The actual or perceived denial of a human need causes violence but there are many, many peaceful, effective responses.
Once again, let's begin by asking ourselves a few questions
1. What are my needs?
2. What are my rights?
2. What are my rights?
Needs and Rights in the Stages of Human Development
Human Needs
1. Nourishment food & water 2. Shelter clothing & warmth 3. Health hygiene & medical care |
4. Achievement
education; use skills & talents 5. Acceptance to be loved, respected; to belong 6. Identity self-actualization, authenticity |
Human Rights
1. Right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness 2. Right to protect and keep self and family safe and secure, out of harms way 3. Right to worship/freedom of religion 4. Freedom of speech/press |
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Many people react violently when they feel that they are being denied or deprived of their basic human needs or rights. The preceding list of human needs and rights may give us some insight into people's violent responses upon perceiving that they are being deprived or denied in these areas.
What Makes an Individual Fully-Functioning?
The following chart shows the balance of factors needed for an individual to discover, nourish, and use his/her talents (WORTHY MISSION). An individual requires basic needs met (adequate RESOURCES), to use rights fairly (appropriate POWER) in a supportive environment (flexible STRUCTURE). How does your life measure with these concepts? |
Here is someone who chose an effective alternative when her rights were denied, followed by a short video about that choice
Case Study: |
ROSA’ S QUIET COURAGE
Her refusal to be intimidated started the Civil Rights Movement. On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks, a Black
seamstress, boarded a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, on her way home from work. Tired, she sat in the first row of seats behind the full white section. When more white people boarded, as was the custom, Ms. Parks was asked to move farther back to give seats to the whites. The Black section was full by this time, so she would have had to stand. Three other Black people, sitting in the same row, did move back, but she quietly and with dignity refused. The driver called the police, and Rosa Parks was arrested for violating the city’s segregation ordinance. Probably because she was so highly respected in the Black community, her arrest triggered the long-smoldering resentment of the Black community into action. At the suggestion of the (Black) Women's Political Council, a mass meeting of Black citizens decided to boycott all buses on Monday, December 5th, and to meet that night to determine further action. The boycott was a complete success. No more than a tiny handful of Montgomery's 50,000 Black citizens rode a bus that day. They realized, though, that one day’s effort would mean little. At Monday’s mass meeting, the community decided unanimously to continue the boycott until: (1) courteous treatment of Blacks by bus operators was guaranteed, (2) seating was on a first-come, first-served basis, whites beginning in the front and Blacks in the back, and (3) Black bus operators were employed on predominantly Black routes. To direct the bus boycott, they formed the Montgomery Improvement Association and chose as its president a young, well-educated minister, Martin Luther King, Jr. With many trials and tribulations, the bus boycott continued for over one year. The whole world knew what was going on, not only regarding the unjust seating, but regarding the bombings, harassment arrests, and the unjust legal treatment. |
Opinion was so in sympathy that when the U.S. Supreme Court itself acted, the boycott finally ended.
When Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. boarded the first bus, the driver smiled cordially and said, ”You’re Dr. King, aren’t you? We're glad to have you this morning." Violence against Black people in Montgomery and elsewhere did not end with the end of the bus boycott, but the widespread belief that Blacks approved of their inferior status under segregation was shattered, and the Civil Rights movement began. See The Power of Nonviolence (Gregg), pp. 36-41, and Nonviolence (Miller), pp. 298-305 As stated earlier in this session, many react violently when their rights or needs are deprived or denied. This case about the Montgomery Boycott is an example of how Human Rights and Needs can be gained nonviolently through factors of a fully functioning human being (a mission, support, power, and resources) and the use of the following nonviolent techniques: reject any and all use of violence, be willing to suffer oneself but unwilling to cause suffering, be persistent and patient because change comes slowly, maintain good conduct, integrity, and humility, and finally be faithful to the truth. Interview with Rosa Parks |
Here are another two historical examples to show that many alternative responses to gaining human rights require COURAGE
Case Study: |
GRAPES OF WRATH
Fail to turn farm workers from their cause. The United Farm Workers, led by Mr. Cesar Chavez, have reported on many infractions and abuses of their civil rights during the famous agricultural strike begun in September, 1965.
A stationary line of picketing strikers stand along the edge of a public road. In front of them across the way are two strike breakers loading grapes into cartons. A grower comes up and shouts to the picketers to go back to work in the fields. Grabbing up a bunch of grapes from a box, he starts eating them as he walks down the picket line, leering and shaking his fist. A sheriff and a deputy arrive. Through a bullhorn he shouts at the picketers, "All right, get along here, get moving! Go back to the fields." The deputy strides along the silent line of picketers pushing people back with his fist on their shoulders or chests. Several of the demonstrators are women; one is pregnant. |
There is murmuring and jostling behind the front line of picketers. One woman falls down. Angry at the wall of faces, the deputy kicks one man in the stomach.
Someone calls to the picketers, "Sing!" and gradually the v oices join and sing as the demonstrators turn and continue down the road in slow procession. See Sal Si Puedes (Mattheisson) The Politics of Nonviolent Action (Sharp), pp. 263-264 The picketers supported each other and the worthy mission of human rights for The United Farm Workers. In addition, the picketers acted with courage and held firmly and with self control against the opposition. They rejected all uses of violence and, in this case, used singing as a creative resource instead. |
Case Study: |
Up to Their Shoulders in Flood Waters
Months long vigil overcomes caste barrier. For centuries a caste system was maintained in India. Brahmans had refused the (lower-caste) ’untouchables’ the use of a particular road through the village of Vykom, in southern lndia, for generations.
