Our witness will continue as we commission two delegations of religious leaders to submit an Interfaith Plea for Peace on our behalf directly to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Participants will process to the Hart Senate Office and to the Cannon Building. We will pray and witness in a respectful, determined and nonviolent spirit. Our plea:
Those led by conscience to nonviolent civil disobedience will kneel and pray outside the doors of the Cannon or Hart buildings, echoing the call that our religious leaders are making: that Congress act now to change the moral direction of our nation to the way of peace. We will do this to faithfully dramatize the moral urgency of ending the war once and for all. By remaining in place in continuous prayer for peace, we will quite likely be placed under arrest.
Other participants will stand and pray nearby, witnessing for peace.
You must register to take part in the nonviolent civil disobedience and attend one of the legal briefings. At any time, you may choose to update your registration to say that you are considering or pledging risking arrest. Nonviolent Civil Disobedience readings
This peaceful, faithful and nonviolent civil disobedience – divine obedience – will dramatize how our faith calls us to publicly withdraw our consent from this policy and enjoins us to risk making peace.
As Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote in The Trumpet of Conscience, “There is nothing wrong with a traffic law which says you have to stop for a red light. But when a fire is raging, the fire truck goes right through that red light... Civil disobedience is a strategy for social change which is at least as forceful as an ambulance with its siren on full.” On March 7, people of faith and conscience will respond to the emergency of the war in Iraq by remaining in prayer at the U.S. Capitol.
Nonviolent civil disobedience is a powerful form of prayerful witness for peace and justice. It is a step often taken only after many other forms of witness have been pursued. It has played a very important role in making change in the United States and around the world. It is undertaken in a spirit of nonviolence, respect and a willingness to accept the consequences of this step. It is an act of conscience.
As part of the March 16, 2007 Christian Peace Witness for Iraq, 222 ministers and laypeople were led by conscience to make their call for peace visible by engaging in nonviolent civil disobedience by praying for peace on the sidewalk in front of the White House. This year we bring our call to the Congress.
As part of our powerful public prayer for peace, we are organizing nonviolent civil disobedience as a way to repent of our complicity in this violence and as a means of prophetically urging the nation and its leaders to end the U.S. occupation in Iraq.
In this spirit, people of faith will petition Congress to take concrete steps to end the U.S. war in Iraq by engaging in prayerful nonviolent civil disobedience. We invite those considering risking arrest to:
Throughout history, people have responded to numerous social and political emergencies and transformed systems of institutionalized violence by engaging in nonviolent civil disobedience. Changes such as women's suffrage, establishing workers’ rights, ending legal racial segregation, protecting the environment, establishing a moratorium on nuclear testing and ending the Vietnam War were all the direct result of ordinary people taking action. These movements and many other movements have featured nonviolent civil disobedience as a way to sharpen for society the crucial choice for justice and peace. People of faith have played a perennial role in taking action on behalf of justice and peace.
Civil disobedience is a powerful tool for change because it consciously interferes with the operation of systematic violence and publicly withdraws consent from it.
It involves risking arrest in a principled and conscientious way either by breaking an unjust law or by breaking a law that directly or indirectly supports an unjust policy, condition or system. It acts on behalf of a higher law or principle, including the worth and dignity of all human persons.
In legal terms, this is known as a necessity defense: we are obliged to break a specific law to uphold a higher one (for example, the Nuremberg obligations of international law opposing torture, wars of aggression and crimes against humanity). The power of civil disobedience flows from a disciplined commitment to refrain from violence and a willingness to accept the legal and social consequences of one’s action.
In his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote “Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and establish such a creative tension that a community that has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. It seeks so to dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored.” In the face of this growing emergency in Iraq, it is crucial that we as people of faith take action to make unmistakably clear the need for a new course in Iraq and in the world.
On March 7 we will pray in houses of worship across Capitol Hill and then gather for The Olive Branch Interfaith Peace Partnership Witness in Upper Senate Park. We will then bring our call for an end to the war to Congress, represented by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. (Currently, delegations of religious leaders are seeking meetings with these two national leaders at this time.)
From the stage, a member of the Action Committee will outline the action scenario (below), explaining that there will be two processions: one walking to the Cannon House Office Building (where Rep. Pelosi’s House office is located) and the other walking to the Hart Senate Office Building (where Senator Reid’s Senate office is located).
From the stage we will ask people to prepare to join one of the two processions. The procession to Cannon will line up to the left of the stage (as one faces it); the procession to Hart will line up to the right of the stage. From the stage we will ask those planning to risk arrest to come to the front of the procession they wish to join. (PEOPLE RISKING ARREST WILL DECIDE ON THE SITE THEY WILL GO TO DURING THE LEGAL AND SCENARIO BRIEFINGS ON THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY MORNING.)
Cannon House Office Building Procession and Action
At the conclusion of the interfaith gathering in Upper Senate Park, the procession to the Cannon House Office Building will leave. This procession will exit the park by walking east (left) on the sidewalk along Constitution Avenue; cross First St (east); proceed south (right) on the sidewalk along First Street to Independence Avenue; cross Independence Avenue (south); go right (west) and cross First St. and arrive at Cannon HOB.
Those led by conscience to engage in nonviolent civil disobedience and risk arrest will kneel stand, or sit in prayer as close as possible to the doors of the Cannon House Office Building, echoing the call which our religious leaders are making: that Congress act now to end the war and to set a new course of peace for the nation.
By remaining in place in continuous prayer for peace, we will quite likely be placed under arrest.
Those not risking arrest will stand and pray nearby, witnessing for a just and lasting peace. Speakers and singers from a range of religious traditions will offer prayers and song during the remainder of the event.
Once those risking arrest are detained and removed, there will be a closing that reflects the spirit of our interfaith witness for peace.
If the authorities choose not to arrest people after a substantial length of time, the organizers will bring the event to a closure with a closing prayer.
Hart Senate Office Building Procession and Action
A couple of minutes after the Cannon Procession, the procession to the Hart Senate Office Building will leave. This procession will exit the park by walking east (left) on the sidewalk along Constitution Avenue; cross First St (east) and arrive at Hart.
The action will proceed at Hart as it will proceed at Cannon (see above).
Arrest Process, Booking, Etc.
We have posted a “Legal Briefing” that offers an overview of arrest and legal process, including best guess about consequences (based on recent arrests at the Capitol). Here is the link:
http://www.olivebranchinterfaith.org/book/legal-issues-and-consequences
There is as yet no indication how long the booking process will take or how long people will be held. OBIPP is in conversation with the Capitol Police who likely will not want to hold us. However, it will be late Friday afternoon and it could go very late on Friday; we could be held overnight; or we could even be held until Monday.
Please read the posted document for more a much more detailed overview:
http://www.olivebranchinterfaith.org/book/legal-issues-and-consequences
When we engage in nonviolent civil disobedience we willingly and voluntarily face the legal consequences of our actions. The information provided below is based on wide experience and is likely to apply to the March 7,2008 witness. However there is always a risk when we engage in nonviolent civil disobedience that we will face unforeseen legal and other consequences, including being held longer than we expected, or facing novel charges that we have not seen before. It is important for each person risking arrest to consider these possibilities carefully and to make the right decision for her or himself about whether or not to participate.
Sentences for convictions involving civil disobedience in the District of Columbia can involve community service, fines up to $1000, and/or jail time for periods of up to 6 months. Based on experience, however, it is unlikely the government will seek imprisonment for those convicted. A $50 to $100 fine and court costs is a much more likely outcome. There may also be a stay-away order for a few months from Capitol Hill.
Also, you should be aware that this arrest most likely will result in a permanent, adult misdemeanor conviction, one that cannot be wiped off (expunged) from your record.
At your own discretion:
Non-citizens considering risking arrest may wish to consult an experienced immigration attorney; there are indications that the Capitol Police would inform the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (formerly INS, Immigration and Naturalization Service) of the arrest.,
Minors may be sent to juvenile facilities and it may be more difficult to get them released than adults. People under 18 might not be released except to their parents.
The Capitol Police may hospitalize persons with chronic illness while in custody.
