"There comes a time when passive demonstrations with clever signs are not enough to respond to escalating authoritarianism," organizers of the recent Non-Violent Direct Action (NVDA) training in Ascutney wrote in a news release.
Presenters Steve Crofter and Laurel Green will lead half-day NVDA training sessions throughout southeastern Vermont in August.
Crofter and Green have decades of experience with political action and have recently begun preparing Vermonters with workshops on the principles and practice of NVDA. Among other topics, the trainings "will cover the effectiveness of nonviolence, finding courage to act, de-escalation, and how to make social change in solidarity with others."
They are offering the training, as Green puts it, because "many people are taking part in rallies and protests without training. Even learning the basics of NVDA can help them gain confidence, become more effective, de-escalate conflict, and keep one another safe."
Crofter adds that, "statistics show that nonviolence is about twice as effective as violence in creating meaningful change; as Joan Baez puts it, 'The only thing that's been a worse flop than the organization of nonviolence has been the organization of violence.'"
The schedule for the trainings and contact information are as follows:
• Chester: Sunday Aug. 17, 1 to 5:30 p.m. Contact Steve Dock at 512-466-5656.
• Springfield: Wednesday, Aug. 20, 1 to 5:30 p.m. Contact Sharon Mueller at 802-885-8094.
• Bellows Falls: Sunday, Aug. 24, 1 to 5:30 p.m. Contact Linda Robinson at 802-463-3220.
• Putney: Tuesday, Aug. 26, 1 to 5:30 p.m. Contact Mary Houghton at 802-363-0711.
• Brattleboro: Friday, Aug. 29, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Contact George Carvill at ascvt.org/nvda and [email protected].
There will be a limit of 30 participants at each training.
This Town and Village item was submitted to The Commons.