Nonviolence

The global environmental movement is composed of diverse groups working toward a sustainable and healthy world. They run the gamut from legislative lobbying groups to local grassroots organizations, and each draws from an array of strategic tools, including nonviolence, to achieve their goals.

Nonviolence is a complex philosophy that has produced a diverse array of proactive practices, referred to as nonviolent direct actions, such as sit-ins, walk-outs, tax withholding, hunger strikes, slowdowns, stalling, noncooperation, delaying, withholding support, signs, speeches, marches, prayer circles, strikes, street theater, demonstrations, and civil disobedience (breaking the law). According to nonviolence scholar Gene Sharp, there are 198 methods of nonviolent protest and persuasion. Nonviolence is usually associated with local small groups reacting against decisions or actions by powerful groups and is often used by those less powerful because nonviolent action provides alternatives to what appear to be untenable situations, empowers individuals and their groups, and allows them to have a voice and make decisions in political and social venues that they normally would not have access to. The most well-known example is the U.S. African-American community in the 1950s South who chose nonviolent actions such as sit-ins, marches, and boycotts rather than armed revolution, resulting in the Civil Rights Act of 1964. White authorities possessed sufficient power to overwhelm a revolution but were thrown into confusion and lost part of their power through the use of nonviolence.

Nonviolent environmental protests include such actions as giving speeches and marching in the streets, as demonstrated by this antinuclear protestor in Lille, France, in April 2008.

Source: Wikipedia/Benh Lieu Song

Civil rights activists relied heavily on their Christian faith to resist the force that was used against them. This Christian-based nonviolence was a bridge between early Christian [Page 289]pacifism, Mahatma Gandhi's 20th-century interpretation of nonviolence, and contemporary nonviolent philosophy. According to David McReynolds of the War Resistors League, nonviolent philosophy states unequivocally that no one person or group can be absolutely certain they know the whole truth. Nonviolence is an effort to do battle with injustice without risking hurting the opponent, each of whom is a unique individual possessing some kernel of truth. For this reason, according to nonviolence theory, interactions between people in opposing camps must include respect, compassion, love, and understanding. Respect and empathy have the capacity to create dialogue and coalitions of unlikely groups, which is an essential part of nonviolence. Nonviolent action, despite its public appearance of contentiousness, must include an open, honest invitation to hear each others' views and look for common ground, common goals, and connections that could help resolve the conflict.

Conflict over societal change is inevitable. Conflict and change are painful, and often that pain falls to the very people who are experiencing some injustice already. Conflict can be resolved in many ways; however, violence provides the opportunity for only one reaction—more violence. Nonviolence provides multiple choices for different actions, as well as the opportunity to find an acceptable solution, or at least the ability for participants on each side to walk away with dignity—if they choose.

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