The Proverbial Brick Wall ...

The peace movement. What is it? What is moving? Where are we moving to?

I ask these questions in earnest as it seems I hit my head against one proverbial wall or another. The focus gets skewed by all the different directions that are being taken in the quest to create a movement that includes all. And then I realized I was missing some salient points about peacemaking and the MOVEMENT.

One thing is clear. We get disappointed and discouraged. The reason most of us get discouraged and disappointed is that things are not going our way! Simple. We aren't getting what we want out of the movement and we don't see the way clear. But, that's what the movement is about. The movement is the doing. The movement is the crashes. The movement is the disappointments. The movement is the baby steps of creating and the movement is the successes as well as the failures. But the movement is that ... MOVING. We are working towards creating and re-creating our world and while it seems that we have these setbacks (the capture of Christian peacemakers: Tom Fox, Norman Kember, James Loney, and Harmeet Singh Sooden in Iraq; the murder of Taize leader, Brother Roger), we are making progress. I live in that hope.

The questions we must ask of ourselves are:

1. What is my commitment?
2. Where am I willing to go?
3. What am I willing to do?
4. What am I willing to sacrifice?
5. What are my intentions?

The other questions depend on where you are in the movement, but can be key in ascertaining your own direction and the merit of the work that you do. Last week, the Department of Peace-Houston group met to 'exercise' the movement. We met at a little peace coffee house for about two hours, enjoying fellowship and a meal. Some of the questions included the simple ones: What was the most fun you've had this past year? What is your highest dream for yourself?

But the other questions communicated where we were here in Houston. Those questions included:

Discuss the nature of fear. How did fear come up for you as it related to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita?
How do you handle disagreements?
How do you communicate to people you disagree with?
What does it mean to be a peacemaker and what does it mean to the world around you?
What do you expect from yourself?
When we are a world at peace, what will that look like?
What is the next step you want to take in creating peace in your life? In the world?
What are the changes you will make to be the change you wish to see in the world?

Hearing the stories that night was so important. It made me realize that we aren't communicating enough in settings that allow us to be vunerable AND safe. We must create these sacred and safe spaces and we must be so inclusive in our design. The design must be created out of desire to build bridges of hope instead of walls of despair. That is one gift. The other gifts include the sharing of our 'faith,' the giving of our 'grace and compassion,' and the depth of our 'love.'

So, again ... ponder the questions. BUT ... seek out the answers.

Being the peace I wish to see ... P.K.

Getting Off Our High Horse ...

For Better or For Worse is written and created by Lynn Johnston

I love the comics. Every day I read my favorites, 'For Better Or Worse' being one of them. And what caught my eye came on the heel of conversations that have taken place across the Internet the past few days about acceptable conversations when working on peace issues. It made me realize that some of us need a serious reality check. We need to get off our high horses, down from our ivory towers and check ourselves at the door while engaging in the hard conversations that will take us through the storm to the calm shore on the other side.

It seems that we forget that we are learning from each other while engaging in conversations that aren't always easy and that sometimes the greatest lesson to be learned is that we don't know everything! No one person has all the answers. In this piece by cartoonist, Lynn Johnston, Elly is visiting with eldest daughter Elizabeth who is now teaching in the fictional First Nation province of Mtigwaki. Elly celebrates with Elizabeth's new family by atteding a powwow with the Ojibway community. At the end of a full evening, Elly realizes why this place has become dear to her own heart as it has for her daughter. The last line of the strip offers an insight for me as I continue to work at being a peacebuilder. Elly's epiphany is that while Elizabeth came there to teach, she also came there to learn.

