Middle East NONviolence

I have enjoyed several captivating documentaries in recent weeks, all on Current TV. American Jihadi is a fascinating narrative about two American best friends who both convert to Islam. Their paths diverge quite significantly, however. One turned to radicalism, becoming a terrorist in Somalia; the other rejected extremism and remains a mainstream Muslim in the US. Islam is often treated as a singular entity, pre-determining its followers toward violence – this is seen especially among the religious right. Yet this documentary problematizes this approach – two Muslims with very similar stories … two very different expressions of Islam.

The second documentary, How to Start a Revolution, focuses on the impact of Gene Sharp’s writings about nonviolence and his impact on various revolutions in recent years, including the Arab Spring. Sharp, professor emeritus, University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, is a guru on nonviolent action and its potential to facilitate political change. His most influential book, From Dictatorship to Democracy, has found an international audience through the Internet and its ideas have surged through social media outlets. There is an obvious connection between Sharp and other expressions of pacifism, including the Anabaptist rejection of violence as well as a natural link with the work of John Howard Yoder. It is ironic that many Americans associate the Middle East with violence, yet in the midst of conflict, a significant movement of political pacifism has emerged to challenge the brutality of oppressive regimes.