“There is one thing that I didn’t
understand about that sit-in, though,” said Zammie.
“And
what’s that?” asked Mr. G.
“Why
didn’t they fight back? Why just sit there and take that abuse? I was confused
that Anne was mad at me for fighting off that guy. And then she helped him as
if he was on her side.”
“It’s
because they were outnumbered, right, Mister G?” asked Kyla.
“True,
they were outnumbered, Kyla, but that’s not why they engaged in a peaceful
protest. They were following the teachings of Gandhi and Martin Luther King,
Jr. who taught that those who are acting in a lawful and just manner should
never engage in violence even if violence is enacted against them.”
“Not
even for self-defense?” asked Zammie.
“Self-preservation,
sure. But that doesn’t require an assault on your enemy which is what I think
you mean.”
“What I
mean is if someone is hitting you then you have to hit 'em back to get 'em off you,” said Zammie.
“In most situations that is true. But the
point of the peaceful protest is to maintain the higher moral ground. With hope
that there is enough just sentiment in the world watching that your argument of
peace will overpower your opponent’s argument of hate. This is true whether
it’s just a few people like Anne Moody and the other students or if it’s entire
armies going to war.”
-- from Time Trip #4: Killing for Country
ADVENTURE 4
GETTYSBURG COVER
CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE SERIES AVAILABLE NOW!
THE JOURNEY TO ANCIENT GREECE
A RIDE ON THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
WITNESS TO THE FIRST THANKSGIVING
There
was a knock at the door. Everyone turned around to see Mr. G’s
eighteen-year-old granddaughter Kareena entering with a tray of tea mugs. She
had long charcoal hair that flowed down her back, and she wore a short royal
blue dress that sparkled. Zammie’s mouth instantly dried up when he saw her.
Sadako slept in one of the small bedrooms on the third floor of their family’s house. Sadako and Mitsue shared one futon and Kyla and Zammie shared another. Kyla was awoken just before dawn by one of the trams rolling out of the Kyobashi stop outside the window and across the street. She climbed out of the blue futon and walked over to the window. She looked outside and saw people already beginning to fill the market area down the road. It had rained during the night and the last drips from the wooden terraces along the houses were still pattering down onto the pavement below.
