Nonviolent resistance

[Jerwade]

“To take a life is not to defend a doctrine, but to save a loved one.”

What we need is more mistletoe and less missiles. And, the only arms necessary are those for hugging.
But it appears easier to lead men into combat, stirring up their passions, rather than to restrain and
guide them towards the patient labors of peace.

XOXOXO

[Pleroo]

Originally Posted by Jerwade

“To take a life is not to defend a doctrine, but to save a loved one.”

What we need is more mistletoe and less missiles. And, the only arms necessary are those for hugging.
But it appears easier to lead men into combat, stirring up their passions, rather than to restrain and guide them towards the patient labors of peace.

XOXOXO

I absolutely love that and I couldn't agree more, Jerwade. Violence can seem like the easier route. And I absolutely think we need people who are gifted and able to do the bolded, people with a willingness to act on their focused passion in a way that inspires others to follow their lead.

"The patient labors of peace." Love it.

I did appreciate the Freedom Rider's special I mentioned in the o.p. (Most of the people who got involved, it seems, were young idealists . Gotta love and admire them for their courage. ) One story was of a young man (a Freedom Rider) who was badly beaten by a KKK member. When asked by a policeman if he wanted to press charges, he declined, saying that he was there for the love of all people. Nearly 50 years later, that former KKK member went to that no longer young man and admitted his guilt, asking for forgiveness. He said, with tears in his eyes, that the young man's having said that played a huge part in the change of heart he had in the years after the incident.

One person at a time, hearts are changed. And they are changed by being on the receiving end of love. To expect a violent world to suddenly embrace non-violence isn't realistic, imho (and in the meantime, I obviously don't believe it's Loving to let evil reign unrestrained). Each individual (or group of individuals) has to live their ideals in their every day life, touching the people around them, not ignoring evil or allowing people to be destroyed by it, but confronting it with Love. I hope that with patience and perseverance and consistency in our actions, peace will spread.