The mythology of spontaneity: nonviolent action in Egypt

Each of us are watching the events unfolding in Egypt with wondrous eyes. It is especially powerful that the revolution has been achieved through nonviolent means.

Phil Stoltzfus, who serves on the national board of directors of Creating a Culture of Peace (CCP), as well as the National Council of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, sent this video to me. Look at it and celebrate!

This video is similar to the Nashville video we use in CCP nonviolence training!

Phil also sent me amazing photos about Christian-Muslim mutual support and other carefully planned nonviolent action: one of Christians protecting Muslims in their prayer services, and another Twitter message about those Muslims who protected Coptic Christians targeted in Egypt.

Sadly, our U.S. mainstream media have portrayed the liberation in Egypt as essentially spontaneous, continuing the mythology that such changes and responses to violent oppression occur without months/ years of nonviolent action planning, practice, teaching/ learning/ training and discipline. So let’s get the word out.

Share the link with others! And send them to our CCP web site.

Janet Chisholm is executive director of Creating a Culture of Peace, and leads nonviolence training workshops around the world. She is a former interim executive director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation.