EDITORIAL: Teens Need to Support the International Day of Non-Violence on October 2
By Odeth Garcia
September 24, 2024 for The Signature
If you watch the news at all, you have probably seen multiple stories about a violent event in the city. Some of them might have been close to home, or they might not have been. Either way, it is important to remember that no matter how much we are exposed to regular violence in our city, it is not something we should be “used to.”
Shootings, stabbings, assault, and hate crimes are not “just how things are.”
Despite what we might think, we are not outside of the violence either. We can never sit and assume that because it will “never happen to us,” we should sit and do nothing.
Last year, one of our very own students was a victim of a horrible act of violence in Little Village.
While you read this, I encourage you to remember these names: Daniela Alvarez, a sophomore Hancock student who was killed by a firearm in her own home, in her own neighborhood. She had dreams and aspirations that she will ever be able to reach due to violence; she will forever be 15.
And her mother, Carina Gonzalez, who was killed with the same firearm after witnessing the shooting of her own child.
No matter who we are or where we live, we have a responsibility to refute and reject violence. Not as a student, as a reporter, or as an activist; as a person, we need to collectively decide that non-violence is the best thing to encourage.
We have been conditioned to assume that our voice and our actions are unimportant; if we are not part of the government, what we say will not matter. But the International Day of Non-Violence exists to remind us otherwise.
Celebrated on October 2, the International Day of non-violence is an occasion to “disseminate the message of non-violence, including through education and public awareness,” according to the United Nations, which established the commemoration on June 15, 2007, and they chose the date to honor Mahatma Ghandi, known to be the pioneer of the philosophy and strategy of non-violence.
Non-Violence Is Not Just Anti-War
In the United Nations ‘explanation of the celebration, Professor Gene Sharp, a leading scholar on non-violent resistance, uses the following definition in his publication, The Politics of Nonviolent Action: While the term “non-violence” tends to be used as a synonym for pacifism, it isn’t necessarily centered around rejecting war.
Sharp goes on to say that, “Non-violence can be applied to any issue, whether it be local, nationwide, old news, or recent events. No matter what kind of issues are prevalent in the world, October 2nd serves as a reminder to fight those battles using non-violent acts, including (but not limited to):
- Non-cooperation (boycotting, refusal to work for injustice)
- Inaggressive intervention (occupations, blockages)
- Peaceful protests (walkouts, public displays)”
One of the biggest aspects of Mahatma Ghandi’s legacy is peaceful protesting, which we continue to use today, as demonstrated by D’pharoah Woon-A-Tai at this year’s Emmy’s award ceremony.
The red handprint has become a symbol of awareness for the murder of indigenous women. The actor explained his act of awareness on his social media, “I did this for those who ain’t here, not 4 me, not 4 y’all.
While Woon-A-Tai is a famous actor, we do not need to be well known to openly demonstrate support for non-violence. In fact, as a Hancock student, we might have already acted in non-violent practices, using Mahatma Ghandi’s philosophy, without knowing the significance behind them
How Teens Can Act Nonviolently
In the same way that we can not fight fire with fire, we can not condemn violence with violence. It is my hope that we as a society can change the way we view and react to violence. Even if we aren’t actively in protest, there are still ways we can celebrate and honor International day of nonviolence, and the organization Changing Minds Now separates them into five distinct gestures:
- Listening: Demonstrating that you value what people have to say
- Comforting: Demonstrating that you are a safe space for others
- Collaboration: Helping others work through problems
- Inspiring: Helping others imagine possibilities
- Celebrating: Building your community’s self-esteem
On this day, we should remember the people whose lives were cut short due to this epidemic and make an effort to live non-violent lives.
Headline photo courtesy of Lara Jameson @ Pexels.com