Some followers of Mohandas Gandhi decided it was only just that the road should be open to all human beings. They started the struggle by taking several ‘untouchable’ friends with them along the road into the Brahman quarter. Beatings and arrests resulted. Volunteers all over India heard about the action and poured in to replace them. The state forbade more arrests but ordered the police to prevent any of the reformers from using the road. The police set up a barricade across the road. The reformers simply stood before this barrier in an attitude of prayer. They organized themselves into six-hour, round-the-clock shifts, and a hut was built nearby. The duties were undertaken on a religious basis. Never did the demonstrators use any violence, though the vigil went on for months. The rainy season came: the road was flooded. |
The volunteers continued to stand, sometimes with water up to their shoulders, while the police continued their barricade in small boats. Due to the hardships, the length of shifts shortened, with more and more volunteers taking part in the action. The position of the authorities seemed more and more unreasonable both to the public and to the government itself.
Finally the Brahmans’ hearts were melted. The Vykom road was opened to all comers. Reverberations were felt throughout India in removing other restrictions and strengthening the cause of tax reform. See The Power of Nonviolence (Gregg), pp. 19-20; and Courage in Both Hands (Hunter) pp. 77-78 This is another example of how the fight for human rights can be won with persistence and nonviolent techniques. Some techniques in this case study include: reject any/all use of violence, be willing to suffer oneself but unwilling to cause suffering, maintain exemplary conduct, be faithful to the truth, and use integrity and humility to instill respect and sympathy. |
How you answer the following big question determines the outcome of most problems
Which path to take? Violence OR peaceful resolution:
The following chart will explain the paths to conflict and peaceful resolution. Therefore, the question is... "Which path to take?" This video is an explanation and reading of the chart to the left.
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DOWNLOAD THE PDF VERSION OF THE CHART HERE
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Case Study: |
GETTING INVOLVED
solves pupil problems. One day a third-grader was constantly throwing spit balls during the entire period she was in my room. Why? I asked myself, only for attention, she loved to hear the other children complain to me. l could ignore it, but they couldn't.
I sent the child with another responsible child on an errand to another classroom, the farthest one from my room. While they were out, I explained to the class that the student needed special attention and help from all of us. |
I would review classroom rules with her, letting her decide which one she had broken. Then I told the class the next time one of them "received” one of her spit balls to just quietly return it to her and ask if she had forgotten the rule or if they could sit with her and help her participate or do her class work. She was shocked at their calm manner over the spit balls and did accept their help.
Submitted by a teacher from Akron, Ohio, while taking the ALTERNATIVES TO VIOLENCE course. The student in this case was acting out due to an educational need. Through the use of creative resources and unexpected techniques, the teacher was able to come to a solution that allowed fellow students to help their peer. This was done in a respectful and supportive manner. |
Case Study: |
WITH CALM WORDS
students learn quickly. Two students from another class were in a fist fight in the boys’ restroom. Upon entering, I saw punches being delivered from both young men. When they saw me, they both stopped immediately. I didn't say a word. I just motioned for them to follow me.
I walked them back to their classroom teacher where we decided to deal with this problem in 15 minutes. Both teachers were very calm. We asked each young man to tell his story. Then I proceeded to ask each student if they could have handled this problem in a different way. They both answered yes and made several recommendations on different ways to act. |
Since the incident had to be written up, the principal intervened and both students were suspended for breaking a building rule.
Both young men now come to me with serious problems and ask for help rather than deciding on solutions immediately by themselves. We have built up an informal support system. Submitted by a teacher from Akron, Ohio, while taking the ALTERNATIVES TO VIOLENCE course. In this case, the teacher was able to de-escalate the situation by finding a solution to the problem that was of benefit to both parties. Each student was able to tell their side of the story and were given access to a support structure for future conflicts. The teacher did not diagnose or make judgments but instead listened to the situation and allowed the students to answer for themselves. In addition, the reference to resources and support structure can be related to the model of a fully functioning individual, found earlier in the session. |
So what are some things to try when in conflict?
The following reading focuses on LISTENING and DESCRIBING techniques
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Review and Reflect
Major point to remember:
The actual or perceived denial of a human need causes violence but there are many, many peaceful, effective responses.
To Reflect: Optional Activities:
Materials located on the "Extra" page for applications #1 & #2
#1: Analyze at least two Case Studies: 3D, 4C, 4D, 4E, 4F
#2: Movie Assignment: View "Harvest of Shame" and answer the corresponding questions
#3: Application:
The following are alternatives for venting anger that might lead to physical violence. The main point here is to have/know a list of acceptable things to do. Some of these are appropriate for adults only, but others could be done by young people.
Perhaps you have already tried a few of these actions. If not, why not attempt something the next time you feel angry?
#2: Movie Assignment: View "Harvest of Shame" and answer the corresponding questions
#3: Application:
The following are alternatives for venting anger that might lead to physical violence. The main point here is to have/know a list of acceptable things to do. Some of these are appropriate for adults only, but others could be done by young people.
Perhaps you have already tried a few of these actions. If not, why not attempt something the next time you feel angry?
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