etee's Blog

Today is the day we celebrate an American who had a very special vision. That person is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, a man who devoted his life to causes he believed in: racial equality, social justice, and non-violence.

Even though he died in 1968, his dream lives on in this holiday, in The King Center, and in the lives of those like Geroyal Jackson, a student at Jack Yates High School who wrote this article about the ongoing fight surrounding the MLK parade in Houston, and how he intends to respond. His writing demonstrates that, though we sometimes look at current circumstances and events and feel there is no hope, in fact there are some folks who "get it" - and we need to push the stories of these folks to the foreground, to hold them up as shining examples of Dr. King's vision realized, and to follow their lead.

Some years ago, I had the opportunity to visit the King Center as well as the National Historic Site, located in the neighborhood in Atlanta where he grew up. One thing that struck me was just how peaceful this area was, as if the very land itself had assumed his mantle of non-violence. I remember the controversy surrounding his actions, and when I saw the exhibits I gained a new understanding and appreciation of just exactly what he and those who worked with him went through, and why they did it.

One of the things I picked up while I was there was a plaque containing the Six Principles of Nonviolence, which I have hanging on the wall at the entrance to my residence. That way, I can see them every time I leave to go out into the world, and every time I enter my home, and maybe I can be mindful of what they say as I face the challenges of life.

One of the things I have come to realize is that non-violence is not simply the absence of violence: it is in fact a deliberate, planned response to what life throws your way. It is contrary to human nature (in fact, to the basic law of nature, survival of the fittest), but the ability to work together in some sort of cooperative harmony, to put one's self-interest aside and actually do things that benefit others, is really at the center of human civilization. This, in my opinion, is the essence of the great religious teachings.

So, what are the Six Principles of Nonviolence? These principles are:

1. Principle 1: Nonviolence Is A Way Of Life For Courageous People.
2. Principle 2: Nonviolence Seeks To Win Friendship And Understanding.
3. Principle 3: Nonviolence Seeks To Defeat Injustice Not People.
4. Principle 4: Nonviolence Holds That Suffering Can Educate And Transform.
5. Principle 5: Nonviolence Chooses Love Instead Of Hate.
6. Principle 6: Nonviolence Believes That The Universe Is On The Side Of Justice.

In the DarkReading Profile, Bruce Schneier makes a statement I feel is very relevant here, when

...he told a reporter at a Tacoma, Wash.-based radio station after the school shooting there, that metal detectors would be a waste of money. "The goal isn't to stop shootings in schools. It's to stop shootings," he says, by investing in ways to ensure a kid doesn't resort to violence at all. "If a kid shoots another kid in the playground because there's a metal detector in the building," then the physical security was ineffective, he adds.

I am sure this isn't what people wanted to hear right then -- but it is something they needed to hear. Because, Bruce is right: simply putting point solutions in place to try to stop the violence only moves the violence elsewhere. Instead of treating the outbreaks, maybe it is time we get to the real problem, and deal with the root cause.

As I see things, the only way to ensure that "the kid doesn't resort to violence" is through application the Six Principles of Nonviolence. These need to be taught in the home, they need to be taught in the schools, they need to be taught in the churches, they need to be taught on the job, they need to be taught in the prisons. The Six Principles of Nonviolence need to be posted, and followed, as the basic ground rules for conduct in our Congress and state Legislatures. They need to be on the walls of our courthouses, and of the White House. People need to learn them, to commit them to memory, and more importantly, to live them. I am not saying it is easy, but I am saying it is necessary.

I can already hear the naysayers: Too optimistic. Not realistic. Won't work in today's realpolitik. Doesn't stand a chance. Not in line with human nature. All of these may well be true, but I think there is a way. All each one of us needs to do is say "I will live my life by these principles... today." As the child who was throwing the starfish back into the water realized, maybe you can't solve world hunger - but you can do your part. And, if we all do our part, then maybe - just maybe - we can end up making a difference.

I hope that today, everyone will take a minute, set aside their conflicts (both internal and external), and reflect on these principles. Doing so, then taking steps to implement them in your daily life, is probably the best way to honor Dr. King's life and work, and to ensure that his legacy continues into the future.

Then, just maybe, to paraphrase the words of another Mr. King, "we can all just get along."