The Science of War v The Science of Nonviolence, a Quote by Gandhi

I pulled this quote from the Wikipedia entry on Gandhi.

I was reminded that today is Gandhi's birthday by the Google search engine, which has an image of Gandhi's head (representing the letter "G" in Google) on it's homepage, presumably written on a strip of Khādī, symbolic of Gandhian self-reliance (and economic autonomy.)

I think it's pretty awesome that Google acknowledges the birthday of Gandhi. I'm not sure about the Google brand name being scrawled across a strip of Khādī, but I suppose there are aspects of Google, and the Internet, that are democratic. Yay for democracy, yay for nonviolence. Yay for Gandhi. And Happy Birthday!

Against war, against violence, against oppression, against hate, prejudice, discrimination, injustice, inequality, environmental degradation, tyranny, etc.

For peace, for nonviolence, for democracy, for social and economic justice, for equality, for anarchy, sustainability, harmony and balance between humanity and nature, for truth, for reconciliation...

Celebrate Gandhi, celebrate citizen journalism, and again, Happy Birthday!

Global Wisdom MV seen from Percival Landing, at dusk, Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Global Wisdom; that's an interesting name for an ocean going vessel. It begs me to question the wisdom of shipping logs, the carcasses of clear-cut trees, to overseas markets. Is clearcutting sound ecological practice? Does clearcutting harm wilderness? Does the practice of clearcutting fit in with sustainability? Does clearcutting constitute correct stewardship practices?

More recent photos from around Olympia below:

I want to share some wisdom that was recently shared with me. A friend printed up a couple cards, and the information that they contain really resonates deeply with me. One is some wisdom from Marshall Rosenberg, author of Nonviolent Communication. The other is wisdom from Buddhadasa, a Thai monk.

By the way, there are nonviolent communication courses being offered at locations throughout the Puget Sound region. Northwest Compassionate Communication

Here's the card on Buddhadasa, according to my transcription:

know the heart

know the heart
or essence
of your own
spirituality,
and encourage others
to know theirs.

share with others
at deeper levels,
don't dwell on the
differences,
recognize those things
held in common
and build on that

work together to
"drag humanity out from
under the power of
materialism."

sharings from
buddhadasa

servant of the
buddha

a thai monk