Why violence is not the answer

It will be important to hear the voices of all those who truly seek the well-being of all. The Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County in no uncertain terms condemns the use of violence in any form for whatever cause. We rededicate ourselves to the pursuit of non- violent means as we continue to address the issues of racism, inequality, hunger, war, homelessness, and the rights of all peoples to live and migrate in peace and security.

We thank all of those who have raised their voices on behalf of others through peaceful, non- violent means. We remind you of our Defusing Hatred Program. We have already conducted this program for over seventeen different gatherings, teaching non-violent communication skills, understanding those of differing worldviews and how to interrupt harassment in the public square.

We offer this program through our member congregations and we are more than willing to offer this program to other religious and secular groups throughout the East Bay. We are also dedicated to bringing together the disparate voices and perspectives of all people, including particularly those speaking out on the right and on the left, so that all can work to better understand what is behind the anger and frustration of each to the other, and learn how to engage in constructive dialogue together.

Please contact us for more information or to schedule a program for your group at Related Posts. Fall Ministering Together Newsletter. Interfaith Disaster Preparedness Network Resources. Research project seeks to support local advocacy for housing justice in East and Central Contra Costa. Recycle For Change — congregational opportunity. And the responsible law enforcement officers protecting their First Amendment rights.

Martin Luther King Jr. The uncomfortable truth is that, sometimes, violence is the only answer left. To have done so would have been construed as giving license to the rioters. And in the longer term, acquiescence to the Black Panther Party and Black Power Movement which believed that non-violence was an ineffective tool for change. Not to provoke anger and resentment, but to understand the prescription he offered for healing the country.

The following summer, riots raced through more than cities. Allegations of police brutality were at the center of more a few. Both served in the military. Long believed success came through violence. He believed an effective response required violence. Zero have been successful just over simply protesting. Both Johnson and Long were responding to the troubling violence against black lives by police.

Militarization has spilled over into the way our police respond. Many veterans are able to close the chapter on killing and return to society.

Many others live with moral injury. We must vote in local and national elections on issues that range across the board. We must be active in our education on mass incarceration , and its disproportionate impact on black families.

We must be part of school boards to make sure we are actively engaged in deciding where the funds allocated to educate our children go and how they are used. In all, we must control what we can and push those who have the power to make changes we cannot make ourselves to move our nation ever forward.

Antonio Moore, an attorney based in Los Angeles, is one of the producers of the documentary, "Freeway: Crack in the System. Up Next.