Occupy San Luis Obispo County Information
we become silent about things that matter."
Martin Luther King Jr.
Thought-Communication-Action
Nonviolent behavior involves all three.
And then there are always these embedded primitive brain flight-fight responses we all have to cope with.
Non-violent Struggle
Non-violent resistance strategies, such as those used by Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King are designed to avoid the trap of escalating vengefull violent repercussions by absolutely refusing to be drawn into a violent confrontation.
Far from being cowardly, this is a strategy that requires tremendous courage, self-control, as well as a willingness to endure pain and sometimes even death. The strength of nonviolence lies in its ability to dramatically reduce the moral legitimacy of those who persist in using violent strategies against non-violent opposition. This loss of legitimacy can, in turn, contribute to coalition-building efforts leading to widespread condemnation of parties using violent strategies and often the imposition of sanctions by the international community.
In essence, non-violent resistance is a strategy for countering the power of violent force with the power of the integrative system. Many non-violent techniques can also be effective when used against illegitimate uses of legal, political, or other types of force.