I love the Pattersons. Although Canadian (Lynn is a Native), I see other Elly's here in America and even in my own family--which is African American. There are somethings common to all of us--difficult family situations, community relations-husband, wife trying to raise children in modern times. But, what is best about Lynn's characters is that they have real-life problems and she is not afraid to touch the hard subjects. In one series of cartoons, Michael's friend, Lawrence, tells Michael (Michel is Elly's eldest child) that he is gay. Lawrence is 17 years old. Michael urges his friend to tell his mother and ... well, it is a real story. What was interesting was the backlash that Lynn received in doing the series of cartoons. But, this is what she said, "I learned a great deal when we ran the Lawrence story. I learned that the comics page is a powerful communicator. I learned that people read our work and care about what we say. We all look forward every day to that one page in the paper where the small truths lie, hoping for a laugh, or a little sarcasm, or a punch line that will ease the burden just a bit. I learned that our work is taken seriously, and despite the reduction in numbers and size, the comics matter a great deal. Those of us who produce these panels have a responsibility to ourselves, our syndicates, our publishers, and our audience to use this space with conscience and with care."

We have an opportunity to lend our voices to the atrocities, conflicts, pain and sorrow that permeates our planet. But, we must do it with truth, integrity, compassion and grace. Oh, yeah -- humor never hurts. There are many cartoonists who attempt to comment on life and some are very successful. Others give me pause, but I read most of them. Of course, it is my opinion about which ones are the best as I am sure that many disagree with the cartoonists I so dearly love to read each morning. I can't wait to see what happens in the toon towns of 9 Chickweed Lane, Boondocks and Doonesbury (the last two controversies in their own right) and that's not all. I need to laugh. We all do. I'm hoping that we find that artist who will write the strip that takes peacebuilding into consideration. I wish I could draw. Hey, I wish I could write better.

We need to look at ourselves. This Decade has been a learning experience as we learn what it will take to build a culture of peace for the children of the world. I can't help but think that we've come a long way, and now I know why. When you stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us--Gandhi, King (to name a few), we have been given some mighty powerful tools for bringing this world into the 21st century and ending WAR! in all its forms. But, the paradigm shift has got to include ALL of the tools, including humor that also has commentary. I understand that this is just one glimpse of the world through another's viewpoint, and I am blessed to know that quietly I can agree or disagree with them. But, like with anything that stirs our consciousness into action, I can't sit on my hands any longer when Truth beckons me to partake of it.

In the coming months, we have to get ready for the rest of this Decade of Non-Violence. There is an urgency like never before. Sometimes you get a better sense of the world through the eyes of a cartoonist. I know that we get upset with the political cartoons that come our way, but it is good to listen, and yes, challenge, the thoughts behind them with thoughtful considerations of our own. We must be willing to challenge one another with our different views because unless ALL of our different views are allowed at the discussion table, we will continue to fight about them. Unless we "Hear" and "Heal," we will never get to the place in the sun that says, "The world is a place where we can all learn."

I'm hoping that we can listen to one another, laugh and pray together, but also, get real comfortable enough with one another to argue and disagree with truth and integrity. Once we do that, we can get to that place where we won't need to argue as much because we will finally learn how to trust.

Laugh a little. Even get angry, but don't throw punches. In fact, perhaps reading the comics today can give you some insight. Perhaps you can practice on some of the fictional charactes of toon town. Peace...for real!

Non-Violence: More Than A Tool

Non-violence: Can It Be A Way of Life?

“Who do you say I am?” That is the question asked by Jesus in the Biblical text that we as Christians read. But, for me the question is “Who do you say you are?” Is non-violence your tool? Is it your way of life? Is non-violence possible in every as aspect of your life? Can you (more importantly ‘we’) be non-violent in a violent world? I believe that the answer is unequivocally, “Yes, if you know who you are.”

Brother Roger knew who he was. He was a disciple of peace. Founder of the Taizé Community (a community of peacebuilders who graced the world with its fortitude towards non-violence), Brother Roger committed his life to non-violence. Earlier this month he was fatally stabbed in the middle of a service of 2,500 people. The horror of it must be etched in the hearts of those individuals who witnessed it, but it should be etched in our hearts as well as we commit ourselves more fervently to the cause of peace ─ through non-violence.

Can there be any other way?

