why nonviolence?

Respect for all life

The system of violence has brought us to the point where we can now annihilate ourselves and many other species of life on earth. '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 that grew out of their faith. Their actions were not chosen for convenience but 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 speaking in ways that can be heard by those who are in a very different place from us. It's about building enough power to enable us to negotiate, and negotiating with the intention of building bridges without sacrificing our 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.

 

Nonviolence channels the energy of our anger into effective action. Confrontational direct action may become necessary where conventional channels have failed and bolder methods are appropriate, but a nonviolent approach requires these to be held within a framework of respect, a willingness to listen and understand, and to meet everyone as a fellow human being - whilst staying true to our objectives.

 

Nonviolence is about doing conflict better.