MLK Day. A trip to Richmond with our gun-toting fellow citizens

Michael Beer, Director, Nonviolence International

I could have done a river clean-up on Martin Luther King Jr. day, or gone to a celebration of his life, but instead I thought the best way to honor Dr. King would be to stand up to injustice. I decided to spend the day focused on gun violence.

I went down to Richmond Virginia on January 20th, Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Day, to lobby and counter a pro-gun rally. At 8am, I left Arlington Virginia in a Prius with a friend from Moms Demand Action ( a group opposed to gun violence). We had intended to support counter-protesters.

I was expecting enormous pro-gun crowds and feared that parking would be difficult. But we kept driving to the capitol and found mostly empty streets with some charter buses. In a parking garage, we pulled our little car into a space between two gigantic pickup trucks. There were many such large gas-guzzling vehicles with many out-of-state license plates.

We walked to the capital and passed many police working for the State, the city of Richmond and Virginia Commonwealth University. We talked to 2 African American men in their 30’s with big orange stickers that said “guns save lives.” We said we were going to join a lobbying event focused on the needs of people of color. Unfortunately, this event was cancelled. They said they were veterans and wanted guns to provide home security. We wandered through the streets of the capitol that were shut off to traffic. We greeted some with “Happy MLK Day”. We always got courteous responses, despite my colleague’s pussy hat and my buttons of progressive causes. We waded through crowds of men who were dressed up like soldiers and carrying semi-automatic weapons. Looks like people were really into showing off their hardware.

I was afraid that some folks would see my anti-gun button and mob us. So I kept moving, kept my eyes down and never had anyone pay us attention. People were happy to be there and everyone was polite. Luckily we didn’t see any Neo-Nazi flags and just a few confederate ones. We were surprised at the paucity of Trump stuff.

Everywhere we looked there were identical orange stickers that said “guns save lives”. It was surprising to see so few hand-made signs, although many folks wore t-shirts, hats, and jackets that had various messages. There were almost no children but quite a mix of adult ages. Also, mostly men, and overwhelmingly European American. As a veteran of hundreds of protests, I’d say there were 6 to 8 thousand people, much fewer than I anticipated. Folks did some chants of USA…and “Northam Out” but there were not many bullhorns. We took some selfies with the crowds in the background to post on our social media pages to let our friends know where we were…and then decided to get out of the crowds and go see our legislators. Unfortunately, the capitol was difficult to get to because of the crowds.

At 11am, we waited in a short line at the Pocahontas building, went through a metal detector, and headed up the stairs to cheer-up and lobby our legislators. None of the legislators were there, so we decided to thank the offices of 11 legislators who we have relationships with. Many had large groups of pro-gun advocates early in the morning, but by noon, the halls were remarkably empty despite crowds outside. Many wanted to display their guns but were not permitted in the building with them. Perhaps this is because many Americans don’t know how to lobby or don’t see its value. So yes, the rally was burdensome on the government because so many police were mobilized and paid overtime. And yes, many legislative staff stayed home. But actually the overall legislative pressure from the pro-gun crowd was modest.

We thanked staffers (see photo below) for their commitments to end gun violence and talked to them about a range of issues that are important to us. Many staff didn't want us to leave..and were grateful for our encouragement. Sure enough, the legislators passed gun control measures the very next day.

As we walked back to the car, the streets were rapidly clearing by 1pm. Organizers were picking up trash and cigarette butts off the streets. This is commendable. Rather than use their guns, they used classic nonviolent tactics found in our global database, such as rallies, flags, music, stickers and banners.

Pictured Below: Barbara Wien (center) with legislative staffers

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Do you have the guts to follow Dr. King?

Dear friend,

This year we invite you to re-read Dr. King’s Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, (or you can watch it on here).

“I conclude that this award which I receive on behalf of that movement is a profound recognition that nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral question of our time – the need for man to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to violence and oppression…. we will know that we are living in the creative turmoil of a genuine civilization struggling to be born…I refuse to accept the cynical notion that nation after nation must spiral down a militaristic stairway into the hell of thermonuclear destruction. I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word in reality.”