Last month on The Peace Hour (heard on KPFT, 90.1 FM in Houston, Texas), I had the honor of having Atul Kothari on with me. Atul is the founder of the Gandhi Library where the center strives to promote the work of Gandhi. The show’s content was on non-violence. Now, often when I have guest, I don’t take call-ins. Not that I don’t want to hear from the audience (I do), but with only one hour, lots of information to impart, sometimes it is impractical. But, on non-violence, I’m concerned that we aren’t hearing each other and my audience usually gives me the needed fuel for driving the point home of where we are and how we are faring when it comes to non-violence. It is important to HEAR each other. I strive to make ‘hearing’ an important component to most of the Peace Hour shows.

Callers ran the gamut of what happens when non-violence is discussed. One person wanted to know how we get to a place of non-violence in a violent world. A very astute question because if you are going to believe in non-violence, it is probably the hardest obstacle to overcome – our violent world. One caller responded that non-violence was a gray area to which we aspire, but that there were key areas of black and white that keep us from committing to it. He served the question to Atul of ‘what would he do if someone broke into his house to rape his wife or daughter?’ He emphatically announced that he would respond with violence.

One of our major obstacles to overcome is how we respond to violence. It is said that if you live by the sword, you will die by the sword. That doesn’t seem to make sense in the questions being asked by individuals who want to know why a man dedicated to non-violence didn’t die peacefully in his sleep. To take up the banner of non-violence does not insure that violence won’t land at your door, but it does promise that you have done all you can to alleviate the violence that lands at our doorsteps every day.

This is a sidebar, but I feel it must be said, so … of course … I’ll say it. Someone asked, “If God is everywhere, why doesn’t God end the suffering of the world?” I never really have an answer for this because it clouds my own thoughts and prayers. "God fix this!" I demand and the great energy of God … Truth … that flows through each of us, answers. I hear God say, “I AM here!” and “Your suffering is my suffering.” And on the heel of those two statements, I hear, “What will you do to end the suffering of humanity and God?”

So, there it is. It is in our hands. God guides, instructs and inspires. Just as I as a parent hope to impart the great wisdom of my experiences to my children in order to alleviate their suffering, they can choose … choose to become who they are in that moment they are faced with a challenge.

We must take each day to fortify ourselves to be ready for those moments. The man who acknowledged that he would respond with violence has already set the course should that day arrive. The man of non-violence, however, who practices non-violence on a daily basis, will be ready … even if he does not survive. Brother Roger’s death tells me that.

Don’t we get it? It takes time, work, dedication and commitment. It takes a constant vigil to be ready to respond and there are many stories to attest to the fact that non-violence CHANGES things.

A story that has made the run through emails is shared here. The names may be different because while I believe the story is said to be true, I don’t remember the names used. However, I remember the story well. The names may not be the same … but what it imparts is.

Clark was a man who lived in the Brooklyn neighborhood most of his life. He married and raised his children in this neighborhood and he was a good neighbor and a good man. When his wife died, Clark knew that he had to keep busy. His children were grown, scattered around the United States and while he kept in touch, he knew he needed a day-to-day busyness to survive the loss of his beloved wife. He went to the neighborhood church he attended and asked permission to tend the yard and gardens. It was accepted gratefully.

Over time, Clark drew the attention of a group of young men who spent their time harassing and terrorizing their elderly neighbors. Clark wasn’t a feeble or weak man, having served in the military, but every time the boys would come, grab his hose and wet him down or kick the newly tilled soil, Clark would brush himself off and when they left, laughing loudly down the walk, continue with his work. He almost seemed unaffected by their taunts, jeers and harassment. He never called them names or threatened them.

One day the boys took it a step further. This day they decided that they would do more than taunt or harass him. They would steal from him. They threw him down this time, drawing blood and then proceeded to steal his wallet. As they were leaving, one of the young men looked back and saw Clark, once again, brush himself off and continue with his work in the garden.

Two days later as Clark was working on his hands and knees in his garden, he saw the young man standing over him. He rose, once again to accept the onslaught, but this time it was different. The young man handed Clark his wallet.

“It’s all there,” he said. “Including the money.”

“Why?” Clark asked.