Here are the steps of the arrest process:
STEP ONE:
Warning (“Leave or you will be arrested”)
What Happens: Three warnings will likely be given by a police officer. Although warnings may not be “legally” required, Capitol police often do give them.
Choice: Stay and be arrested or leave.
STEP TWO:
Arrest
What Happens: Officer places you under arrest; you are handcuffed (plastic or metal handcuffs) and pat-searched. Then you will be put on a police van or bus and transported to a police facility. In this case, since the Capitol Police do not have large holding facilities, it is likely to be the Washington, D.C. Central Cellblock.
Choice: Walk or go limp. (While those engaging in civil disobedience sometimes “go limp” to demonstrate their noncooperation with the policy they are opposing, in this witness Oliver Branch Interfaith Peace Partners encourages those risking arrest to walk with the officer.)
STEP THREE:
Booking
What Happens: Personal belongings are taken. Personal information is required to be processed (name; address; occupation; social security number). To be released you will be asked for a valid picture ID. You are fingerprinted and photographed.
Choice: If you refuse to provide this information, you will likely be put in the D.C. Jail and held overnight until arraignment the following day.
When in Custody
While you are in custody, the holding time will quite likely be very long. There will be no access to lawyers while you are held. Very likely there will be no access to a phone little access to bathrooms and drinking water.
Medications
If you are taking medications that are vitally necessary (i.e. for HIV, high blood pressure medicine, etc.), it is very important that
STEP FOUR:
Citation Release
What Happens:
You will likely be offered one of the following citation release options. (That is, presuming that you have maintained nonviolent discipline during the action and do not destroy property, harm, attack, or even touch the police or bystanders, etc. This further presumes that you do not have outstanding warrants from some previous circumstance, or are on probation or parole, or are in violation of a stay away order, or have a pending criminal case. f you do, you may be denied a citation release.)
In each of the following cases, you will be released on your personal recognizance as long as you have a valid form of photo ID.
Below, we discuss the fact that the police will likely write you a citation to release you from custody. You are obliged by law to sign the citation, acknowledging only that you received it and promise to appear in court in the future. You are not waiving any rights or admitting guilt by signing the ticket. If you refuse to sign the citation or provide the police with your personal identification you could be booked into jail.
“Post and Forfeit”
Charges are possible under either the D.C. Code or under federal laws. The probable charge will be demonstrating without a permit (they will revoke the permit which Olive Branch Interfaith Peace Partnership obtained) or it may be a statute which limits demonstrations at the Capitol.
Washington, D.C. sometimes offers the option of "post and forfeit," where you pay ("post") a set amount of money (usually $50 to $100) and “forfeit” the right to get the money back. It is not a guilty plea, and does not become part of your permanent criminal record, as it is not a criminal conviction. It is considered an administrative adjudication of your arrest and is akin to receiving and paying a traffic ticket. The post and forfeit option officially ends the legal process after arrest and those who choose it do not have to return for trial.
If you have posted and forfeited, then your legal obligations are fulfilled.
Going to Trial
You can also accept a citation release and, for a variety of religious, political, legal or personal reasons, exercise your right to go to trial. Going to court can involve a great deal of time, energy and some money. For those who desire to take their case to court, OBIPP is willing to assist you with exploring these steps. We cannot guarantee to provide you with an attorney through the entire court process, but we are available to help you consider the process and to explore possible steps.
STEP FIVE:
Release from Custody and Return to New York Avenue Presbyterian Church
The Olive Branch CD Committee will have a support team to track you through the process following arrest until you are released. No matter what time you are released, we will pick you up and bring you back to New York Avenue Presbyterian Church.
Resources on Legal Process
For an overview of the arrest and legal process and possible consequences, see the following three online articles:
Handbook for Nonviolent Action
This handbook, edited and designed by Kate Donnelly, is organized as a tool for learning about different aspects of nonviolent civil disobedience actions. Presented by School of the Americas Watch: http://www.soaw.org/new/article.php?id=644.