Despite making much progress in alleviating racism, sexism and reducing global poverty, we see violence and injustice growing in wars and occupations that destroy civilian life, in places like Palestine, Sudan, Western Sahara, Burma, Ukraine, Uganda, and the Congo. The world has surpassed 100 million refugees, as militarism and war have accelerated.

We see governments across the world suppress dissent and weaken human rights in the name of “security.” Racialized police violence continues. Mass incarceration that destroys communities. Economic inequality is growing while basic needs go unmet. Voting rights are under attack. Protest is criminalized. Migrants are treated as threats rather than human beings.

In the United States, the home of Dr. King, the US government is abetting genocide, attacking constitutional and international laws and institutions, and throwing the world over the cliff into climate chaos, all for the sake of transferring vast wealth and power to the few.

Nonviolence International exists because we refuse to accept this as normal.

Nonviolence is harder than violence. We are not going to kill or threaten our way to a just and sustainable future. We must use persuasion, nonviolent coercion, the rule of law, global cooperation and governance in order to survive and thrive. And we must bring on board the huge segments of humanity who succumb to greed and cruelty and elect abusive leaders out of fear or coercion.

Nonviolence is a way of resisting violence without becoming it.
It is organized, courageous, and disciplined. It is about telling the truth, confronting power, and standing with those who are most impacted.

Dr. King understood that nonviolence demands commitment. It demands action. And it demands a willingness to be uncomfortable for the sake of justice.

Following Dr. King’s example, we ask you to write or video record your own speech on nonviolence! You can write for the world, but we ask that you do it to your kids, your community, and/or your country and in your native language.

We will help you publish it on our website or tag / collaborate us on Instagram and Facebook!

The arc of the moral universe does not bend by itself. It bends when people choose to act.

Thank you for walking this path with us, today and every day.

In solidarity,
Michael Beer & Sami Awad, Co-Directors

P.S. Register for our upcoming webinar: Beyond Political Illusions: What This Moment Demands of Us, on Jan 21, at 10AM ET / 5PM Jerusalem time. We will have a powerful panel, including Jonathan Kuttab, Huwaida Arraf, and Jeff Halper.

Webinar Jan 21 - Beyond Political Illusions: What This Moment Demands of Us

Nonviolence Must Prevail in Iran

As we write this, the people of Iran are demonstrating in the streets of their cities and towns for the last 3 weeks.. They are calling for change and demanding to be heard, despite the violence they are facing from their own government — the death toll may be over 2000 people. The world needs to understand what is happening and why we must respond with urgency and wisdom.

What Is Happening in Iran?

In late December 2025, shopkeepers in Tehran closed their stores. These were not political radicals,these were ordinary business owners who could no longer survive. The cost of food had risen dramatically, after Iran's currency, the rial, lost nearly half its value in 2025. What began as protests about the economy quickly became something much larger. People across Iran, students, pensioners, young people, merchants, took to the streets. They are now calling not just for economic relief, but for fundamental change in how their country is governed. The protests have spread to at least 185 cities. Demonstrations have erupted on university campuses. The chants in the streets express deep frustration: "Death to the Dictator" and "Neither Gaza nor Lebanon, My Life for Iran."

This is not the first time Iranians have risen up. Many remember the Woman, Life, Freedom protests in 2022 after Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman, died in custody after being arrested for not wearing her hijab "correctly." Those demonstrations were met with brutal force—tear gas, mass arrests, and live ammunition. Hundreds died and thousands were imprisoned, but Iranians now state that the morality police are less visible in many urban areas, and many women are openly foregoing the veil without immediate crackdowns.

But the roots go deeper. For decades, Iranians have lived under a system where one man, the Shah Pahlavi, and then the Religious Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, holds ultimate power over all major decisions. Elections happen, but real power remains concentrated in an unelected official. Young Iranians, who make up a large portion of the population,see no future for themselves. They watch their government spend money supporting armed groups in other countries while they struggle at home. They see corruption, mismanagement, and their voices ignored.

