So I have recently been thinking a lot about the idea of peace. I want it. I desire it with all of myself, but I don't think that we are seeking it in a way that is productive. We seek to have peace through war, to crush out those elements that cause insecurity and violence. It makes very little sense to me. As a teacher I have noticed that when people chose to engage violence with violence, it seems, shockingly, to lead to more violence. The more that I think of this the more I realize that what the world really needs now is not another warrior, not another blockade, not another half hearted attempt at diplomacy. When we speak of peace and hold our large armies and tactical weaponry in the background we contradict ourselves. What the world needs is pacifism.
I know what you're thinking. "Pacifism just can't work." "I don't believe that we should roll over and be a doormat". "It is a nice idea, but really, is it practical?" I think it can be. I think that pacifism as method can be done, but not if we treat it as an impossibility, as cowardice. A man who chooses to not fight does not take the easy way, as a matter of fact, there is very little in the world that is more difficult. It takes a great deal of strength and character to turn the other cheek and not fight back, to seek out redress through words rather then action. I know that this may be confusing still so I would like to present you with a creed of pacifism:
1. Pacifism is not the fear of the fight, it is the belief that violence, anger, war, and fights only lead to more violence, anger, war, and fights.
2. The Pacifist will always attempt to understand the feelings of the other side. They know that while they hold one specific view the opposite side in a conflict clearly holds another. If you choose to only listen to yourself and not to try to see the other side then you will never reach a consensus.
3. In order to avoid violence it is necessary to compromise. You cannot be 100% correct in a fight because the other group will think the same. If you choose to hold back and to not give an inch then you will always be destined to war, large or small, rather then peace.
4. Justice does not mean the same as revenge. If you are wronged you do not gain justice by wronging another. If you insist that you can only have peace of mind when your pain is felt then you lead yourself inexorably to war.
5. Pacifism and appeasement do not mean that you are a doormat. Turning the other cheek is not the same as allowing yourself to be walked over. If you are wronged, state the wrong. Confront the guilty party and tell them that what they did was not ok and seek redress. Do not demand your way, but seek to find a common ground and to acknowledge the sentiments on both sides. In other words, COMPROMISE!
6. You are not the center of the universe. In fact, your personal welfare is not even the most important. You do not know everything and you can be wrong. There are countless billions in this world, if your wounded pride leads to a fight then the chances are that the people most likely to be hurt are those who are not even connected with the situation.
7. War, violence, fighting, and bullying do not make you strong. Peace, pacifism, and care do not make you weak. If you seek strength through violence you become a bully, if you seek strength through care, you change your personal universe and that can spread to change the world.
8. While war and anger are not the choice, there is a time when you must protect others. The common argument used against pacifists is what about Hitler and World War II. Would you have appeased him until he ruled the world. The answer: of course not! This was a maniac who strove to eliminate all people who were not him. But let me ask you this, would there have been a Hitler if there was no World War I. If we seek pacifism instead of violence, if we seek to mend situations of tension before they erupt into violence then we can avoid situations such as that which led to the rise of the Nazi party in Germany.
9. If it becomes impossible for your safety to not fight then do that which is necessary to not allow harm to you or those around you. If someone threatens you or another with a weapon or force and will not listen to reason, if you and the others have no way to leave the situation, then do what you need to do to be safe. Do not, when you are safe, turn more violence on your attacker. If they are disarmed do not continue to hurt them. If they leave, do not follow them to seek revenge.
10. Pacifism works when you practice it with love. It is essential to understand that all people are important and entitled to their views. If you attempt to gain peace and follow everything above, but you do not demonstrate love for the other party then why should they trust what you offer. I don't mean that you need to treat the whole world as though they were your family, but you need to treat all people, even those you don't like, as if they had value.
I hope this clears some things up. If you agree that we need to find a new way for peace, if you think I'm a crackpot and want to yell at me, or if you just want to see where this goes, follow and comment.
Shawn Patrick Tolley
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