By Marianne Perez

In the previous columns, we defined the terms peace, conflict and violence. This month, we will look at a related term: nonviolence.

ARCA defines nonviolence as:

a holistic belief in and practice of abstaining from violent thoughts, acts and words. It may be a creed or spirituality, or simply a system of morality and ethics. Whatever the inspiration behind it, the goal of nonviolence is to bring an end to violence and injustice and constructively create more peaceful ways of being. This may include degrees of the rejection of mental and psychological harm and/or physical damage to the environment, one’s self, and others. In many instances, nonviolence focuses on deconstructing the notion of enemy images and emphasizes the peaceful transformation of those one shares a conflict with.

Mohandas K. Gandhi, widely considered to be the founder of modern nonviolence, drew his inspiration from the American Transcendentalists, notably Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Far from being passive, nonviolence requires a lucid understanding of the status quo and then flips it to reveal the humanity of all those involved.

Gandhi first publicly espoused nonviolence on September 11, 1906 in South Africa, arguing against violent resistance and riots as an answer to British colonial laws that marginalized Indians. (See the excerpt from Richard Attenborough’s film Gandhi)

Over the past 100 years, nonviolence was successfully used by Gandhi to claim India’s independence from Britain and by Martin Luther King, Jr., to advance the civil rights of African Americans. Techniques and tools arose to systematically address the various facets of nonviolence.

Marshall Rosenberg uses Nonviolent Communication to teach the "rejection of mental and psychological harm," while Nonviolent Peaceforce focuses on protection from and prevention of physical harm and destruction.

Implementation of nonviolence in our daily lives could look like this:

• Refraining from using language that legitimizes violence ("Killing two birds with one stone" or "You’re the bomb!")
• Minimizing environmental destruction by reducing, reusing and recycling.
• Increasing awareness of violence towards animals by adopting a vegan, vegetarian or biodynamic diet.
• Encouraging children (of all ages!) to play collaborative games rather than competitive ones, especially ones that legitimize violence (toy guns, war simulation video games, etc.)
• Withdrawing financial investments in companies that profit from violence (such as weapons manufacturers, but also companies that foster violence while extracting natural resources such has oil, diamonds or metals) and moving financial investments to socially and environmentally conscious companies, mutual funds, or organizations (including The Peace Alliance, Peace Partnership International and your local peace group).