March 27, 2009 Hilo Peace vigil leaflet (BIP)

Back to Basics:
What are we all about?

     After 7 years of war and occupation in Afghanistan, six years of war and occuapation in Iraq, an increasing loss of civil liberties at home, and now growing economic collapse, no wonder more and more people are feeling fearful and desperate.  In such times, it's important to return to core principles of non-violence.  In the face of escalating violence, its easy to forget who we are and lose a sense of our own humanity. The winds of war and war and repression can shake the ground upon which we stand, our very foundation, and make us question core beliefs.

     In this our 393rd consecutive week (approaching 8 years) of the Hilo Peace Vigil, each week we've shared a new leaflet but the five points at the bottom remain the same.  The main them of all of our leaflets and the core of why we vigil is a deep belief in the principles of non-violence.  Non-violence says that the way to peace is through peace, not war.  And that peace, to be real and sustaining, must be built on a foundation of justice.  Put another way  --  the means we use must be in line with the end that we seek, despite the temptation of the "quick fix" of a little "necessary" violence here and a little "necessary" violence there.  History shows that violence begets violence, or as Gandhi said, "an eye-for-an-eye now threatens to make the whole world blind."

     So let us be clear, Malu 'Aina rejects war as a solution to anything.  We reject violence as a means to an end.  We reject the legitimacy of the U.S. empire, any empire, lording it over others, through occupation.  The occupations of Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine and Hawai'i -- all must end.  In the struggles for justice and peace we affirm principled non-violent action, as exemplified by the lives of people such as Jesus and Gandhi, and local martyrs in the efforts to Free Hawaii, such as George Helm.

    Principles of non-violent action include: l.  Trying to keep our hearts full of aloha at all times; 2.  Never killing, injuring or even hating our opponents (hate is too grate a burden to bear); 3. Committing ourselves with perseverance; 4. Staying united in principle and vision for justice and peace; 5. Disobeying orders of authorities that violate our dignity and humanity. 6. Never giving up.

     Martin Luther King Jr. said, "The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing that it seeks to destroy.  Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it.  Through violence you may murder the liar but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth.  Through violence you murder the hater, but you do not murder the hate...  Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.  Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that."

     None of us are perfect.  So as we get weary from years of struggle, disheartened from the slow pace of positive change, or seeing negative change happening in our midst, let us renew our vision for the long haul.  No lie can live forever.    Let us help one another to keep our eyes on the prize: committed people-power non-violent action is a power for good that can overcome the greatest evils, and weapons of war,  before us.

Make Peace!  Work for Justice!
Live Non-violence!

1.  Mourn all victims of violence. 2. Reject war as a solution. 3. Defend civil liberties. 4. Oppose all discrimination, anti-Islamic, anti-Semitic, etc. 5. Seek peace through justice in Hawai`i and around the world.
 Contact: Malu `Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box AB Kurtistown, Hawai`i 96760.
Phone (808) 966-7622.  Email ja@interpac.net  http://www.malu-aina.org
Hilo Peace Vigil leaflet (March 27, 2009 - 393rd week) - Friday 3:30-5PM downtown Post Office

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Jim Albertini

Malu ‘Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action

P.O.Box AB

Kurtistown, Hawai’i 96760

phone: 808-966-7622

email: JA@interpac.net

Visit us on the web at: www.malu-aina.org