So, Im at this rather intense training in Nashville this week with all kinds of amazing folk studying nonviolent action. While doing so, Im conscious of being near Ferguson, Missouri. Some friends from this training went there yesterday (on request) and described it today as a war zone. There is so much that is deeply messed up about what has happened there, of course - including not only the killing of yetanotherunarmedafricanamericanmale but also racist and militarized policing, the attempt to blame victims, to delegitimize anger, and to ignore or downplay the root causes of so much of that anger. Yeah, it makes me sick and sad. What do I have to offer? Nothing brilliant, alas. Only grief and anger and love and connectedness. A willingness to name evil - symptoms and underlying diseases. A will to work and fight and live for change. A readiness to listen, to seek to understand, to support others leadership and to assume it where appropriate. A commitment to solidarity and to taking responsibility where I can. A hunger to work across lines that often divide us and to build a mass movements of movements to transform this pathological system and heal the violence and trauma it inflicts on so many. There is a lot of good stuff being written about this web of issues and what we can do. Im going to use the comments in this post to capture some of the things Ive read or want to read. I invite you to post pieces youve found helpful and/or any reflections you care to share. Peace. Justice. Now.
Posted on: Fri, 22 Aug 2014 02:06:45 +0000
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