why nonviolence?

Respect for all life

'The choice,' said Martin Luther King Jr, 'is not between violence and nonviolence but between nonviolence and nonexistence.'

 

For King, Gandhi, and other great leaders, nonviolence was a way of life rooted in their faith. Their actions were not chosen for convenience. Rather they were founded on contemplation and reflection rooted in a deeply held respect for all life, including the lives of their opponents.

 

Respect for all life means that nonviolence is based on good communication, listening and negotiating with the intention of building bridges - and without sacrificing our own integrity. This can be difficult, but it lies at the heart of the nonviolent approach. To meet our opponent with hate and rage encourages destructive rather than creative solutions. Confrontational direct action may become necessary where conventional channels have failed and bolder action seems appropriate, but a nonviolent approach requires it to be held within a framework of respectfulness, a willingness to listen and understand, and to meet everyone as a fellow human being.