The
Port Townsend Peace Movement is a coalition of individuals
and organizations uniting in the spirit of democracy
to promote justice and peaceful resolution of world
conflict through education, dialogue, community participation
and our constitutional right to engage in public
dissent.
As
we create a nonviolent community, our group does
not use many cultural norms from "mainstream" society. This
document attempts to articulate our group culture,
for our own understanding and guidance, and for the
inclusion of new people as they choose to become
a part of what we are doing. We take personal responsibility
for creating peace through the practice of nonviolence
and respect for diversity. Thus, we will practice
the following to the best of our ability.
1.
Respect for other people
*
Starting and ending meetings on time.
* Listening to understand, and understanding that listening is more important
than talking.
* Seeking to say what needs to be said, and stop speaking when it has been said.
* Being silent when another person has the floor.
* Allowing some time to pass in silence after each speaker, so that everyone
has time to reflect on what has been said.
2.
Compassionate Communication
*
Speaking from our own experience (i.e. making "I" statements).
Seeking to avoid stereotypes, generalizations,
and personal putdown, in favor of offering support
wherever possible.
* Coming to meetings with a mind open to new ideas: seeking to avoid dualistic
thinking (e.g. good or bad, us or them, black or white perspectives) and
recognizing that persuading others to adopt our own point of view is not
the objective.
* Accepting feedback. Relaxing our defenses. Knowing we have
all internalized the violence, patriarchy, white supremacy, and alienation so
prevalent in our society. Knowing that dismantling these systems of oppression
involves becoming aware of where they are hiding in our own minds, and that day-to-day
patterns of oppression are the glue that holds together systems of oppression. Cultivating
gratitude toward the person who points out where we may have internalized oppression
without being aware or it.
* Seeing to it that no one who wants to share an idea is silenced.
* It's okay to be mad; it's not okay to be mean.
3.
Peaceful interactions
*
Developing the art of peaceable living. Realizing
that our everyday behavior reflects on the group.
* Being aware that peace begins with each of us assuming personal responsibility
for living the peace we seek in the larger world.
* Building the peace community.
* Being aware that every human - and interspecies - interaction and relationship
is valluable. No one is disposable.
* Respecting diversity.
* Practicing love and joy!
4.
Positive action
*
Developing patience: we are each only one person,
doing what we can and learning to be
content within the limits of our energy.
* Being aware that peace is more than just the absence of war, and seeking
to keep our "anti-war" activity from blinding us to our commitment
to "peacework."
* Being the change we seek in the world. Walking our talk.
* Accepting that we are all leaders, and that our work is to teach and
engage leadership in others.
* Remembering to have fun in doing what we do.