Legal Briefing in Handbook for Nonviolent Action, presented by SOA Watch: http://www.soaw.org/new/article.php?id=644#8
Sanderson Beck, Nonviolent Action Handbook: “Legal Process”:
http://san.beck.org/NAH4-Legal.html
Disclaimer: While this document has been prepared with the assistance of legal counsel, it is no substitute for obtaining legal counsel that can properly advise you of the risk of your actions. Legal counsel does not encourage individuals to violate the law; rather Legal counsel has provided this information so that individuals who seek to act politically can make informed choices.
Preparing ourselves to engage in nonviolent civil disobedience is required. Prayer, study, reflection and training inform our decision and prepare us in spirit, mind and heart to take this action.
Prayer and comtemplation
We encourage you to prayerfully reflect on the war and the ways you are being moved to end it, including the call to engage in nonviolent civil disobedience. Where is God in this call? What are you being called to undertake? What are your hopes and fears? We invite you to join with others in your religious community and your family to explore this.
Study and Reflection
We also invite you to read and reflect on essays, books and videos on nonviolent action. Click herefor resources.
Nonviolent Action Training
Please plan to take one of the Nonviolent Action Trainings that we will offer in Washington, or one in your own community before traveling to Washington:
Nonviolent Action Trainings in Washington, DC
New York Ave. Presbyterian Church,
313 New York Ave NW, Washington, DC 20005, www.nyapc.org
Thursday, March 6: 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. (Includes Final Briefing, below)
Friday, March 7: 8:00-11:00 a.m. (Includes Final Briefing, below)
Final Legal Briefing/Scenario
Either Thursday, March 6, 8:45-9:30 or Friday, March 7, 10:15-11:00 a.m. in the sanctuary of New York Avenue
Includes scenario briefing, legal briefing, and final preparation. Everyone planning to engage in nonviolent civil disobedience and their support persons are required to attend.
Nonviolent Action Training prepares us for nonviolent civil disobedience by providing:
Register now for Nonviolent Action Training
Plan to Have a Support Person
We will provide a support system for those risking arrest, including a OBIPP Support Team that includes jail support and legal support. However, it is helpful for each person risking arrest to have a support person (or persons). Support people provide those risking arrest with support before and after the arrest.
If you are planning to risk arrest, please arrange to have a Support Person. We recommend that one individual support no more than 5 people risking arrest. If you do not have a support person, we will do our best to find you one in the trainings and at the final gathering.
Action Support Center:
New York Avenue Presbyterian Church
Action support will be provided at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church through the night from the morning of Friday, March 7th through the morning of Saturday, March 8.
Nonviolence: Networks, Education, and Trainings*
Available from Churches and Organizations
Starred entries offer a variety of Nonviolence Trainings
*Alternatives to Violence Project, 1050 Selby Ave. St. Paul, MN 55104, 877/926-8287, avp@avpusa.org and www.avpusa.org. AVP groups in many cities offer low cost, interactive introductory and advanced workshops on nonviolence and conflict resolution; an extensive prison workshop program adds to AVP’s impact.
Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America, 4800 Wedgewood Dr, Charlotte, NC 28210 USA, 704-521-6051, bpfna@bpfna.org www.bpfna.org. BPFNA equips, gathers and mobilizes Baptist to build a culture of peace rooted in justice, offering resources on peace and justice issues and trainings in conflict transformation. BPFNA holds an annual conference each summer. It also is working with New Orleans congregations to rebuild their churches and neighborhoods.
Catholic Peace Fellowship, P.O. Box 4232, South Bend, IN 46634, 574/323-2295 staff@catholicpeacefellowship.org www.catholicpeacefellowship.org CPF offers workshops on the topics of war, peace, conscience, conscientious objection and church teaching. It contributes to the building of a nonviolent culture by providing counseling and support for conscientious objectors and alternatives to military service through its counter recruitment resources.
*Center for Nonviolent Communication, 2428 Foothill Boulevard, Suite E., La Crescenta, CA 91214, 800/255-7696, www.cnvc.org. CNVC and its local groups offer workshops and resources applying the power and insight of nonviolence to interpersonal conflict transformation. Through books, pamphlets, and DVD’s on nonviolent communication, they provide educational resources in a variety of areas, including parenting and social change.
*Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT), Box 6508, Chicago, IL 60680-6508, Tel. 773-277-0253 www.cpt.org peacemakers@cpt.org CPT offers an organized, nonviolent alternative to war and other forms of lethal inter-group conflict. CPT provides extensive training for and organizational support to persons committed to faith-based nonviolent service in situations where lethal conflict is an immediate reality or is supported by public policy. CPT has had or has teams in Canada, UK, U.S., Great Lakes (Africa), Columbia, Palestine, and England.
Disciples Peace Fellowship (DPF), 130 E. Washington, Indianapolis, IN 46204, www.dpfweb.org. Born in 1935 to keep alive the passion for peace and justice within the church, DPF seeks to provide “Options to War” for Disciples. Serving as a fellowship of believers, DPF trains young adult interns to work at summer church camps, educates through quarterly News Notes, and provides leadership at the bi-annual General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
*Episcopal Peace Fellowship, 637 S. Dearborn, Chicago, IL 60605, 312/922-8628 epfnational@ameritech.net www.episcopalpeacefellowship.org EPF members seek “to create alternatives to violence and to build a culture of peace.” EPF provides educational and worship resources, encourages local chapter formation and promotes public witness and advocacy. It makes the national program Creating a Culture of Peace (CCP) --nonviolence training for personal and social change (CCP) available to its members. (773/442 8806).
Every Church a Peace Church, PO Box 240, Akron, PA 17501, 717/859-1958 jstoner@ecapc.org www.ecapc.org ECAPC is building an ecumenical network of churches that root their faith in the nonviolence of Jesus. It sponsors trips to the Middle East, produces materials for congregations and will be releasing a 32 session biblical/theological curriculum that will be introduced at seven regional conferences on nonviolence throughout the United States in 2007.
*Fellowship of Reconciliation, 521 N. Broadway, Nyack, NY 10960, 845/358-4601, www.forusa.org FOR offers the Peacemaker Training Institute for youth focusing on antiracist analysis, gender oppression, LGBTQ issues, economic inequality, privilege, and militarism. PTI is facilitated by a team of young adults and experienced organizers. FOR conducts travel seminars, holds large conferences, fosters international exchanges, and publishes the magazine “Fellowship.”
*Help Increase the Peace, 410-323-7200, www.afsc.org HIPP is a dynamic, engaging, and participatory nonviolence training program designed expressly for youth; this Quaker effort builds on the Alternatives to Violence Project, has trainers in 19 states, provides a fine manual, and works in all kinds of settings (churches, juvenile detention centers, and community groups).
*Institute for Human Rights and Responsibilities, 173 Walnut Street North, P O Box 297, Galena, Ohio 43021-0297, 740-965-5118, http://www.kingiannonviolence.info ihrr@columbus.rr.com IHRR uses training manuals by civil rights activists and nonviolence trainers, Bernard Lafayette and David Jehnsen,, (e.g., The Community Leaders Workbook: The Kingian Nonviolence Conflict Reconciliation Program: Strategies for Responding to Conflict and Violence.)
Institute for Peace & Justice, 4144 Lindell Blvd, St. Louis, MO, 63108, 314/533-4445, ppjn@aol.com, www.ipj-ppj.org IPJ is an interfaith organization that provides resources, curricula, and training for families, classrooms and faith communities. The principles, work and witness of Martin Lutheran King are important in IPJ’s programs and materials.
*Kirkridge, 2495 Fox Gap Road, Bangor, PA 18013, (610-588-1793), jgchisholm@aol.com http://www.kirkridge.org/, peace and justice programs, resources, and nonviolence training including Creating a Culture of Peace--nonviolence training for personal and social change (CCP), a participatory, intergenerational and interfaith program which trains and coordinates certified trainers nationwide. Janet Chisholm, Peace and Justice Coordinator. 845-641-3648.
*Lombard Mennonite Peace Center, 101 W. 22nd St., Suite 206, Lombard, IL 60148, 630/627-0507, admin@Impeacecenter.org www.lmpeacecenter.org The center offers workshops, resources and videos on conflict resolution for Christian lay and clergy leaders. It has trained thousands of educators and administrators in the public sector, especially in schools.
