The Need for a New Methodology

"He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetuate it…This Method is passive physically, but strongly active spiritually, it is not nonresistance to evil, it is active nonviolence resistance to evil" Dr. Martin Luther King, Stride Towards Freedom, 1958.

The next decade in this country is one of rebuilding.  We must rebuild with our global neighbors and begin to understand the state of our poor people after years of neglect.  The collateral damage of the war on drugs, the war on the poor is our children.  They are the symbols of violence and the victims of a society of violence.  Nonviolence as a tool for organizing sets forth a process of organizing and foundation building to facilitate positive growth.  The need for a methodology that goes beyond surface solutions to reach the hearts and minds of young people caught up in a system of violence, that for too many of them end in the penitentiary.  It replaces a victim values structure with one of empowerment and change.

While many organizations participate in direct action that is non violent, the basis for a sustainable nonviolent movement must be rooted in continual praxis and training.  It is not enough to support people in a march, the march must be rooted in research, understanding and strategy, beyond the action itself.

May 1, 2006, hundreds of thousands march for comprehensive immigration reform…September 20, 2007 over 200,000 people march on Jena reacting to the harsh charges of Mychall Bell, what were charges.  Both instances caught the attention of the young, and empowered them to be significant support to these efforts.  Young people, understanding the atrocity of justice each represented for their respective communities, organized themselves by way of the internet, radio and culture.  They were supported by leaders who provided the tactical stage for the introduction of a new generation ready to demand justice, they created a hope for the "consciousness of submerged humanity" to be revealed and soon they were relegated to an "anniversary of the time we got conscious" .  These movements are mere flash pan if they are not rooted in a moral philosophy and long term cross cultural alliance building and support. 

A. Defining Nonviolence

Nonviolence has been described in various ways as a set of attitudes and skills, as a method for solving problems and resolving conflicts, and as a way of life. The time-honored ideas of Nonviolence have come from different sources and cultures. Two great twentieth century proponents of Nonviolence were Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. Gandhi led India to independence from British colonial rule, and advocated a more humane society. King led the civil rights movement, which ended legalized segregation in the United States and led to the enactment and enforcement of the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Act. Both spoke and wrote at length about Nonviolence and dedicated their lives to its practical application.

The skills and methods of Nonviolence are closely related to those involved in mediation, interest based negotiation, counseling, and process consultation. Nonviolence has a long history nationally and internationally of creating positive social change, peace building and elevating the quality of human interaction. Supporters of Nonviolence do not always agree on the methodologies, strategies or stations in which it can be employed. All supporters of Nonviolence would agree however, that society could be enriched by preventing and reducing violence, and by creating more positive ways to resolve conflict and support reconciliation. It is an effective methodology and way of life for building long-term peace and beloved communities.

B. How Does Nonviolence Work?

If one can appreciate the different kinds of conflict in our society, the role that conflict plays in the life of an individual, group or larger society, how that conflict can be managed and the importance of conflict bringing about change, then what might be ordinarily considered a totally negative experience can be transformed into positive outcomes. The perceptions, interpretation and persuasion of the leadership determine the role conflict might play in a particular situation and its positive or negative consequences.

• In physically threatening situations, it could mean considering options before using violence.
• In a dispute between family members, it could mean finding time to discuss the issue when the anger has subsided.
• In a business negotiation, it could mean satisfying the opponent's needs as well as one's own.
• In interactions with children, it could mean showing them how to solve problems in a step-by-step way
• In political action, it could mean taking the time to understand the positions, motives, and capabilities of all the parties involved, from their point of view.
• In dealing with highly volatile community conflicts, it could mean seeking "win-win" solutions in which everyone's needs and interests are identified and respected.

The methodology of nonviolence is rooted in six principles/actions:

–                 Gather Information
Learn all you can about the problems you see in your community through the media, social and civic organizations, and by talking to the people involved.

–                 Educate Others
Armed with your new knowledge, it is your duty to help those around you, such as your neighbors, relatives, friends and co-workers, better understand the problems facing society. Build a team of people devoted to finding solutions. Be sure to include those who will be directly affected by your work.

–                 Remain Committed
Accept that you will face many obstacles and challenges as you and your team try to change society. Agree to encourage and inspire one another along the journey.

–                 Peacefully Negotiate
Talk with both sides. go to the people in your community who are in trouble and who are deeply hurt by society's ills. Also go to those people who are contributing to the breakdown of a peaceful society. Use humor, intelligence and grace to lead to solutions that benefit the greater good.

–                 Take Action Peacefully
This step is often used when negotiation fails to produce results, or when people need to draw broader attention to a problem. it can include tactics such as peaceful demonstrations, letter-writing and petition campaign.

–                 Reconcile
Keep all actions and negotiations peaceful and constructive. Agree to disagree with some people and with some groups as you work to improve society. Show all involved the benefits of changing, not what they will give up by changing.

   Introducing a coordinated safe space for young people to define the direction of their energy in this struggle using proven tools of change, actions like May Day 2006 and Sept. 20, 2007 are no longer created in a cultural or racial vacuum, but are a part of a larger strategy being created by stakeholders (especially our youth) with a commitment for continual nonviolence civil disobedience until institutions are shifted once again towards progress.

The Gathering offers nonviolent direct action training and through its nonviolent strategies our elders connect young people with the importance of nonviolence. 

We can no longer stand by and watch the privatization of correctional institutions being aimed at our youth.  However if we, as movement leaders, only offer reactionary mobilization with no long term strategy and leadership development, efforts will continue to be relegated to the dustbins of ineptitude.  The Gathering offers on going movement building and allows young people to create their own action plan and strategies.

The value of The Gathering is the continued creation of safe spaces for the coordination that is necessary to build a true integrated grassroots movement.  We have been building slowly, solidifying racial and generational partnerships.  The trust we have built within our communities has come from listening to their needs around specific Gathering issues.  We are committed to provide the training to better grasp these issues and policy solutions, as well as offer the tools to achieve their goals.

For far too long, the status quo has been acceptable in addressing the social ills our communities face, but with the opportunity of a new century and a new generation of leadership, steeped in experience, it is time to engage and enact our vision of what this country could be, not what we have become.  Policies must change, thought must change and we, the people, must take action and leadership to tell our elected officials what we want and peacefully protest the status quo.  The Gathering for Justice can navigate through the complexities of these issues, train communities in nonviolent direct action, and offer solutions that come from the ground up.

Back

Executive Summary

Program Description