A New Form of Protest

Recently, one of the other administrators of Fountain International’s Facebook page posted this image from last January. It has had a lot of interest paid to it, in the form of ‘likes’ and other reactions.

“Maybe, this is the way through all the violence,” is the sentiment behind the image.

But it is nothing new.

Gandhi and King would be so pleased

On the original post, a great many comments said essentially this: Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr, did this first. Passive resistance as a tactic against police/military brutality is very effective. However, it also takes a very strong will not to be provoked into responding to verbal taunts and threats.

But even Gandhi and King weren’t the first to do this.

Jesus Christ

“If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also.” (Luke 6:29 New Living Translation)

There aren’t many who would die rather than retaliate. Gandhi and King never got to face a ‘legal’ trial and then execution; they were both assassinated.

Jesus knew what he was doing would lead to his death and he accepted his fate. In doing so, he changed the course of history. He also changed our relationship with life.

Sometimes Kneeling is effective, too

Colin Kaepernick started a movement of protest to highlight an abuse of power. He did it quietly during the playing of the American national anthem before NFL games. Soon it caught on, partially fanned by the focus of publicity by the media, partly by the bombastic response from their Commander-in-Chief. Soon, players all over the NFL were taking a knee.

The fact that Kaepernick lost his job, and his livelihood, demonstrates his commitment to this cause. Now, he’s the face of Nike. Maybe, he’ll become Pope one day.

Conclusion

There really is nothing new under the sun. Perhaps, it is just the lack of knowledge that makes people myopic. Look at the bigger picture, folks.

Something’s turning.