Two+ years ago I was asked to do a seminar on nonviolence for the cohort of Rotary fellows doing a peace masters at UC. One guy in the class was very troubled, asked penetrating, challenging questions (which I like) and left hurriedly when it was over. Some time later I went to their graduation. He gave a start on seeing me and pulled me over, onto the balcony and said:
‘When I heard you talk I thought it was pure bunk. Two months later I found myself in Rwanda, and had to arrest a child soldier who had just shot a man. There he was, holding the rifle. I reached for my sidearm. But then the thought popped into my head: “Maybe Nagler isn’t bunk.” So I left my sidearm in the holster, made eye contact and slowly walked up to him. I gently turned away the rifle, feeling that the barrel was still hot, and took hold of him. I found someone who spoke Kirwanda to explain that he wasn’t going to be punished (he was crying by that time) and everything would be alright.’
The implication behind his words was, you saved my life — or his.
— Michael Nagler
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By: Metta Center
We provide educational resources on the safe and effective use of nonviolence, with the recognition that it’s not about putting the right person in power but awakening the right kind of power in people. We advance a higher image of humankind while empowering people to explore the question: How does nonviolence work, and how can I actively contribute to a happier, more peaceful society?
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