Peace is the Way

"Produced at Plum Village Meditation Center, this short film highlights the practices of mindful breathing and walking. These practices can help us to find peace in the present moment and to bring relaxation, ease and joy into daily life. Based on the teachings and tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh and the Plum Village Monastic community of southwest France."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzuxdem1xbw

Celebrating International Day of Peace

Here in Olympia, Washington, we had a festival to celebrate the International Day of Peace. It was sponsored by the Olympia Fellowship of Reconciliation. We set up a couple of tents and a path of peace. In the tents we had information, and we also listened to a singing bowl concert. The path of peace was constructed out of 12 pieces of bamboo poles ranging in length from about 7 feet to about 20 feet. We used twine to secure the poles, and to string up about a hundred or so pieces of cloth with "peace" written in as many different languages.

The idea with peace written in so many different languages is to suggest that we all have something in common. We may look different, or speak different languages, but we are all still part of one human family. On the most basic level, we are all one, interconnected beings. Interconnected energetically, spiritually. Our actions affect each other. And if we want a world that is peaceful for ourselves, and for our children, for our friends and family and neighbors, then it makes sense to be kind to everyone, regardless of whatever differences there might be between us.

After people had a chance to walk through the "Path of Peace", and listen to the concert of singing bowls, we were led on a meditative peace walk (in the style of Thich Nhat Han,) by Miles, who is a local Zen Buddhist Priest.

Here's a video and some photos from the event. Please enjoy. Thank you.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrm88htCXQI

photos:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rwhitlock/sets/72157627577967693/

New Stuff

I have a couple new posts on Olyblog, and I posted a note on Facebook about boycotting against states that demonstrate aggression. My blog at OlyBlog can be found at http://olyblog.net/blog/berd and I will post the text of the note from facebook below the fold here.

Going to Ground Zero

I am planning to go to the Bangor Naval Base Kitsap today. It is Mother's Day, and the Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action has some good stuff going on to mark Mother's wish that their children not be sent to fight in wars.

Here are some words from a few days ago. I think it would be appropriate to share them at this time. Peace!

Saturday, 7 May, 2011
Olympia

I am opposed to all weapons of mass destruction, including all nuclear weapons: and especially as they exist in offensive capacity in the submarine launched Trident missile system.

Policies of economic supremacy are immoral and illegal.

The USA is well along on the way of the Imperial Project. Imperialism does not serve the best interests of anyone, including people from the USA.

Policies of economic and military superiority degrade humanity. These policies degrade and do harm to the well-being of all individuals, including supposed beneficiaries.

Robert Whitlock "Berd"

Peace Vigil Video with Frog Song

Peace Vigil at Percival Landing with frog song audio overlap
Friday the 1st of April, 2011


Peace Vigil at Percival Landing
Olympia!

Another version of the video posted below (audio track removed, frogs only.)

Invest in peace, not war.

Friday 11 March 2011, Olympia WA—At the Friday evening Olympia FOR (Fellowship of Reconciliation) weekly peace vigil

Dear All: Invest in peace, not war. Divest from war. It's the right time to change. The USA can stop bullying—stop treating people poorly. We can find mutual welfare and happiness in life-serving policies. Please: put international public interest before private/special/national interest.
Thank you!
Berd

Tear Down This Wall!

Part One:
I saw a film today, END:CIV by Franklin Lopez. It talks about some of Derrick Jensen's ideas.

One part of the film mentioned the definition of fascism as the merger of state and corporate power.

What a relevant message in today's U.S.A., where state and corporate power have merged to a remarkably extreme degree.

Here's what I think: I think the wall of fascism, the merger of state and corporate power, ought to be torn down. That would be good for people and planet.

People and planet deserve to be liberated from policies and practices of dominance and conquest. Conquest of human populations and planetary minerals for profit does not serve life.

We need policies that reflect the best nature of humanity, the nature of lovingkindness, tolerance, and respect for life.

No war! No corporatism!

Yes to stability. Yes to sustainable life-serving society.

Part Two:

Practice democracy: abolish the C.I.A..

This is from the weekly Friday evening peace vigil at Percival Landing in Olympia, Washington.

We can choose a better future.

Hey, join me at the peace vigil! Every Friday (that's today) from 4:30 to 6pm at Percival Landing.

We can choose a better future!

Hello

Hello. It's 2011 now. I realize that I don't like the 12 month calendar. For one, it is invalidating of the Moon's approximately 13 cycles around the Earth. There are other reasons.

