Photo courtesy of Dr. Michael G. Long

Tuesday, Jan. 22, the High Library hosted a lecture and discussion with associate professor of religious studies and peace and conflict studies Dr. Michael Long as part of the events held for Martin Luther King Jr. Week. MLK Week is sponsored by the Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Title IX, the MLK Committee and the Dean for Academic Affairs and Faculty Development.

This lecture “We the Resistance” shares the title and topic with Long’s

newest book: “We the Resistance: Documenting a History of Nonviolent Protest in the United States” released Jan. 29, 2019.
The book, edited by Long, is a collection of stories from protesters ranging from before the Revolutionary War to the present day. Long drew on the research needed to complete this collection to give the MLK week lecture after he was asked to talk about nonviolent protest that anyone could participate in.

Long began the lecture by discussing the resurgence of protests seen in recent years with movements such as Occupy Wall Street, Black Lives Matter, Standing Rock and Me Too. In the United States, there are hundreds of protests every month.

Long listed several protests that had occurred just within the week of the lecture. These included an Indigenous Peoples’ movement, the Women’s March, protests by federal workers in light of the government shutdown, a Mute R-Kelly movement, protest against comedian Louis C.K., a Black Lives Matter protest in Seattle, WA and Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax sitting out a tribute to Robert E. Lee.

These protests are examples of civil resistance, which is the most common form of political protest and much more effective than a violent one.

Long quoted professor, author and founder of the Albert Einstein Institution Gene Sharp’s definition of nonviolent action, which is “a technique of action for applying power in a conflict by using symbolic protests, noncooperation, and defiance, but not physical violence.”

There are three categories of nonviolent action: nonviolent protests, which are typically actions that are largely symbolic; nonviolent noncooperation, which involves actively withdrawing support of something in protest; and nonviolent intervention, which involves going directly into a situation to protest.

Modes of nonviolent protest include the use of petitions, protest signs, resistance art or even rude gestures. Types of nonviolent noncooperation include resignations, strikes and boycotts. Examples of nonviolent intervention include sit-ins, die-ins, occupations, filling up jails or even creating alternate facilities to objectionable ones.

Long called attention to the history of nonviolent protests in the United States. From the Boston Tea Party and movements for the enfranchisement of women to the conscientious objectors during the World Wars and the formation of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), the American people have always used nonviolent action as a means for progress, and yet schools focus primarily or exclusively on wars throughout history.

Perhaps it is this educational endorsement of war which prevents most people from participating in nonviolent protests and even leads to mass criticism.

Long brought up the recent case of former NFL quarterback, Colin Kaepernick taking a knee during the national anthem and encouraged students to share why Kaepernick’s protest has been criticised and called a tactical error. Some responses included that people thought it was disrespectful to soldiers and the country, the fact that he protested at work which would grant his superiors the right to reprimand him, the issue of the public only focusing on if he was allowed to protest in such a way rather than if he could and the fact that he did not organize anything beyond his own action.

Students also discussed the reasoning behind Kaepernick’s knee, saying it could have been to generate attention for the mistreatment of minorities, to prompt discussion or even to cause a legislative change.

Photo courtesy of Dr. Michael G. Long

Long pointed out that movements don’t need to technically accomplish anything to be significant. Last year’s Women’s March had over 200,000 attendees, but technically speaking, it didn’t do anything. Yet it was considered a success because of the inspiration and empowerment it caused. “That’s why you go to a protest— to feel that power that you don’t have by yourself,” Long said.
Long encouraged students to think critically about their situations even here at Etown. He cited the example of tuition—students are continually complaining and yet no one has staged any sort of protest. Long reminded students that while it feels like they are at the very bottom, the system is a pyramid. If one pulls the bottom out of a pyramid the whole thing begins to crumble. Students need to remember that they do have power and can affect change, if only they do something beyond making idle complaints.

Sophomore Samantha Partridge was one of many students who attended the event.

“If you don’t stand up for what you feel should change, nothing is going to happen,” she said.

“There are probably other people who think the same on the issue but they are afraid to stand up.”

However, despite her belief in the importance of nonviolent protest to affect change, she said she was not any more likely to take a stand having heard this talk, but that this was more based on her own personality than anything said or shown.

Either way, no one claims non-violent protest to be easy, especially not Long.

“Nonviolent protest can be very scary—people have died because of it,” Long said.

“People have lost their jobs, or been banished from their families, so it can be very scary and takes some incredible courage. And God knows we need more courage as a people.”

As Theodore Roosevelt said, “Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty.”

Long is “more than delighted” to talk to any students considering nonviolent protest as a possible solution to problems.

“If anybody has been thinking about protesting about something that is very near and dear to them, but aren’t quite sure how to go about it… give me a call,” Long said.