Non-violence is the Right Way - Give Peace a Chance

On September 1st, I turned 56.  As a child of the 60's and 70's  I feel that I need to comment on what is happening in our country.  When I look back on my childhood it feels like it was a slower time.  Things seemed so much simpler.  When I played with my siblings or neighborhood kids we played outside.  The only screen we were addicted to was the T.V. screen.  But most of us preferred playing outside and we disappeared for hours without telling our Moms where we were headed.  The only rule was that we had to be home by dinner time.  I thought that after the turbulent era of my childhood, we were finally living in a country that accepted all people regardless of race, creed, religion or sexual orientation.  Unfortunately recent events made me realize I was totally wrong.  Tolerance is under siege.

I used to think of myself as a Hippie despite the fact that I was a pre-teen in the years 1968-1972.  When I reflect on how we protested back in my youth, I remember protests being more peaceful (with some exceptions) and not filled with vitriol and violence.   We were demanding an end to the unfair treatment of black citizens; an end to the war in Vietnam; and to equal rights for women and gay people.  We marched in unison carrying signs that simply said things such as, “Make Love, Not War” or “U.S. Troops Get Out Of Vietnam” or just hand drawn peace signs.  The protestors would sing songs, chant or just play music to promote peace and tolerance for everyone in the world.  Unfortunately the world we live in today is not promoting peace or love.  Instead global and now national politics are growing more violent every day.  The worst part of it is that our President is doing nothing to change the tone of the protests and seek reign in the hostility.  Instead he promotes it.

Ghandi and King both believed that the way to change the world was through non-violent resistance.  Gene Sharp, a leading researcher in the field, writes: “Nonviolent action refers to those methods of protest, resistance, and intervention without physical violence in which the members of the nonviolent group do, or refuse to do, certain things. They may commit acts of omission – refuse to perform acts which they usually perform, are expected by custom to perform, or are required by law or regulation to perform; or acts of commission – perform acts which they usually do not perform, are not expected by custom to perform, or are forbidden by law or regulation from performing; or a combination of both.”  It is my firm belief that violence is never the answer to any confrontation between competing ideals.

What we are seeing in the country now and promoted by Trump is violence, racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, antisemitism and Islamophobia.  The pro-Trump demonstrators come armed and prepared for violence.  Unfortunately the counter-protesters meet their aggressive stances with equal violence.  This leads to escalation and ultimately people being injured and killed.  Now the police are having to try and come between the two sides and they too can cause an escalation of violence.  But the real issue is that both sides are being intolerant to the extreme creating an environment of violence against those they think are wrong.

I would posit that the correct action is to not to scream at, physically attack or otherwise harm other people who hold beliefs you disagree with.  Instead, I think the better way to discover the truth is through debate, reflection, and investigation.  What we are seeing today is that when people disagree on something, they take it as a personal affront and believing the other person is saying something unkind and insensitive about them.  No one likes to feel that they are being personally attacked for something that they hold true.  What we all need to do is to find ways to debate competing ideas and visions openly and respectfully and avoid violence.

I vehemently disagree with the alt-right and their tenets of intolerance.  They are clearly adherents to white identity politics.  What I dislike about them is their ability to mix some kernels of truth within a greater set of lies making it seem that they are being reasonable.  The actions and comments of Trump after Charlottesville has us arguing about whether or not Nazis are bad.  Really?!?  Some even believe that Trumps comments after the event meant that their actions were acceptable.  I fear that there will be more and widespread violence at the alt-right rallies planned in coming weeks across the US.  How we who oppose their beliefs react will determine if violence or non-violence is the best way.

I choose to oppose those who spew bigotry and hate with non-violence.  I cannot condone any violence against another human being no matter how terrible their ideals and beliefs.  Simply put violence will only instigate the alt-right to be more violent.  The era I grew up in saw major change through non-violent protests.  King, Ghandi, Chavez and later Mandela brought about change through the practice of peaceful civil disobedience.  We who oppose the alt-right need to realize that if we take a swing at them then we are sinking to their level and are no less violent.  This then gives them the right and justification to fight back.  As Tevye said in Fiddler on the Roof when told that the Good Book says an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, "Very good. That way the whole world will be blind and toothless."

I am begging you to protest through nonviolent actions.  Violence is never the right answer except in those rare cases like World War II when the Allied Powers had to use violent means to defeat the Nazi and fascist regimes of the Axis.  The alt right is a far cry from the Axis.  It is the tradition here in the United States that political change should be peaceful.  Those on the losing end or in opposition must be allowed to retain their dignity and not be hindered in espousing their beliefs.  That is the way our democracy must operate.

As John Lennon said, “If you want peace, you won’t get it with violence.”  I wish you peace my friends.

July 24 – 5.20 miles (57:11, 11:00 pace) - Hill Repeats
July 25 – 6.30 miles (55:33, 8:49 pace) - Speed Work
July 27 – 8.30 miles (1:13:11, 8:49 pace) - Tempo Run
July 28 – 4.10 miles (36:25, 8:53 pace)
July 29– 10.10 miles (1:43:12, 10:13 pace)
July 30 – 8.30 miles (1:16:53, 9:16 pace)
July 31 – 5.20 miles (1:00:05, 11:33 pace) - Hill Repeats
Aug 1 – 6.30 miles (55:30, 8:49 pace) - Speed Work
Aug 3 – 8.30 miles (1:13:15, 8:50 pace) - Tempo Run
Aug 4 – 5.10 miles (46:27, 9:07 pace)
Aug 5 – 10.10 miles (1:39:29, 9:51 pace)
Aug 6 – 8.50 miles (1:18:54, 9:17 pace)
Aug 7 – 5.20 miles (58:56, 11:20 pace) - Hill Repeats
Aug 8 – 6.30 miles (54:39, 8:40 pace) - Speed Work
Aug 10 – 5.10 miles (47:20, 9:16 pace)
Aug 11 – 5.10 miles (46:51, 9:11 pace)
Aug 12 – 8.20 miles (1:47:14, 13:05 pace) - Trail Run
Aug 13 – 8.30 miles (1:17:36, 9:21 pace)
Aug 14 – 5.10 miles (1:17:58, 11:33 pace) - Hill Repeats
Aug 15 – 3.10 miles (24:27, 8:00 pace) - Speed Work
Aug 19 – 8.10 miles (1:16:50, 9:29 pace)
Aug 20 – 7.50 miles (1:07:54, 9:03 pace)
Aug 21 – 6.50 miles (57:39, 8:52 pace)
Aug 22 – 6.50 miles (58:44, 9:02 pace)
Aug 24 – 6.20 miles (52:38, 8:29 pace)
Aug 25 – 4.10 miles (35:49, 8:44 pace)
Aug 26 – 10.10 miles (1:31:21, 9:03 pace)
Aug 27 – 8.30 miles (1:17:46, 9:22 pace)
Aug 28 – 5.20 miles (56:45, 10:55 pace) - Hill Repeats
Aug 29 – 7.60 miles (1:07:35, 8:54 pace) - Mile Repeats
Aug 31 – 8.20 miles (1:13:15, 8:56 pace) - Tempo Run
Sept 1 – 5.10 miles (47:19, 9:17 pace)
Sept 2 – 9.20 miles (1:29:20, 9:43 pace)
Sept 3 – 8.30 miles (1:17:35, 9:21 pace)

Total Miles:  233.1 miles
2017 Total Miles:  1,264.9 miles