“I don’t know,” the young man replied shyly. “I see you out here ever day making this church here look good. You seem to love what you do.” He went on. “You could respond like the others do, calling us thugs or worse. But, each time we do something to you, you go back to what you’re doing. You ain’t even called the cops. I should be asking you ‘why?’”

Clark just smiled. “You.”

Now without taking up too much of your reading time, suffice to say, Clark and the young man became friends. Clark taught ‘Sam’ how to take a seedling and make it grow. He taught him about the earth and how it gives back. Over time, Sam got a job, found a wife and had a child. One day he doesn’t find Clark at his usual place. He goes and inquires about his whereabouts. The Pastor reports to Sam that just the night before Clark died peacefully in his sleep. Sam turns and walks down the walk to his apartment. His heart heavy.

The next morning, Sam shows up to the Church, garden tools in an apron on his hip. He tells the Pastor, “I believe this job is mine.”

This job is ours. Peace is possible. In Houston as we assist evacuees from the Katrina wrath, we run into individuals so angry, frustrated, and tired they don’t seem to ‘appreciate’ all that we do. They lash out and sometimes they hurt others. But, it is our job to be ready for that moment. When our response is one of non-violence, we make a difference. It changes things. I believe because I have to.

Blessings of peace and non-violence, P.K.


For more information on how to offer your individual condolences to the Taize Comunity: http://www.taize.fr/ and to read about this tragedy, go to http://www.bruderhof.com/articles/Brother-Roger-Taize.htm?source=DailyDig

For information on how you can help the Katrina Evacuees, especially to underserved areas in the Houston area, go to: www.shrinebookstore.comhelpnowihtml or www.shape.org, two organizations that work with many of the smaller (and unknown) churches and organizations in our area.

Join the Dance of Peace

Let us dance for peace!--Photo by B. Hartford

You'll find over time that somewhere deep in my psyche I believe. I mean, I really believe. I get discouraged and disappointed, but deep down inside -- I believe. I believe in the dance of life and I believe that when we truly start embracing each other and dancing with each other, the music of peace will fill our hearts and minds and we will dance!

This picture was taken by a friend of peace of me dancing with another friend of peace. Now what I want you to do is look at the picture closely. What do you see? In fact, I'd like to have you tell me a story! Tell me what the picture says to you. Be brave. Be creative. Be free. And I bet this picture tells you a story of peace --- and the dance.

I look forward to your story of peace. Namaste'

Politics not Religion ...

Listening to Bill Mahr last night, I realized the problems we face are bigger than liberals versus conversatives--bigger than right versus left. I listened to Mr. Mahr rake "religion" over the coals for the ills of the world, while professing his born again anti-Catholic view for the world.

Here are the few of the problems with the liberals versus conversative bent. Some liberals (I'm a liberal) believe that the reason we are having problems is that people believe in Jesus Christ. Now throughout the monologue that Bill delivered, he didn't talk about any religion except Christians, more particularly Catholics. He called us (yes, I am a Christian), stupid, ignorant and uninformed about the realities of life. There is no God. Religion has bambozzled us! He cited the issues surrounding gay marriage and abortion, inferring that because some people believe certain issues, it is the reason that Kerry lost and liberals are suffering.

First, politicians have used religion for their own personal agendas for centuries--taking us away from real issues such as poverty, AIDS and other health issues, social security, the war in Iraq and the ever prosperous oil companies such as Exxon raking our pocket books over the coals (o.k. I carry one, but you know what I'm saying). They have exercised the pulpit to their advantage and it has worked only because instead of understanding that people are being duped about what the real issues of concern are, people of faith are being called crazy and ignorant for believing! And these politicians are succeeding because as long as you think those religious folks are stupid, you can't talk to them and they won't listen to you.

Believing in something that directs your life is a good thing. Some people call it religion while others call it spirituality, but while the statements of religions doing great harm is true to a degree, many people who follow a particular path do so for their own growth, go on to do great things and are some of the great minds of this world. No matter how much someone wants to blame a person for believing in something intangible, the truth is that leadership within these religious organizations is often the real culprit. And more, when you get to the bottom of any particular atrocity perpetrated in the name of religion, we find power and greed of certain individuals at its core.

