We will never end violence and oppression by using violence and oppression. Paulo Freire warned us that "during the initial stage of the struggle, the oppressed, instead of striving for liberation, tend to themselves become oppressors, or 'sub-oppressors.' The very structure of their thought has been conditioned by the contradictions of the concrete, existential situation by which they are shaped" (Pedagogy of the Oppressed). We need to enact alternative ways of being with each other. Being the one to break the cycle of violence is a huge burden to carry, but worth it for our own integrity and humanity.
The most violent thing that has ever happened to me is that my parents did not love me. I looked in their eyes and they did not look back at ME. They did not see my humanity. They denied it. It was this DENIAL OF MY HUMANITY that was so painful, not the acts of physical or sexual abuse. It was this denial of my humanity that allowed them to abuse me - it was the precursor and prerequisite for their abuse.
This is why the violence by police officers at Occupy Cal is SO disturbing and painful for me to watch. In what ways are the police officers denying the humanity of the protesters? In what ways are the protesters denying the humanity of the officers?
DAILY, we are condoning and enacting violence on one another by merely disregarding our own and another person's humanity. The part of us that turns away when we see a person asking for spare change is the same part of us that can beat another person. It is all a continuum - any of us (give or take a few), given a different environment, background, or experience, could become violent. And thus, any of us (give or take a few), given a different environment, background or experience can become loving.
We CAN stop the violence. We MUST. Our hearts and our souls demand it.
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