Dear Media –
You have the power to transform.
Use it…
Be the news today, not yesterday.
Hit the refresh button &
get out of the box.
Don’t ignore the efforts and effects of non-violent solutions.
You need an example?
Julia Bacha presents it perfectly
here:
“Pay Attention To Non-Violence“
Please.
Soul Dipper 
I loved her analogy using parents and toddlers.
If toddlers get attention for bad behavior . . . it grows. To change that cycle, parents must look for good behavior and pay attention to it.
Likewise, by paying attention to what we want (non-violent solutions), we increase the likelihood of attaining what we want.
Don’t be Anti-War . . . be Pro-Peace.
Yeay, Nancy! Who can argue with that?! Well…I won’t say that to you. 😀
I’m reading a book about Ghandi right now…a deep look into what is behing his non-violence. Don’t remember the name right now!
He was no wuss! I was spellbound when I watched Ben Kingsley play Gandhi – the steel-clad silence. The thundering gentleness.
Great post Amy. I love TED conversations.
Where is the Palestinian Ghandi?
Where are the Gandhis of any nation? Let’s expose them and encourage the actions of many more. The media could make such a powerful difference.
Oh Boy…do we need this message in our country!!!!
It needs us to get the message out there, Granny.
Hi,
A very good video, throughly enjoyed the talk, she is certainly a very good speaker.
Passion can do that to people! 😀
Very interesting. THanks for posting it. – BIll Cook
May it be so that Julia’s message can be heard. I wonder if Jesus agonized over negative coverage in his time on this earth.
What an excellent post! It truly never occurred to me to consider there were effective non violence actions. Julia is right..the press needs to pay and give attention. I wonder if they will?
There are speakers presenting to groups focusing on peace and the world hears nothing. I’ve watched videos of my spiritual teacher speaking to various world groups. There’s no press apparent in the ones I’ve watched. The videos are made by my teacher’s staff – not the media. How sad is that?
Media is more interested in viewership than providing the true story of what is happening around the world….an excellent post.
I have done nothing by simply complaining to others about it.
Amy ~
This post ties in nicely:
http://creatingreciprocity.wordpress.com/2011/09/09/keenness-of-vision/
Thanks, Nancy. I am exploring her site…listening to a video.
Oh yes. I’m going to listen to Julia now. You are barking right up my tree.
Thank goodness I am not barking alone, Ruth!
Soul Dipper,
Thank you for posting this and linking to Julia’s talk. The media does seem prone to focus on violence vs. nonviolence. Though, I am feeling a little optimistic…. the non-violent protest that Julia spoke of from 2003 is spreading, as she said. I think we are seeing a movement of non-violence. And, I think if we continue to write about it here – and spread the word – the non-violent movement will continue.
Thank you again.
Inch by inch – We need to let the media know what we want. Otherwise we get what it decides we need. Let’s use our blog power!
Way to go Amy!!!!! Another wonderful post. Perhaps one day the world will see true peace, I wonder if we will? One can only hope.
Thanks, Dee. Sometimes the voice falters! But the heart doesn’t have to.
Hi Amy .. my connection is zilch – and I can’t seem to watch it .. but somehow I’ll get to watch it elsewhere and her name I’ll remember.
The TED people always seem to find transforming presenters – looking at life in a different way – they’re so good to see .. thanks so much for pointing me/us in her direction.
Cheers Hilary
I wonder if googling Ted.com will work – then key in her name in their “find” window. Yes, TED is doing the very point she makes – highlight successes. Talks about non-violence. I am so grateful for them!
!
I’ve often wondered what makes the continued violence newsworthy, especially when it’s been going on for decades. Is it that the media love the look and sound of explosions and gunfire? Almost every time violence and non-violence meet, non-violence seems to prevail. As she says in the video, imagine what would happen if we all paid more attention to that fact. Thank you, Amy, for posting this.
The media insinuate that violence and abuse is what we want to see by continuously highlighting and repeating violent events. Movies follow suit. Isn’t everyone stunned when a low budget movie with a positive message performs so well in theaters? Conflict is necessary in a good story, but when did conflict become defined as “violence”? Charles, when you are King of the World (I remember that great post of yours!) please make a law that all cable companies may only provide service to each household for 10 months of the year. This will refresh people’s visual acuity! 😀
I completely support the notion of non-violent solutions and of more PR for those solutions. Did you see the comments posted on her TED talk? I think the depth and breadth of those really illustrates how terribly complex the topic is.
I’ll go back and look at the comments, thanks Tammy. I saw the video when it was newly posted.
I wholeheartedly agree with the idea of drawing attention away from the violent behavior, Amy. I don’t know why we view good news as depicting the violence over and over and over again. It is hard to imagine that we still have this response to age-old fear and that by doing something quickly and violently we think we are solving the problem and banishing the fear. To me, it only seems we have a short victory which is no victory and add to the mix of fears in our societies. Somehow, patience, guidance and love seem a better option. Somewhere in all this greed raises its ugly head. Thank you for this video.
Thanks, Leslie. Those other options certainly are available to us. What stops them from being used?!
I don’t think there is any easy answer. I think greed plays a huge role, but, in the long run, fear spurs that on ( we have an unhealthy view of our needs). I suppose everything leads back to fear and by continuing violent behavior we only add to fear.
Bravo! and ditto to all that. I couldn’t agree more … Kudos to you and Julia.
Jamie
On CBC radio, I actually heard an ample description of how the protest turned a peaceful note and corner. Hurrah! Is there enough of us thinking this way that we could be influencing change?
Well said, Amy & Julia! Keep shining your light!
Yes, to that, Naomi – for all of us to do so!