*Lutheran Peace Fellowship, 1710 11th Ave., Seattle, WA 98122-2124, 206/720-0313, lpf@ecunet.org www.lutheranpeace.org/ The LPF Leadership Training in Peacemaking offers an average of 50 workshops and 8 intensive trainings a year for general audiences and youth. Resources range from participatory and computer-based activities to discussion, worship, and leadership materials. LPF workshop emphases include Nonviolence in the Real World, Equipping for Peacemaking, Jesus' Way of Shalom, and How to Be a Bridge in a World Full of Walls.
Methodist Federation for Social Action Will delete tomorrow..No rsvp
*National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance, P.O. Box 8276, Silver Spring, MD 20907
www.irapledge.org pledgecoordinator@starpower.net Founded in October 2002 as the Iraq Pledge of Resistance, the National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance (NCNR) is a network of local groups, individuals and national organizations committed to using active nonviolence, following the discipline and principles of Gandhi and King, to end the war in Iraq. NCNR has organized numerous nonviolent direct actions around the country and in Washington, D.C., including one at the Hart Senate Office Building with the Declaration of Peace in 2006.
*Nonviolent Peace Force, 425 Oak Grove Street, Minneapolis, MN 55403, 612-871-005, info@nonviolentpeaceforce.org www.nonviolentpeaceforce.org The Nonviolent Peaceforce seeks to build a trained, international civilian nonviolent peace force. This force serves in teams in conflict areas to prevent death and destruction and protect human rights, thus creating space for local groups to struggle nonviolently, engage in dialogue, and fashion peaceful resolutions. It has an international board and volunteers worldwide. Sri Lanka has been a primary focus.
*Pace e Bene, 2501 Harrison St., Oakland, CA 94612, 510/268-8765, www.paceebene.org and paceebene@paceebene.org Pace e Bene offers several nonviolence training programs for adults and youth: From Violence to Wholeness (FVTW), designed for a primarily Christian audience, Engage, a 12 session program for use with general audiences, and Traveling with the Turtle, “a small group process in women’s spirituality and peacemaking.”
Pax Christi, USA, 532 W. 8th Street Erie, PA 16502 | 814-453-4955 www.paxchristiusa.org@info@paxchristiusa.org Pax Christi, USA strives to create a world that reflects the Peace of Christ by exploring, articulating, and witnessing to the call of Christian nonviolence. Pax Christi USA rejects war, preparations for war, and every form of violence and domination. It advocates primacy of conscience, economic and social justice, and respect for creation.
Peace & Justice Resource Center, 1710 11th Ave., Seattle, WA 98122, 206/720-0313, pjrcbooks@hotmail.com www.pjrcbooks.tripod.com The P & JRC offers workshops on nonviolence and justice issues for conferences, colleges, teachers in-service days, and community groups as well as bibliographies, resources, and a book service that makes available recommended materials at a discount.
*Presbyterian Peace Fellowship, P.O. Box 271, Nyack, NY 10960, 520 780 6928, www.presbypeacefellowship.org , ppfwitness@gmail.com, The PPF has been witnessing against war and supporting Conscientious Objectors to war for more than fifty years. PPF is focused today on providing nonviolent accompaniment to church partners who are working to protect human rights in Colombia; it invites Presbyterians to risk nonviolent action to create peace and supports them in this witness.
Sojourners, 3333 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20010 202-328-8842, http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=resources.discussion_guides "Sojourners on the Issues" is a series of electronic study guides designed to spark discussion and thought about how to live out God's call for justice in our world. Each guide includes classic Sojourners articles (including many previously unavailable online), questions for discussion, and ideas for further study
*Training for Change, 1501 Cherry St., Philadelphia, PA 19192, 215/241-7035, peacelearn@igc.org www.training for change.org Training for Change offers nonviolence trainings, workshops and resources that help participants increase their understanding of nonviolence, develop practical skills and acquire tools.
United Church of Christ – Justice & Peace Action Network
This network is an e-advocacy network maintained by Justice & Witness Ministries and Wider Church Ministries of the UCC. Those who have signed up received weekly Action Alerts and news items about social justice issues, advocacy and grassroots organizing. To sign up, visit the website at: www.UCCTakeAction.org. Resources, notices about upcoming events, links to other related sites are found there. DC office: 202-543-1517. Cleveland office: 202-736-3700.
