Nonviolence

In the last couple weeks I've been thinking about changing the world through nonviolence. I watched Whale Wars and wondered if the Sea Shepard tactics are correct. I watched Babylon 5 and many of the speeches in the show made me think about how we respond to overwhelming physical/technological power. And, I've been thinking about my own physical reactions to frustrations and other negative emotions.

And now, the Israelis are bombing Gaza. It started yesterday and has continued today. So far, the total dead in Gaza are 296. The reason they're bombing? Because back in November Hamas broke the cease fire by sending rockets into Israel. There have been 6 Israelis killed.

I don't like this at all. Israel has had my sympathy, but I'm getting leery now. They have overwhelming force on their side, and in the last 40 years has violence yet solved the problem? When will they stop responding to violence with violence? It just isn't working. Israelis need to find a better way. I'm sorry they're in this situation. I suspect I'd feel enraged myself. If they could think with a clearer head - not one shrouded in emotional jumbles - they might realize that they're using the same tactics that have never, ever worked before. Its not doing any good. This just isn't helping.

"There are many causes I would die for. There is not a single cause that I would kill for."
Mahatma Gandhi

Its a courageous thing to stand up to violence and not respond in kind; to accept that you might be killed, but you will not kill in response. We have many soldiers who are courageous in battle, we need more soldiers who will be courageous in peace. Including myself.