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What is violence, and where did you learn about it? If you are like most people, you already have answers forming in your brain. Likely your memories are powerful, even painful. Now, consider "what is nonviolence, and where did you learn about it?" Are your answers equally clear and powerful?

For many people, power is associated with violence and they cannot imagine life without it. Their descriptions of nonviolence are "ambivalent, sometimes conflicted, [or] brief and superficial," according to researchers at the Center for Nonviolence, Los Angeles, CA.

In this time when violence is seen as an inescapable reality, Peace Connections is joining with many organizations to offer ways to practice nonviolence. When we learn how to incorporate nonviolence into our daily lives, we see its benefits and can imagine and explore more ways to practice it.

The national program is called "A Season For Nonviolence, 64 Ways/Days" and will run January 30 through April 4, 2003.

Peace Connections has customized materials from the Association for Global New Thought for our local community, and has posters and booklets that list different peace-building activities for each day. Note: In the Kansas Children’s Report Card for 2002, Harvey County received a C- for Safety and Security, which includes ratings for Violent Crime, Child Abuse, and Childhood Poverty.

People who have expressed interest and support include Newton Police Chief Jim Daily; Jan Sommers, director of the Harvey County Sexual Abuse Task Force; Marlene Beeson, director of Offender Victims Ministries; Newton Chamber of Commerce CEO Virgil Penner; USD 373 Superintendent John Morton; and Newton Kansan editor-in-chief Doug Anstaett. Along with Director Lynette Redington of the Harvey County Partnership/Communities In Schools, they agree that prevention, rather than punishment, is a much more innovative and cost-effective solution to the problem of violence.