Nonviolent
Self-Defense
Compiled by Mark M. Mattison
What if
...
What would you do if you were personally
threatened?
Gandhi believed that the worst possible
response to violence was cowardice. He held that it was better to defend
oneself with violence than not to defend oneself at all.
But he also believed that nonviolence was a
superior method of self-defense, and that a person with enough spiritual
strength should definitely choose a nonviolent response.
We do hear stories of people successfully
defending themselves and their loved ones with violence, but if we listen
closely, we also hear stories of people defending themselves and their loved
ones with nonviolence as well. By rehearsing these latter stories and nurturing
creativity, we can prepare ourselves to seek other responses besides violent
ones.
One of the most significant tactics is
throwing the assailant off balance, surprising him or her and provoking a sense
of wonder. Walter Wink writes, "It seems to be nearly impossible for the
human psyche to be in a state of wonder and a state of cruelty at the same
time" (The Powers that Be: Theology for a New Millennium, Doubleday,
1998, p. 147). This can create a crucial turning-point for the victim to change
the direction of the event.
Nonviolent theorist Angie O'Gorman tells of
the time a man broke into her home late at night, came to her bedroom, and
approached her bed. She had very few options to defend herself.
He naturally expected her to take the role
of the victim, but she didn't. Instead, she asked him what time it was. He
answered. She commented on the difference between his watch and her clock; his
watch said
She kept him talking. How had he gotten into
the house? He had broken the glass in the back door. How was she going to pay
for that? Interestingly, he had financial troubles also. They talked until the
threat had passed. She asked him to leave, but he had nowhere to go. He agreed
to sleep downstairs, and after breakfast the next morning he left (Wink, Ibid.,
pp. 147-149).
African-American activist and comedian Dick
Gregory tells of the time, shortly after desegregation, that he entered a
formally all-white restaurant and ordered fried chicken.
Just before he began his meal, three big
white men approached him and said, "Nigger, whatever you do to that chicken,
we're gonna do to you."
Gregory put down his utensils, picked up the
chicken, and kissed it. The three men backed away immediately.
(Some folks add that the particular part of
the chicken he kissed also had something to do with the situation.)
Bishop Peter Storey of
Immediately he got out and, hoping that at
least one of the group might be a Methodist, said,
"you aren't going to shoot your Bishop, are you?" Surprise turned the
situation immediately around (
Maggie Pharris
Maggie Pharris
went for her daily run on a Friday evening. It got dark sooner than she
expected. She was on a path near the railroad tracks, and suddenly faced a
wild-eyed man who grabbed her forcefully by the arm.
Just then a small man leading a dog came
along. The assailant knew she would call for help, and she then feared for the
small man. She took her assailant by the arm and out of earshot of the small
man.
He pulled back and said, "What are you
doing?" She told him she could see by his eyes that he had experienced a
lot of pain and didn't need to get hurt any further and that hurting her
certainly wouldn't do anything but add to his pain.
They sat down and talked. He had been an
executioner in
After they talked for 1 1/2 hours, she asked
him to walk her home, which he did. The next day she got a small boquet of flowers from him with a card saying, "Thank
you for being my friend (
June Keener Wink was leaving the preschool
at
Note: Although it is possible to defend
your possessions using either violent or nonviolent means, it is often advised
that the safest response to a mugging is simply to hand over your money. The
risk is easy to calculate: Your life is not worth whatever you happen to have
in your wallet or purse.