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How they overcame

As we segue from Dr. King Day to Black History Month some have simply reduced the Civil Rights Movement to several acts and then poof! Like Jiffy Pop, “We Shall Overcome” and then Oprah.

I’ve watched as self anointed “community activists” stage elaborate demonstrations complete with press conferences and statements, “We demand an end to________(Insert cause here)”. As the live television cameras roll, tear stained faces of people who truly feel oppressed display their outrage. During these mini-demonstrations questionable antics have been personally directed at individual elected officials in an attempt to mobilize an entire community to their cause.

Over a decade ago I attended a Martin Luther King Institute summer session where we were taught various methods used in changing the mind set of Americans. At the time I thought that I’d be treated to a rousing rendition of “We Shall Overcome” sung by those who lived it. Infused with the song in real time as a child I dreaded hearing it as I grew older.

At the “Institute” we learned about the danger omnipresent for just standing up or speaking out. Suddenly that tired old hackneyed folksong had new meaning. Those who lived it were telling How they Overcame, and their stories were fascinating.

What I came away with was a better understanding of how you truly go about bringing change to communities who for what ever reason are left out, neglected or are just plain stomped on by the powerful.

I bring you these principles and methods as an education to this community. Just imagine if the following were applied to our schools, city government policies, county government policies, the War in Iraq, the list goes on.

In a nation that craves high-speed internet access and microwave nutrition, perhaps we’ve failed to learn from Gandhi, King and others these tools available to average people without a college degree, big money or special training provided by the government.

SIX PRINCIPLES OF NONVIOLENCE
* PRINCIPLE ONE: Kingian Nonviolence is Not for Cowards.

Nonviolence has a complete disrespect for violence. It will not adopt violent tactics to reach its goal and will avoid violence in resolving conflicts and problems.

Dr. King stressed the importance of resisting violence in any form. He preferred and recommended nonviolence because it represented a more humane, noble and honorable method in the path to justice.

Nonviolence is affirmatively standing not only against what is wrong but also for what is right and just.

PRINCIPLE TWO: The Beloved Community is a World of Peace with Justice.

The Beloved Community is a framework for developing a future in which one can deal effectively with unjust conditions.

The “Ends and Means” is dealt with by this principle. You cannot achieve just ends by unjust means; you cannot use violent means to achieve peaceful ends.

PRINCIPLE THREE: Attack Injustice, Not Persons Doing Unjust Deeds.

Humor, anger and indignation about conditions were the focus of Dr. King’s energy and attention. People are not the problem; what must be changed are the conditions under which some people operate.

Focusing anger and indignation on personalities is not only violent, but often produces more violence or apathy about the real problems and conditions.

PRINCIPLE FOUR: Accept Suffering Without Retaliation for the Sake of the Cause to Achieve a Goal.

Suffering is not to be confused with further harm to one’s self or “self-victimization.” Acceptance of harsh and unmerited punishment for a just cause helps the individual and the community grow in spiritual and humanitarian dimensions.

Willingness to endure hardship for a clearly defined just cause can have an impact on those committing acts of violence as well as on the larger community.

PRINCIPLE FIVE: Avoid Internal Violence of the Spirit as Well as External Physical Violence.

Our attitudes and commitment to practicing nonviolence, when faced with violence or issues are communicated through our actions, which in turn are determined by our attitudes.

Body language as well as verbal expression communicates our real feelings and thoughts about a particular situation. Internal conflicts and violent feelings color these expressions.

PRINCIPLE SIX: The Universe is on the Side of Justice.
Society is oriented to a just sense of order in the universe. Nonviolence is in tune with this concept, and the movement must strike this chord in society.

Every person is opposed to wrong and unjust behavior in a particular situation. Given our understanding of the problem, we must never lose hope that human beings, even our opponents, are able to respond.

THE SIX STEPS OF NONVIOLENCE

STEP ONE: Information Gathering

Information gathering is not simply a fact-finding process, but must relate to a specific context, people and place.

Dr. King believed in listening and respecting the opinions of other people, whether they were poor people, uneducated or of a different color.

STEP TWO: Education

Nonviolence uses all available communications and media to educate the public about the issue or injustice at hand.

Education can mean helping people to realize their ability to effect change and to act on solving major social problems.

Like holding a mirror up to the community, nonviolent approaches to education reveal the unique situation and reflect the need for a better and just image.

STEP THREE: Personal Commitment

Self-examination of all the ways that one may have helped to perpetuate a problem or unjust situation or where one has failed to use the nonviolent approach.

Developing spiritual and intellectual habits fosters nonviolence by dealing with one’s own emotions or lack of understanding the truth.

STEP FOUR: Negotiation
Nonviolent negotiation does not humiliate or defeat your opponent.

To prepare for negotiation, Dr. King always stressed the importance of learning about your opponents: their religious traditions, personal traditions, personal or business histories, and educational background.

Nonviolence always allows your opponents to save face and “winning your opponent over” allows for joint responsibility in correcting the problem.

STEP FIVE: Direct Action

This step has two meanings. The first is to take responsibility for doing something about the situation and not waiting for someone else to do it. The second is to take direct action when all attempts at education, personal commitment, and negotiation have failed to resolve the problem, and more dramatic measures are necessary.

STEP SIX: Reconciliation

The goal of nonviolence is a reconciled world so that we can move forward together to tackle the larger issues we confront as a community.

This step grows naturally out of Dr. King’s belief that we focus not on persons but on conditions and if the issues remain clear throughout the process, reconciliation will facilitate the feeling of joint accomplishment and enhance acceptance of the change.

Principles are from the MLK Institute

orig. printed City Eagle – January 2008

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