Published on Truthout on August 4, 2014. Palestinian children try to pull a praying carpet out from the rubble of the Imam Shafi’i Mosque in Gaza City, Aug. 2, 2014. (Photo: Sergey Ponomarev / The New York Times) In The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas, the short story by Ursula Le Guin about an imaginary… read more
Tag Archives: Nonviolence
Why Being Human Matters, for the People of Gaza and the World
Published on Saturday, August 02, 2014 by Waging Nonviolence By Stephanie Van Hook The Xhosa concept of ubuntu, combined with the Arabic word intifada — as seen in this graffiti on the “separation” wall in Bethlehem — roughly translates to mean: uplifting human dignity through nonviolence. (WNV / Van Hook) Dr. Mona El-Farra, medical doctor… read more
Rabbi Michael Lerner on Israel-Palestine
The escalating violence in Israel-Palestine, particularly in Gaza is weighing heavily on the heart of the world at this time. Nonviolence is still an option in these times, it is still happening in our midst, and in this episode of Peace Paradigm Radio, we look at that nonviolence as a sign of hope and a… read more
Translating Metta for Spanish Speakers
Erika Saca-Schader Erika nació en El Salvador en 1981 en plena guerra civil. A pesar de haberse criado relativamente aislada de la cruda realidad nacional, siempre estuvo consciente del sufrimiento y la violencia en su entorno y trató de comprenderla desde pequeña. Antes de mudarse a California, Erika trabajó como Creativa en publicidad mientras completaba… read more
Michael Nagler address to 2014 FOR Seabeck Conference
We are grateful for the Fellowship of Reconciliation who just sent us this link to Michael Nagler’s keynote at their annual Seabeck conference. “We are living in the wrong story,” says Michael Nagler, founder & director of the Metta Center for Nonviolence, during his keynote address to this year’s 56th annual FOR Seabeck conference in Washington State earlier… read more
The US Department of Arts and Culture
This show was approved by the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture. . . Wait, what? There is actually a USDAC?! Yes, it is a parallel institution, a form of nonviolent constructive program that we talk about so often here at the Metta Center–build the institutions you want without waiting for those at the top… read more
Peace and Conflict Studies at Metta Center
The Peace and Conflict Studies 164 A and B course, conceived and taught by Michael Nagler at UC Berkeley was one of his most popular offerings. In 2007, before retiring from the University for good, he recorded the course in its entirety. Tens of thousands have seen this course, and it is influencing and changing… read more
Tragedy and Humanity in Hebron
A little over a week ago I stood in the South Hebron Hills not far from the spot where, we now know, three Israeli teens had been put to death, assumedly by operatives of the Palestinian organization Hamas (though that is far from proven at this time). I was visiting a prominent nonviolent Palestinian activist… read more
Pre-boarding to Tel Aviv: a lesson in nonviolence
“There is no real security except for whatever you build inside yourself.” – Gilda Radner – “You’re not going to change the world from the airport,” my friend wryly counseled me at the Metta office, just a few weeks before we left for Israel-Palestine. “Focus on getting into the country–keep your answers short and to the… read more
The Heart of Peacebuilding
Life is a sacred challenge of radical unknowability, and it will eventually push you out of this universe. But how you respond to that challenge, therein lies your divine truth, and the discovery of your eternal nature. The desert is your teacher, but your destiny is your own soul. -Marc Gopin We hold a vision… read more
