Give peace a try

What constitutes violence, what causes it and its cures are all very debatable. That it's here andnow is hardly open to discussion and the debates are slowing down the process of reduction.

We can't develop and practice nonviolence by rational thought. Not because it's anti-reason, but because it's unnatural. If somebody hits you, being nonviolent requires that you not hit them back. Difficult, to say the least. Violence is the easier path to follow and leads only to temporary outcomes. While nonviolence comes without a guarantee of success, it's often less lethal.

Many of us, myself included, are not ready to be completely pro-life. At most, we can only be pointed in that direction. A person can be against abortion and favor the death penalty. That's possible, but it sure is inconsistent.

Here's some more inconsistency. You don't have to be anti-war to support other nonviolent causes. War's a biggie and only one issue amonth the many issues of nonviolence.

Peace is much more than the absence of war. Peace is also about well-being. Start small, check on a neighbor. Can you or your family do something to improve their well-being? Maybe small is not the right word.

Jon J. Tuning

Spokane WA

The Spokesman Review