War Resisters League, 339 Lafayette St, NY, NY 10012, 212/228-0450 wrl@warresisters.org, www.warresisters.org WRL’s training network promotes Gandhian nonviolence as the means to a democratic society free of war, racism, sexism and exploitation.
Articles
Martin Luther King, Jr.s Principles of Nonviolence
http://paceebene.org/pace/principles-of-creative-nonviolence/martin-luth...
Nancy Schreck, “The Faithful Nonviolence of Jesus,” From Violence To Wholeness (Pace e Bene Press, 1996), pp. 54-58.
Shelley Douglass, “The Power of Noncooperation,” From Violence To Wholeness (Pace e Bene Press, 1996), pp. 84-87.
“Blessed Are The Meek: The Roots of Christian Nonviolence”
By Thomas Merton (This classic was published in Fellowship, May 1967, pp. 18-22)
http://paceebene.org/pace/nvns/essays-on-nonviolence/blessed-are-the-mee...
“The Peace Warrior”
By Don Terry (This excellent profile of peace activist Kathy Kelly was published in the Chicago Tribune, October 17, 2004)
http://paceebene.org/pace/nvns/essays-on-nonviolence/the-peace-warrior
“Creative Nonviolence: Principles of Nonviolent Change”
by Pace e Bene Nonviolence Service
http://paceebene.org/pace/principles-of-creative-nonviolence
“The Spiritual Journey of Christian Nonviolent Resistance”
by Ken Butigan
http://paceebene.org/pace/nvns/essays-on-nonviolence/the-spiritual-journ...
Books on Nonviolence
Kurlansky, Mark. Nonviolence: 25 Lessons from the History of a Dangerous Idea (Modern Library: September 2006).
Ackerman, Peter, and Jack DuVall. A Force More Powerful: A Century of Nonviolent Conflict (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2000).
Gandhi, Mohandas K. My Experiments with Truth [Gandhi: An Autobiography] (Boston: Beacon
Press, 1957).
King, Jr., Martin Luther. Stride Toward Freedom (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1958).
McAllister, Pam, ed. You Can’t Kill the Spirit: Stories of Women and Nonviolent Action (Philadelphia: New Society Publishers, 1988).
Moyer, Bill. Doing Democracy: The MAP Model for Organizing Social Movements (Gabriola Island, British Columbia: New Society Publishers, 2001).
Powers, Roger S., and William B. Vogele, eds. Protest, Power, and Change: An Encyclopedia of Nonviolent Action from ACT-UP to Women’s Suffrage (New York: Garland Publishing, 1997).
Wink, Walter. Engaging the Powers: Discernment and Resistance in a World of Domination (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1992).
Thurman, Howard. Jesus and the Disinherited (Boston: Beacon Press, 1976 [1949]).
Egan, Eileen. Peace Be With You: Justified Warfare or the Way of Nonviolence (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1999).
Dear, John. The God of Peace: Toward a Theology of Nonviolence (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1994).
Butigan, Ken. From Violence To Wholeness (Pace e Bene Press, 1996).
Extensive Nonviolence Bibliography:
http://paceebene.org/pace/nonviolence-bibliography
Videos
A Force More Powerful is an excellent video series features six half-hour segments on successful nonviolent struggles around the world. It was broadcast on the Public Broadcasting System in 2000. Created by the same producers, Bringing Down a Dictator (2002) is a video about the nonviolent campaign that ended Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic’s tyrannical regime in 2000 is also a powerful depiction of a successful nonviolent movement for change step-by-step. For both see: www.aforcemorepowerful.org.
Richard Attenborough’s full-length motion picture Gandhi is also a must see.
For an extensive list of nonviolence videos, click here:
http://paceebene.org/pace/workshops/engage-book-club
All those participating in The March 7 Olive Branch Interfaith Peace Partners event are asked to affirm the following Nonviolence Pledge:
We pledge that during The Olive Branch Interfaith Peace Partners event