2008 Woodie Awards
Training session prepares activists for non-violent
Milo Shumpert'Appel
Issue date: 10/17/07 Section: Community
- Page 1 of 1
"Before I even introduce myself we're going to do a role playing exercise," began Peter Bergel's training session on non-violent civil resistance. "You are going to stand in two lines facing each other, and the
people in this line are going to pretend you're out on the street and you walk past a person who is kicking their dog."
Surprised, but rarely confused, the participants took 20 seconds to center themselves in preparation for their roles as angry dog kickers and interfering
citizens. Acts of humor and distraction proved often successful while direct instruction or warning of legal consequences only seemed to escalate a volatile situation.
Given that a group called Always Working for Animal Rights and Equality helped put on the session, some people had trouble getting into the role of abusive dog owners. By the conclusion it became clear why an exercise people found so difficult to get into helps to prepare people for the potential dangers of direct action.
Humboldt Forest Defense, a local organization actively trying to stop the logging of ancient Redwood trees, requires participants to undergo non-violence training before they partake in direct action, said activist and Humboldt State University student Hilary Heart.
Sara Hamilton of Copwatch said she encourages anyone participating in Copwatch, an association dedicated to
documenting and informing people about police misconduct, to participate in non-violence training.
Non-violence training is important because cop watchers need to react to, but not interfere with, situations of police brutality, she said.
Peter Bergel of Oregon Peace Works, a statewide organization dedicated to non-violent progress toward peace and environmental protection, hosted the
non-violent training session at the request of Ross Mackinney of the local Redwood Peace and Justice Center.
Bergel has been arrested many times for his role in non-violent civil resistance since 1967. Simple dialogue defused potential riot situations where people provoked police to expose their violent tactics. He convinced some provocateurs that the
tactic is "unproductive and irresponsible".
He convinced the Berkeley police chief that wearing riot gear actually provoked riots. In more recent times he's teaching non-violence for college classes and
direct action groups.
What he calls non-violent civil resistance means the deliberate breaking of laws to draw attention to an injustice. This can include sit-ins, blockading passages, refusal to pay taxes and participating in
forbidden behavior. It does not include verbal or physical violence, provocation, resisting arrest and property damage. Direct action, in his opinion, should
be used as a last resort, as simply instructing elected officials or informing the public has shown to resolve some issues. He acknowledges that these views
are his own and are not universally accepted.
Participants were of great range in age, experience in direct action and level of involvement. People introduced themselves as they tossed around a small, yellow foam ball. They gave their first names, even
those who generally go by an alias or "forest name".
Anonymity can be important to protect people, but that can be distinct from secrecy. Bergel believes that it builds public trust to be open and honest and attempts at secrecy are often futile. When any organization is remotely successful, the authorities are quick to infiltrate it and know what they're doing.
Six-week courses are taught on a subject that was covered in hardly over six hours. Questions remained about the many grey areas concerning what is, and is not, non-violence. Property destruction can be called non-violent protest or outright terrorism. Bergel thought to mention that in our culture property is often thought of as an extension of the individual.
Its destruction is linked directly to emotional and financial damage, and receives harsh punishment. He doesn't condone the practice of
Resisting arrest, in Bergel's experience, increases likelihood of police violence, but it was acknowledged that using locks and chains, as well as "going limp"
can be an affective stalling tactic. He made it clear that use of these tactics are to be discussed and agreed upon by the individual and the group involved,
with the risks and penalties being understood and accepted.
Non-violence as a tactic stands in contrast to Mahatma Gandhi's tradition of non-violence as purely a lifestyle. People asked "can you be non-violent without being a pacifist?" A non-violent direct action
must be entirely without violence, Bergel said, but he acknowledged that some believe self-defense can be very important in an unrelated, non direct action situation.
Disagreements were discussed with respect, and objectivity, never losing sight of the fact that direct action succeeds because of the ability, and will, to come to agreements. The one thing everyone agreed on was that final agreements about anything
take time and compromise. Majority rule, on the other hand, may alienate the minority opinions, while consensus was said to produce greater commitment on everyone's part.
One participant, who preferred to be mentioned only as "Alex", found the session's focus on theory more than
practice made it longer than it needed to be. With well over a dozen people speaking openly participants regretted missing time for personal stories and discussion of the arrest procedure associated with direct action.
Copwatch will host a non-violence training on Thursday, Oct. 18, at the Campus Center for Appropriate Technology, from 6-9, in preparation for a direct action on the twenty second. For information on the action to draw attention to police brutality contact Redwood Curtain Copwatch at 633-4493 or copwatchrwc@riseup.net.
Ross Mackinney hasn't participated in a direct action in years. He's noticed results in what he's done. He admits they are mostly symbolic. Blocking the entrance
to a nuclear power plant in Diablo Canyon in the 1980's did not stop the plant from opening. However, his arrest, and trial, for trespassing raised public awareness about environmental safety issues
surrounding nuclear power. During the trial an employee of the nuclear facility reported that design features in the plant's construction were not being
followed precisely. Safety concerns were raised and the plant didn't open for another year.
