miracle-ash-wednesday-arrest/

Copyright April 2, 2013 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved