“We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence.”
“Here is the true meaning and value of compassion and nonviolence, when it helps us to see the enemy’s point of view, to hear his questions, to know his assessment of ourselves. For from his view we may indeed see the basic weaknesses of our own condition, and if we are mature, we may learn and grow and profit from the wisdom of the brothers who are called the opposition.”
As we watch our nation’s frustration turn on itself we must realize that ignorance exists at every level of participation. There are those whose convictions are sincere and will express that sincerity through resisting the ugly that festers in our ranks. There are those whose convictions are cancerous and will express that cancer through vile means, climbing over the body of justice to facilitate ignominious behavior, with no regard for the other. For the lover of truth, this moment in our tortured history will stain the pages of history forever, and tears will supplant the righteous call that should be this moment-in-motion.
Letters from 500 
Stefan,
“Everyone is right from their side.
I agree we need compassion and understanding for the “enemy” and the “opposition”. But that does not mean we relinquish our duty to be true to ourselves and to our own authenticity, to stand up against what is wrong to us. However, lawlessness does not help anyone’s cause; the law is our institutional representation of a “truth” that always eludes concrete expression. Laws can always be improved over time, as we move toward a “more perfect union”, but we cannot yet live collectively without them.
When any one person stands “above the law”, all people are above the law—or beneath it—and then there is NO LAW. Our limited capacity in being humans cannot tolerate such lawless conditions. We humans are not wise enough to exist without laws and institutions in our current state consciousness. Humility and compassion must be our guides for appreciating the plight of ourselves and our “opposition”, whichever side we may be on. Sincerity and conviction must be our standards for addressing the wrongs we perceive. May our collective actions express the true unity and Oneness that lives deep inside us all. E pluribus unum. Democracy!”
LikeLiked by 1 person