The government blames Iran's economic problems on international sanctions—restrictions placed on Iran by other countries, particularly the United States. While sanctions have certainly contributed to economic hardship, Iran's leaders have begun to admit that their own governance failures share responsibility. President Masoud Pezeshkian, elected in 2024 on promises of economic reform, acknowledged this reality even as the protests spread.

The Violence We Condemn

We are deeply concerned about active violence from all sides. Some protesters have thrown stones and burned government buildings. Government armed actors have been killed. We understand the rage that drives such actions, but we believe that sustainable democratic change comes through disciplined, nonviolent resistance.

Our greatest concern, however, is the violence perpetrated by the Iranian government. The state possesses a complete monopoly on weapons—guns, tear gas, riot control equipment, and the entire security apparatus. Reports indicate that hundreds of protesters have been killed, many shot at close range with live ammunition. Thousands have been arrested. Iran's attorney general has warned that protesters could face charges carrying the death penalty.

The government has shut down internet access in many areas, cutting Iranians off from the outside world and making it difficult to document what is happening. In 2025, Iran executed at least 1,500 people—the highest number in nearly 40 years—as part of what appears to be a deliberate strategy to instill fear. As adherents to Islam, a religion espousing peace, this violence against your own people is haram and unacceptable.

We call on the US and Israel to stop their attacks and continued threats of bombing and regime change. Some desperate Iranians have unwisely called for foreign armed intervention hoping for some miracle. This is more likely to increase government repression.

International sanctions, particularly those imposed by the United States, have for the most part devastated Iran's economy. These sanctions fall most heavily on ordinary Iranians—the same people now protesting in the streets. Sanctions make food more expensive. They restrict access to medicine. They destroy jobs and opportunities. In effect, the international community is punishing the Iranian people for the actions of a government they did not choose and cannot change through normal democratic means.

What the World Must Do

The United States and the international community must lift economic sanctions on Iran. Sanctions strengthen authoritarian governments by giving them an external enemy to blame, by forcing citizens to depend on the state for survival, and by creating a siege mentality that makes reform more difficult. Lifting sanctions would empower the Iranian people. It would improve their economic conditions and give them breathing room to organize and demand change. It would remove the government's favorite excuse for economic failure. And it would demonstrate that the international community stands with the Iranian people, not against them. A best outcome would be for the US and other nations to pay reparations for unwarranted suffering. The US and the UN should call for and enforce a Nuclear Weapons Free Middle East (West Asia).

A Nonviolent Path Forward

We call on the Iranian government to recognize the legitimate grievances of its people, and to engage in dialogue and compromise rather than violence. When a government responds to peaceful protest with bullets, it reveals its own weakness and desperation.

The best outcome we can envision is a referendum on Iran's constitution and genuinely free elections where Iranians can choose their own path forward. The current constitution concentrates power in the hands of unelected religious authorities. The previous constitution did so with an unelected monarch.

Iranians deserve the opportunity to decide what kind of country they want to live in.

What matters is that the Iranian people are the ones who determine their future. Not foreign governments, not military intervention, not external pressure. The people themselves, through their courage and their commitment to justice. We have witnessed people power transform nations—from the Philippines to Poland to Chile to South Africa. We have seen ordinary citizens, armed only with their conviction and their willingness to stand together, overcome seemingly invincible authoritarian systems. The path is never easy. The cost is often high. But change is possible.

Our Message to the People of Iran

You are not alone. The world sees you and our courage inspires us. Your determination to build a better future for yourselves and your children gives us hope.

As part of developing any nonviolent strategy in any situation, certain issues are important to take into account. We urge you to remain disciplined in your protests. We understand that the government uses violence out of desperation, but we encourage Iranians to continue to use measures that sometimes lowers the violence and in some cases improves effectiveness:

Protest primarily during the day time.
Invite all people, including women, elderly and children to participate.
Support the creation of a national network of Mothers and Families of the Martyrs.
Video record everything.
Denounce attacks on mosques or Islam, even though many see that the religion has been corrupted and misused by state power.
Look to the medical community for emerging and credible alternative leadership.
Build mutual aid networks
Use of non-cooperation techniques such as boycotts and merchant strikes.
Use of tactics dispersed over a large area.
Build unity with the diaspora in spite of its extreme elements.