I listened to my Aunt tell me that she was voting for a certain president because "He started the war. Let him finish it." Where did she get this message? Upon further engagement I found out that her pastor had urged his parishners to give the president a chance to fix what he broke. Why? The real reason was that he was receiving many of those faith-based initiative dollars and he wasn't about to throw them away with the unknown of a new president. Further, over time I heard people in my circle of Christian acquaintances give their reason for voting for a particular individual over another because "Abortion will become the norm." Or, "Gay people will get married." They weren't even interested in talking about any of the other issues because in their particular churches they were hearing the other message. No one was giving them the other. Once when talking with a Christian woman, she told me that abortions would become the norm without a Christian president. I pointed out to her that in fact abortion did rise ... during this administration and the most given reason for the abortion was, "I lost my job! I can't afford another mouth to feed." She never even looked at the economics of this particular time in history where companies such as World Com and Enron have blasted families apart financially. When given good information, she said that she was glad to know and that she was able to change her mind. I didn't have to change her mind about abortion, per se. It is not that someone wants an abortion when faced with the decision, but if I respect that belief while giving her real facts, we both won. Perhaps the real answer to address the leadership more diligently, calling for religious organizations to either give complete sides of the issues, or to stay away from the process. When rhetoric and diatribes are allowed to flourish, we all suffer --- religious or otherwise.

The problem with both the liberals and conservatives is that in both camps, violence abounds. They cannot seem to make their points of view without denigrating or abusing a group of people -- whether they are Christians or not. In fact, instead of calling a Christian or any other religious group ignorant or uninformed, how 'bout talking to them about the issues rather than goading them about how they believe. We'll never get anywhere unless we do this. It' a non-violent kind of thing.

I'm not asking anyone to believe as I do as a Christian, but I'm asking to be respected for the path I choose to take. And, for the record, I'm a thinking, involved, informed, Christian. If it didn't work for you, o.k., I respect that. Even understand it as I've struggled with dogma and people who try and push an agenda of deception utilizing something that is sacred to me. When you see me as whole, valued and respected, the conversation can begin.

By the way, Bill --- get in touch with me. I think you might be surprised what a conversation with a genuine Christian can offer.

Why A Peace Hour?

If for one hour we could focus on peace --- intentionally --- with purpose and commitment, what could be accomplished? That's the question I've been asking for more than a year with The Peace Hour, an Open Journal radio program airing once a month on KPFT. We've tackled issues such as Education, Poverty, Health, and yes, War! The formula for the show is a basic one. Non-Violence. Not just as a tool, but as a way of life. July's show was "The Hard Conversations." It came about because of the bombings in London and the issues surrounding suicide bombers. There are those that believe that suicide bombers are not made from fundamentalist religious urgings, but something more basic. These individuals are willing to die for a cause that has its tentacles around occupation. However, as I attended my Christian church, I heard conversations that lent themselves to the same fanaticism they claim to rebuke. Where was the grace, the compassion? More importantly, where was the intelligence that comes with asking questions and seeking answers rather than regurgitating the words of those whose agendas are truly suspect.

The show gave rise to other concerns of individuals -- racism at the forefront. And it gave rise to the conversation at the core of The Peace Hour: Is non-violence a valuable tool? Is there ever a time when non-violence is inappropriate? Does being non-violent mean literally "turning the other cheek"?

I believe that non-violence means listening. I believe that it means valuing all as human beings. Yes, seeing even the worst of our kind (humanity) in a light that they are uninformed, unenlightened. But, I also believe in justice and truth. It doesn't mean foregoing punishment or consequences. It is not a Nirvana concept. It is realistic. Peace is not the absence of conflict, but how we handle conflict in ways beyond politeness, but in a direction of solving the problem, getting out of our comfort zones and seeking justice and healing as the only answer for all of us.

I will bring more of The Peace Hour to you over time. It is our hope to make The Peace Hour a regular weekly show, more informative and focused on real solutions from people dedicated to non-violence and peace as partners for solving our world's problems.

Namaste.
P.K. McCary