#Practical Idealist: Nonviolence begins with you.

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Welcome to our last newsletter of a very eventful year. I guess that’s a euphemism, or at least an understatement. As my famous, (and very) distant relation, Emma Goldman once said (I’m paraphrasing, from memory): "We do not know where the forces of reaction are taking us, but we will do our work from wherever we are. Greetings. We are the children of the glowing future."

Sally Goerner, the futurist, wrote (real quote this time), “Since...transformative change is a matter of when (not if), the real question becomes whether such change will be smooth or catastrophic.” Doesn’t that define our work in a nutshell? For is not the difference between “smooth” and “catastrophic” pretty much entirely a question of nonviolent or violent?

Happy New Year,

Michael Nagler, Founder & President

Nonviolence Radio

Michael Nagler opens our last show in 2016 by discussing what he calls “the ubiquitous problem of scapegoating.” What role does the scapegoat play in the human psyche and culture? How has a sacrificial system of logic affected society and its institutions?

Then Hope Tank participants talk about these monthly meetings, and we play excepts from a previous interview with Ms. Ali-Karamali.

For Climate Protection

How can we transcend collective paralysis to protect the environment, move away from the destructive system that led us here and grow into more peaceful humans? What community actions, broad-scale strategies and personal-societal healing could work? The new issue of Nonviolence magazine revolves around such questions of climate protection. Sample this issue.

Ways to Work from Where You Are in 2017

The Metta Center's 100-Year Plan
Our blueprint for a desired future is modeled on the Sarvodaya Movement's 500-year plan. This vision incorporates the three values Martin Luther King Jr. identified as primary: humanity, freedom, community. Feel free to use it! SEE THE PLAN

Join Nonviolence Campaigns
Nonviolence International recently wrote a post summarizing the work of 10 organizations in the US (we're featured in the post). Looking for a way to take action and/or donate? We recommend starting your research here. VIEW LIST

Bill McKibben on the Use of Nonviolent Direct Action
"The real point of civil disobedience and the subsequent movements is less to pass specific legislation than it is to change the zeitgeist," McKibben writes. READ

Start a Hope Tank in Your Corner of the World
Two new Hope Tanks have launched in California: one in Berkeley, and another in Marin. If you're local and would like to join in, email for times and places. GET INFO

Teach Children About the Power of Nonviolence
Mahatma Gandhi was an ordinary child who tried to do something extraordinary with his life: he wanted to discover Truth. Stephanie Van Hook's new children's book on Gandhi shows that we can be peacemakers at any age. BUY BOOK

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Petaluma, CA 94953

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About Us
Metta Center for Nonviolence is a 501(c)3 educational organization that aims to help people use nonviolence safely and effectively. We advance a positive view of humankind while empowering people to explore the question: How does nonviolence work, and how can I contribute to a happier, more peaceful society? Learn more.