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Photograph by Marco Bello/Reuters
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spent his life compassionately confronting what he called the three giants: racism, economic exploitation, and militarism.
These are exactly the toxic systems we are confronting now.
Systems that have killed more than 15,000 Palestinian children in less than 2 years, and Palestinian people of all ages in what the world recognizes as a genocide.
Systems also causing climate change, species extinction, sexual violence, and tragic abuse worldwide.
Like Dr. King, and with Palestinians leading the way, we can mobilize nonviolent courage to "shape change." (~Octavia Butler)
+ why nonviolence?
+ why nonviolence?
Armed resistance is a delicate subject, so let us be clear on our beliefs.
We believe in the right to self defense.
In this case, the power imbalance between Zionists (including Israel + the US) and Palestinians is obvious and enormous. Therefore, it is meaningful to us to affirm the right of Palestinian people to choose armed resistance againt occupation, apartheid, and genocide.
As a group based in the future-former USA (all empires fall eventually), it would be hypocritical for us to applaud, as we do, freedom fighters like Harriet Tubman — a general and a spy — and in the same breath condemn Palestinian armed combatants.
From the inspiring Zapatista territories, to Rojava, Cuba, Haiti's historic anti-slavery rebellion, and even European / Ashkenazi Jewish rebellion against the anti-semitic brutalities of the Shoa (not to be confused with today's Zionist military aggression to advance an apartheid state), we understand and admire the courage it takes to defend one's people by force.
We admire armed liberation movements that operate with intergrity — as much integrity as our inevitably imperfect human communities can sustain.
Armed or not, it is brave to risk one's life in testament that life is worth defending.
Yet, for our own reasons,
we choose to keep the 15,000 poppies project
entirely nonviolent, non-vengeful, and abolitionist.
Not only do we refrain from weapons,
We seek no punishment or retributive justice.
Instead, we seek a deeper, durable peace.
Evolution beyond war.
Because a world truly safe for children cannot be legislated.
It must be practiced: day by day, person by person, community by community.
We seek the protection of children:
Palestinian children, and all children everywhere.
We want fewer bombs and more blooms. Fewer weapons, more water. Fewer guns, more gardens. Fewer foes, more friends.
Some will call us naïve. But we think generationally.
In the words of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh,
"Peace is every step."
If this sounds like you,
become a friend of the poppies and join us!
+ other groups you might like
+ other groups you might like
In addition to our own poppy efforts, we are glad to recommend other groups who share, on some level, an approach of nonviolent resistance.
They don't all have the same flavor, identities, strategies, or demographics. But "life loves diversity." Rather than casting difference as weakness or inconsistency, we choose to appreciate diverse approaches as a potential strength from which we seek to continually learn.
If you resonate more with any of these groups,
check them out, support, and get involved!
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