"Direct action forces regulators to do their job," Mackinney concluded.
Milo Shampert'Appel can be reached at swagpenguin@yahoo.com
people in this line are going to pretend you're out on the street and you walk past a person who is kicking their dog."
Surprised, but rarely confused, the participants took 20 seconds to center themselves in preparation for their roles as angry dog kickers and interfering
citizens. Acts of humor and distraction proved often successful while direct instruction or warning of legal consequences only seemed to escalate a volatile situation.
Given that a group called Always Working for Animal Rights and Equality helped put on the session, some people had trouble getting into the role of abusive dog owners. By the conclusion it became clear why an exercise people found so difficult to get into helps to prepare people for the potential dangers of direct action.
Humboldt Forest Defense, a local organization actively trying to stop the logging of ancient Redwood trees, requires participants to undergo non-violence training before they partake in direct action, said activist and Humboldt State University student Hilary Heart.
Sara Hamilton of Copwatch said she encourages anyone participating in Copwatch, an association dedicated to
documenting and informing people about police misconduct, to participate in non-violence training.
Non-violence training is important because cop watchers need to react to, but not interfere with, situations of police brutality, she said.
Peter Bergel of Oregon Peace Works, a statewide organization dedicated to non-violent progress toward peace and environmental protection, hosted the
non-violent training session at the request of Ross Mackinney of the local Redwood Peace and Justice Center.
Bergel has been arrested many times for his role in non-violent civil resistance since 1967. Simple dialogue defused potential riot situations where people provoked police to expose their violent tactics. He convinced some provocateurs that the
tactic is "unproductive and irresponsible".
He convinced the Berkeley police chief that wearing riot gear actually provoked riots. In more recent times he's teaching non-violence for college classes and
direct action groups.
What he calls non-violent civil resistance means the deliberate breaking of laws to draw attention to an injustice. This can include sit-ins, blockading passages, refusal to pay taxes and participating in
forbidden behavior. It does not include verbal or physical violence, provocation, resisting arrest and property damage. Direct action, in his opinion, should
be used as a last resort, as simply instructing elected officials or informing the public has shown to resolve some issues. He acknowledges that these views
are his own and are not universally accepted.
Participants were of great range in age, experience in direct action and level of involvement. People introduced themselves as they tossed around a small, yellow foam ball. They gave their first names, even
those who generally go by an alias or "forest name".
Anonymity can be important to protect people, but that can be distinct from secrecy. Bergel believes that it builds public trust to be open and honest and attempts at secrecy are often futile. When any organization is remotely successful, the authorities are quick to infiltrate it and know what they're doing.
Six-week courses are taught on a subject that was covered in hardly over six hours. Questions remained about the many grey areas concerning what is, and is not, non-violence. Property destruction can be called non-violent protest or outright terrorism. Bergel thought to mention that in our culture property is often thought of as an extension of the individual.
Its destruction is linked directly to emotional and financial damage, and receives harsh punishment. He doesn't condone the practice of
Resisting arrest, in Bergel's experience, increases likelihood of police violence, but it was acknowledged that using locks and chains, as well as "going limp"
can be an affective stalling tactic. He made it clear that use of these tactics are to be discussed and agreed upon by the individual and the group involved,
with the risks and penalties being understood and accepted.
Non-violence as a tactic stands in contrast to Mahatma Gandhi's tradition of non-violence as purely a lifestyle. People asked "can you be non-violent without being a pacifist?" A non-violent direct action
must be entirely without violence, Bergel said, but he acknowledged that some believe self-defense can be very important in an unrelated, non direct action situation.
Disagreements were discussed with respect, and objectivity, never losing sight of the fact that direct action succeeds because of the ability, and will, to come to agreements. The one thing everyone agreed on was that final agreements about anything
take time and compromise. Majority rule, on the other hand, may alienate the minority opinions, while consensus was said to produce greater commitment on everyone's part.
One participant, who preferred to be mentioned only as "Alex", found the session's focus on theory more than
practice made it longer than it needed to be. With well over a dozen people speaking openly participants regretted missing time for personal stories and discussion of the arrest procedure associated with direct action.
Copwatch will host a non-violence training on Thursday, Oct. 18, at the Campus Center for Appropriate Technology, from 6-9, in preparation for a direct action on the twenty second. For information on the action to draw attention to police brutality contact Redwood Curtain Copwatch at 633-4493 or copwatchrwc@riseup.net.
Ross Mackinney hasn't participated in a direct action in years. He's noticed results in what he's done. He admits they are mostly symbolic. Blocking the entrance
to a nuclear power plant in Diablo Canyon in the 1980's did not stop the plant from opening. However, his arrest, and trial, for trespassing raised public awareness about environmental safety issues
surrounding nuclear power. During the trial an employee of the nuclear facility reported that design features in the plant's construction were not being
followed precisely. Safety concerns were raised and the plant didn't open for another year.
"Direct action forces regulators to do their job," Mackinney concluded.
Milo Shampert'Appel can be reached at swagpenguin@yahoo.com
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