Today is sunny and cold here in Olympia. Brisk. Quiet. Crisp.

2011. What will this year bring? Maybe it will bring reconciliation. Maybe it will bring friendliness amongst all people.

May all people can find healing, and space to ask for forgiveness, and to be forgiven for however they may have done harm to others. Let us learn to listen first, without reacting, so that we may address the root causes of violence in society...

May we begin to see changes toward a society that is rational, one that recognizes the interconnectedness of all beings, and seeks to assure the mutual health and happiness of all—for the good of all.

*_* ¡Total peace in 2011!

My friend just called from Idaho, where they're waiting for the shuttle, and they say hi. It's very cold in Idaho, 7º. Hi friend! Safe travels!

Right now I am in a coffee shop. Deanosaur is talking to me about Sea Shephard and whaling. He says the good guys are winning. He says check it out, go to seashephard.org.

Deano says that peacepotential.blogspot.com is going to be the biggest thing in Olympia in 2011.

So, that's it. I am going to go talk to the Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers at Traditions in a few minutes.

Total peace! hahaha

Here are some photos.


International Call for Peace


12 'months' and 13 Moons in the year...what the heck!


Oly


Percival Landing in the Dark at 6pm


Counter Fear with Love!


Hallelujah, change for peace!

olyblog.net/change-peaceful-policies-counter-fear-love

Best wishes for health and happiness to all!

Capitalism Hurts

Capitalism Hurts Flickr Group Slideshow (link to group photo pool):

Capitalism hurts!

Instead of the accumulation of wealth: imagine a society geared toward mutually beneficial, life-serving interests. Imagine a world of health and well-being, for ALL people!

Why are some people so much richer than others?

Why are some people so much richer than others?! Is it because they are smarter and more talented, better-looking and more ambitious (etc.)? Or is it possible that often times, or at least in some cases, there are other reasons, for example, like being willing to take advantage of others, or to exploit differences between people.

And why are some people so much poorer than others. Is it because they are lazy, unmotivated, and stupid? Or is it possible that it is because the system is oppressive, corrupt, and discriminatory.

Is it possible that the system is racist, and classist, and functions in a way so that some have systemic advantage over others?

I tend to believe the latter. In a rational world, no human being would be subjected to violence by another. In a rational world, no human being would go without adequate food, shelter, and belonging in community in order to be healthy and happy.

In a rational world, people's needs would be met. The system would be designed to serve life—rather than to capitalize on people's differences, and prey upon their fears.

I believe that the world—human society—is more often irrational than rational, and that wide-spread oppression exists on a culturally systemic level—in a radical (root-level) way.

Nonetheless, it should be clear to everyone that another world is possible. It doesn't have to be like this. There is enough for everyone. There is no true need for war. People can learn to get along, and co-exist in peaceful harmony with each other.

This is me and Bruce on Monday 1 November 2010 at a speech by Glenn Greenwald. The South Puget Sound Community College student group BRICK brought Greenwald to SPSCC to speak about civil liberties and terrorism in the era of the Obama Administration.

quote from Harvey Jackins from the photo above:
The crucial social means for the perpetuation of oppression is dividing the oppressed and pitting them against each other, so that different groups of oppressed people cooperate in oppressing each other to the "benefit" of the oppressing people.

Root Out the Seeds of War

John Woolman (1720 - 1772): "May we look upon our Treasures, and the furniture of our Houses, and the Garments in which we array ourselves, and try whether the seeds of war have any nourishment in these possessions or not."

Lately I have been thinking about how to build a mass movement of nonviolent resistance to defy the political status quo. The political status quo in the USA is a plutocracy (that means rule by wealthy elite.) The real-political situation in a plutocracy is similar to a dictatorship—except in the USA it relies on popular media messaging to promote consumerism and complacency, along with a host of other harmful attitudes and myths, like racism, classism, ageism, genderism, homophobia, and myths like those of independence, scarcity, and meritocracy.

It seems to me that such a mass movement of popular nonviolent resistance will require a lot of popular education about how the current socio-economic/political establishment is actually harmful.

Many of us are just plain hood-winked, and don't understand how harmful our system is, or why it is the cause of so much suffering. People may sense that there is something wrong, but they may not understand what it is, nor why.

Another world is possible. It DOES NOT have to be like this! We can have progress without destruction, without violence, without oppression, without poverty, without war!

