I'm still thinking about China's treatment of the people in Tibet. How does a nonviolent response create a solution? How can unarmed or poorly armed people resist through nonviolence? By creating a counterforce to greed, anger and foolishness. By boycotting goods, stores, commodities produced by the invading force, greed can be swayed nonviolently. By responding with respect, seeing the Buddha nature in others, anger has nothing to retaliate against. By educating people and providing them with science, technology, food, medicine, and shelter - these actions cause the oppressor to appear foolish. What did the Dalai Lama do to earn a Nobel peace prize?
He offered a compromise by suggesting concessions to the Chinese and asking for some concessions for the Tibetans. Most importantly, rather than harboring feelings of animosity, he showed compassion toward the Chinese because of the causes they were making that would impact their lives for many lifetimes to come. Unfortunately the Chinese rejected the offer and no compromise was reached. Being a peace-loving people, the Tibetans have few resources to defend themselves except nonviolent solutions.
The key to nonviolent solutions is to replace anger with compassion, emphasize the reality of the situation to expose foolishness, and offer concessions to satisfy the hungry nature. “A Force More Powerful” a DVD on how nonviolent approaches to conflict result in peaceful solutions can be ordered online. In addition the video game, “A Force More Powerful” teaches players how to outsmart the opposition in ten real-life conflicts.
Nonviolence solutions require wisdom, creativity, and patience, but the outcome means less anger and resentment and a greater likelihood of the participants using nonviolent solutions in the future.
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