A pious colleague asks: “Must nonviolence be effective to be significant?” To be fair, he explains “How do we honor our nonviolent lifestyles and principles when we are faced with the choice to accept or reject available strategies and tactics.” (Punctuation his!)

May I say: If a tree falls in the forest, and no one hears it, stop knocking the trees over. How many do you have to spare? Please don’t tax others for your pledge to be insignificant and ineffective.

If you want to light a candle for peace in the privacy of your living room, you don’t need an organization to mobilize your effort. Don’t judge another’s pacifism, lest they judge your passivism. Please don’t restrain those of us who want to light a candle where all can share it.