We Are the World!

This is from about 11 months ago. It is what it is. I love this song by Michael Jackson, We Are the World.

Work for Peace and Justice

Work for peace and justice, so that all beings may be happy.

An Act of Nonviolent Civil Resistance

Update, it's about 1pm on Monday, and I feel super bad, because I slept through my alarm and failed to make it to the protest at Ground Zero. I guess this is proof that I need to take care of myself. I am sorry that I let down my friends, and I hope the protest went well. I will look forward to being able to participate in the future.

The following is something I intended to publish earlier, though I stopped it from being published after my friend called and woke me up, and I realized that I had slept through my alarm and wouldn't be able to make it to the protest in time to participate. -Berd

This post is set to self-publish at 6 am on the morning of Monday the 9th of August, which is the 65th anniversary of the atomic bombing of the Japanese city Nagasaki. I will be on the Kitsap peninsula at that time.

I am planning to participate in nonviolent civil resistance/disobedience against the immoral and illegal maintenance of nuclear weapons by my government, the United States of America, by entering the roadway in an effort to blockade passage into the base. As these Trident nuclear missile weapons system exist in a first strike capacity they are illegal under recognized legal agreements. As such, this is a big part of why I see the USA as a rogue nation.

These maintenance of these weapons furthers the American Empire, an empire which is also immoral and illegal. I call for an end to imperialism.

When I enter the roadway and risk arrest, I will do so in an effort to raise awareness about, and prevent the conduct of, an immoral and illegal military infrastructure. Either way, I enter the roadway to block traffic in a sincere effort to prevent harm, to save lives, and to give voice to the vision of a world that is based on mutual respect and reciprocity, rather than conquest and domination.

I will carry a statement similar to the following, when I enter the roadway.

Peace,
Berd

By peacefully entering the roadway in front of the Gate to the Naval Submarine Base Kitsap-Bangor, on Monday the 9th of August 2010, I take meaningful action in nonviolent civil resistance to the immoral and illegal actions of my government. I resist the maintenance of weapons of mass destruction.

I act against bullying.

I act against imperialism.

I act against aggression.

And I call for change.

I call for peace. I call for respect for the rights of all people, all around the world, the rights of whom are denied by the policies of my government, of the USA. People deserve to live in peace, and to be free from the fear of the threat of nuclear war.

By taking action to resist, and risking arrest for doing so, I stand for a world that is much different than the one we have now. I stand for a benign world that is altruistic, a world that seeks to serve life and to meet the needs of all people.

I stand and voice my desire for a day when people don't feel the need to wield power over others, whether they do so in order to feel safe themselves or for other reasons.

I have a message for the soldiers, sailors, and other military personnel of the US military: I want to be your friend. I mean that sincerely. From where I stand, I see the government as a guilty partner, an abuser, and an enabler of tremendous abuses.

I believe that we have that in common, that we are essentially victims here, the victims of an abusive society, one that is enabled and perpetuated by the government of the United States of America.

What I want is for you, and for all people, to have meaningful work that is enjoyable, and constructive. I want you and all people to have economic security, without weapons, and violence, bullying and belligerence.

I want to be happy, and I want you to be happy. I want happiness and joy for all people.

So here I stand: a witness to the annihilation, 65 years ago today, of the residents of the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. May it be that such atrocities never happen again—to anyone.

For the immediate abolition of all nuclear weapons!

Sincerely,

Robert Friend Weber (Berd) Whitlock

Children of a Common Mother, Peace Arch Park at the Border of Canada and the US

Children of a Common Mother seen from the USA


Inside the Arch


seen from the Canadian side of the border

Another Photo of the Olympia Rafah Mural

Olympia Rafah Mural

I Declare Peace!

That's it! I have had enough of war. Peace only from here on. People need to stop putting each other down. People need to stop hurting each other. People need to stop hurting the planet and the ecosystems upon which we depend.

We are all part of one human family. We can choose love instead of hate. We have a choice. Peace, not war. Truth, not lies. Kindness, compassion, caring for the well-being of others, listening, and respecting and responding.

No more exploitation of people, nor of land. Peace only.

I Declare It!


Human Rights are for Everyone

War is Over Now!

War is Over, If You Want It... This song has been in my head the past few days. It's a good song, and I also included some words by Yoko Ono. Peace! Berd

Build a peace economy.

Ah Yes. Wouldn't that be wonderful!