Distinctive Features of NONKILLING
POETRY FORMAT, 3 Sep 2012
Francisco Gomes de Matos – TRANSCEND Media Service
NONKILLING dignifies personal power
NONKILLING dignifies public power
NONKILLING elevates personal peace
NONKILLING elevates public peace
NONKILLING dignifies personal protection
NONKILLING dignifies public protection
NONKILLING elevates political life
NONKILLING elevates political science
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Francisco Gomes de Matos is a peace linguist and human rights educator from Recife-Brazil, author, among others, of the book Nurturing Nonkilling: A Poetic Plantation (2010, Center for Global Nonkilling, Honolulu-Hawai’i). Downloadable at www.nonkilling.org. Co-founder: The World Dignity University Initiative.
This article originally appeared on Transcend Media Service (TMS) on 3 Sep 2012.
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[…] original here: TRANSCEND MEDIA SERVICE » Distinctive Features of NONKILLING Tweet This Post Posted on 03/09/2012 by MUNOZ33Millie, Reply Posted in Comentário, Opiniao […]
There is nothing wrong with “NONKILLING”. In principle, I agree. Life is precious. But I say that “NONKILLING” alone is not enough.
Look at Guantanamo, for instance, where torture is begin done — almost any types of torture — not only NONKILLING. (NONKILLING torture?) Officials in charge of torture at Guantanamo might proudly read aloud the above poem. Imagine as follows: If you are a prisoner at Guantanamo, and if Guantanamo officials are chanting the above poem while they are torturing you, what do you think? An unintended implication hidden in the above poem is that you can do whatever to a person (such as to a prisoner or whosoever) if you do not kill him or her.
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The word “NONKILLING” in the above poem should be replaced with the words “HUMAN RIGHTS”.
Then, the above poem would be like this:
HUMAN RIGHTS dignifies personal power
HUMAN RIGHTS dignifies public power
HUMAN RIGHTS elevates personal peace
HUMAN RIGHTS elevates public peace
HUMAN RIGHTS dignifies personal protection
HUMAN RIGHTS dignifies public protection
HUMAN RIGHTS elevates political life
HUMAN RIGHTS elevates political science
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Needless to say, however, one of the most important human rights — or probably the most important human right — is the “right to life”. Therefore, I do not disagree with the author of the above poem. I said, “In principle, I agree.”
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) stipulates, “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.” (Article 3) The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) stipulates, “Every human being has the inherent right to life.” (The first paragraph of the Article 6)
Nonetheless, the right to life is one of the human rights however vital it is. To ensure personal power, public power, personal peace, public peace, personal protection, public protection, political life and political science, all other human rights are also necessary to be observed.
Dear Satoshi,
Appreciate your contribution.To show you that we share
a conviction concerning Human Rights, please google
Human Rights: A Nonkilling perspective
It is my multidimensional interpretation of ways in which human beings can violate the right to life.
Please read it and do send me some feedback.
Dear satoshi:
Ooops, mistyped my email .Should be
fcardosogomesdematos@gmail.com
Dear Francico,
Thank you very much for your positive response, Francico. I will read your website and I will contact you in due course. (Your website contains many pages with so much information (including your article http://www.nonkilling.org/node/286 ). Let me read these pages one by one carefully.)
By the way, let me add a bit more to my previous comment.
Ultimately, human rights are based on “love” — “love of humanity”. Furthermore, now you can see the flow as follows: “From ‘NONKILLING’ to ‘HUMAN RIGHTS’ to ‘LOVE’.” “NONKILLING” is the first step, “HUMAN RIHGTS” are mile stones, and “LOVE” is the answer, the way and the goal. If “NONKILLING” is the alpha, “LOVE” is the omega (and everything from the alpha all the way toward the omega). Accordingly, “LOVE” must be the main and supreme element in the above poem. As such, Francico’s poem can also be written as follows:
LOVE dignifies personal power
LOVE dignifies public power
LOVE elevates personal peace
LOVE elevates public peace
LOVE dignifies personal protection
LOVE dignifies public protection
LOVE elevates political life
LOVE elevates political science
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Once again, thank you very much, Fancico, for your friendly response. Have a nice weekend.
With peace, appreciation and respect,
Satoshi.