Nonviolent resistance is not passive, it is strategic. It builds broader support, both within Iran and internationally. It withdraws support for the pillars of power, particularly if society uses tax resistance and general strikes.We know that many of you are feeling desperate and wanting revenge for the suffering. But feelings and violent revolution without modern weapons will likely not achieve your goals. You are welcome to get more ideas on possible tactics from our catalogue of 346 tactics in our huge global database and also explained in our Farsi language downloadable book, Civil Resistance Tactics of the 21st Century.

To the international community: Do not abandon the Iranian people in their hour of need. Sanctions are not solidarity. Lift the economic restrictions that make their lives harder. Support their right to determine their own future. And make clear that the world is watching how their government responds.

The road ahead for Iran is uncertain. But in the streets of Tehran, Isfahan, Tabriz, and hundreds of other cities, the Iranian people are writing a new chapter in their long history. They are reclaiming their voice and demanding their dignity. They are showing the world that the human spirit cannot be crushed, no matter how heavily the boot presses down.

History will remember this moment. Let us ensure that history records not just the suffering, but the courage. Not just the violence, but the resistance. Not just the crisis, but the possibility of transformation. The people of Iran are crying out for justice. The question is whether the world will listen—and whether we will respond with wisdom, compassion, and solidarity.

From Bethlehem on Christmas Eve: A Call to Responsibility

Dear friends,

I am writing to you from Bethlehem, a place many associate, especially this time of year, with hope, good tidings, and comfort. If you are expecting that kind of message from me today, this is not quite it.

Santa Klaus, often mistaken for me, in a Christmas nonviolent protest against illegal Jewish settlement expansion in 2014.

What Bethlehem offers today is not reassurance, but clarity. People here are celebrating not because the “war in Gaza” is over or we are ignoring our reality but because it is what we have left in our resilience.

You need to know that from Bethlehem to Gaza, from the West Bank to Palestinian communities everywhere, we continue to witness the steady devaluation of our life. At times it erupts with devastating intensity, as we see now in Gaza. At other times it unfolds more quietly, in ways that are easier to ignore. But it follows the same trajectory.

Let us be honest: If Jesus were alive today, he would likely not be celebrating his birth in the ways we have grown accustomed to. He would not be participating in rituals that allow us to feel at peace while others live under siege, displacement, and violence. He would be standing with those under attack, challenging leaders who use sacred language to avoid moral responsibility, and calling for action that costs something.

Hope, when it is not accompanied by action, has become something Palestinians cannot afford.

What continues to happen in Gaza is not happening in isolation. It is the most extreme expression of long-standing political choices, sustained impunity, and a global willingness to tolerate Palestinian suffering. This will not change simply because we are moved or disturbed. It will change when enough people refuse silence, refuse normalization, and insist on accountability.

At Nonviolence International, we work to apply pressure, support nonviolent resistance, and stand with communities insisting that Palestinian life has value. But nonviolence is not symbolic. It requires participation.

This is where you come in. Act now:

Demand an immediate and real ceasefire, the complete lifting of the siege, and the right of Palestinians to self-determination (along with all other occupied peoples).
Pressure decision-makers — call, write, organize, to stop our taxes, governments, and corporations from supporting malign domination here and everywhere.
Support nonviolent frontline work — protective presence, documentation, and community defense rely on real support, including your donations.
Refuse normalization — do not accept Israeli occupation, mass displacement, starvation, or mass killing as inevitable or “too complex.” Join the divestment and boycott efforts where you live.

This is not a message meant to inspire false comfort.

It is a message meant to invite responsibility. To work for that day when we all, no matter how we identify ourselves, celebrate real peace, equality and freedom for all.

From Bethlehem, we are asking you to give birth to renewed action.

In solidarity,
Sami Awad
Co-Director

P.S. If you want to help and still don’t know where to start, please increase your annual or monthly donation to NVI, and/or donations to support our partners. And as bad as things are in Bethlehem, please don't forget Gaza.

Nonviolence International
https://www.nonviolenceinternational.net/

MLK Day - A Trip to Richmond with our Gun-Toting Fellow Citizens