Independence Day Indeed!

Susan Livingston — Mon, 27 Jun 2005 13:43:49 -0400

Violence has motion and peace is still. Motion snares our senses at a precognitive level all the way down in the brainstem before the higher centers can intervene. Violence is salient and powerful. We must honor violence - study it hard and know it well - for we cannot live without our reptilian brain.

Even at Rockridge in the study of positive progressive framing, we are learning to be mindful of the shadow of our frames. We cannot eliminate the shadows because we need the frames, and we need the light on the frame that casts the shadow, and we need shadows in order to recognize light. Remember what we learned in "Bleep" about how the bottom-feeder can't conceptualize the water because there is nothing with which to compare it? Therefore, we must learn to put the shadow side to work for us in our own best interest.

Here's an example of what I mean by being mindful of the shadow side. In one of the stories linked below, you will find out that while mainstream media has ignored the proceedings of the World Tribunal on Iraq, Deep Dish TV has covered it, and their website has had 15,000 hits from 100 countries. That's the positive progressive frame. Am I supposed to rejoice about this coverage? Why so few hits, even counting non-American hits? How can we get this coverage on our mainstream news like we did during Watergate?

We can put our rage to work for us by using it to protect our source of power. I'll publish the whole story in my blog in a few minutes; I didn't think it was appropriate to this community, but apparently I was wrong because here stands the issue. The violence in you can be put to good use to protect your power source. Then strike out with your empowered weapons - your heart and your mind. Also, please see my earlier essay on progressive values for a discussion of BALANCE. If we value peace, we must honor violence.

We cannot deny that violence is a part of nature on all scales. Aren't we being a bit presumptuous to strive to eliminate violence? Even the DoP legislation doesn't go that far; it only calls for us to provide a viable alternative to violence in the form of non-violent conflict resolution. But it is realistic enough to honor violence by also providing for de-escalation action and mediation/arbitration techniques in the event of its inevitable outbreak.

A forest fire is violent, but while it causes death and destruction to some, there are seeds that will not germinate unless they are exposed to that extreme heat. An earthquake is violent, but tectonic plates are in motion and collision is inevitable. However, for every rift that swallows acres, a mountain is born somewhere else. Without earthquakes, the planet would be smooth and flat. A volcano is violent and wipes out whole villages, but thus is formed new earthcrust. The sperm is violent in its penetration of the egg, but a new life is created. A supernova is violent, but new heavenly bodies are formed. On all scales, destruction and creation, chaos and order, walk hand in hand.

How can we demonstrate our solidarity with our Iraqi brothers and sisters if we spend our Independence Day in a futile search for "stories of hope?" Use your creative power to forge weapons of hope and truth and light. Don't let your shame keep you indoors on July 4th. Here are some ways you can do non-violent consciousness-raising in your community to illustrate that there is no independence to celebrate in the formerly sovereign nation of Iraq.

Are you as ashamed as I am of your leaders who are creating situations in Iraq that deny your brothers and sisters the basic needs of life like water? Have you seen the results of the deliberation of the World Tribunal? How can we hold our leaders accountable? I'm willing to submit to these authorities. Are you? Does anyone know how to turn off the water and the electicity at the white house? "What good to me is freedom if my sisters are in chains?"

Don't let your innocence rock you to sleep! Let's give these issues some thought and get salient!

"Blue in a Red State"

"Independence Day"

Jason White — Sun, 26 Jun 2005 20:25:49 -0400

I wrote this last Independence Day. That was the day that I succumbed to my utter frustration with what passes for news, frustration with Internet commentary and frustration with the grip conflict has on us, no matter which side of a given issue we take. I succumbed by registering the propeace.net Internet domain, vowing personally to remove myself from the problem and work for a solution. Not a "win" for our side and a "loss" for their side, but a solution that transcends the problem altogether and creates a "win" for everyone. That was the day the future changed...

the propeace community - "Independence Day" - Comments

Independence Day Indeed!

"Independence Day"