Violence vs. Nonviolence Exercise
Defining Nonviolence using Dorothy Day/UFW Photo
Active Listening Exercises and Information (PDF - 36kb - Right-Click or Control-Click to download)
(used in Nonviolence Training Session, Sept. 29, 2001)
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VIOLENCE |
NONVIOLENCE |
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| What's the goal? | Defeat the opponent | Cooperate with the opponent |
| What's the characteristic attitude? | Hatred, fear, negativity | Friendliness, love, caring |
| How are the other person's options affected? | Restrict, minimize | Expand, maximize |
| Who does the suffering? | Avoid yours; inflict on others | Accept yours; prevent others |
| How is victory defined? | Top priority; any means acceptable | Only achieved if justice is present |
| What is the characteristic attitude toward truth? | Force acceptance of your own version. Distort facts if necessary. | It is sacred. Everyone has a piece of it. Top priority is to serve truth. |
| What kind of training is used? | How to use arms, subdue conscience. Courage. | Conflict resolution and other NV techniques. Courage. |
| What constitutes discipline? | Submit to authority | Submit to group's needs |
| How is justice sought? | Pursue justice for yourself | Seek justice for all participants |
| What resources are most important? | Mostly physical | Mostly mental and moral |
| How predictable is it? | Violence leads to violence | NV leads to unexpected places and solutions. |
| What is the attitude regarding harm to others? | Inflict it | Avoid it |
Prepared by Peter Bergel
104 Commercial St. NE, Salem, OR 97301
503-371-8002, pbergel@peacenet.org
Source: http://www.warresisters.org/v_nv.htm
Defining Nonviolence Using the Dorothy Day/UFW Photo
Developed by Steve ThorntonPart I
A. Ask participants to look at the photo and describe it before offering the 7 points of the "working definition of nonviolence."
B. Use their descriptions to link to the 7 points
1. Method of resolving conflict
2. Accepting the fact that conflict exists
3. Power and non-cooperation
4. Truth belongs to all sides
5. Openness
6. Accepting the possibility of undeserved suffering
7. Non-injury to opponents
Part II: Defining Civil Disobedience, Nonviolent Direct Action
A. See if participants can identify the two quotes.
B. "Deconstruct" one of the quotes, using the action that participants are preparing for. See example
"Nonviolent direct action seeks to create a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. It seeks to so dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored."
"The most effective action both resorts to power and engages conscience. Nonviolent action does not have to beg others to "be nice." It can in effect force them to consult their consciences-- or pretend to have them. Nor does it have to petition those in power to do something about a situation. It can face the authorities with a new fact and say: accept this new situation which we have created. "
Part III: List Nonviolent Direct Action in the 20th and 21st Centuries
1900 |
1940 |
1980 |
1910 |
1950 |
1990 |
1920 |
1960 |
2000 |
1930 |
1970 |
2001 |
