A Silent Protest in Portland

Portland City Hall

My husband is pictured here in a line that wrapped around the entire block

In Silent Witness

On July 21st my husband and I participated in an hour long silent protest where we joined others who circled Portland City Hall in active support of Black Lives Matter and the great struggle for racial, social, economic, and ecological justice. Afterwords Ron and I joined the protest occurring at the nearby federal buildings. Molly

* * * * * *

From the Buddhist Peace Fellowship: 

This is a silent protest. This is not a peaceful protest. Do not call us “peaceful protesters.” To be peaceful in this moment of State violence is to be complicit. We are not complicit.

From Rev. Zenju Earthlyn Manuel, in her new book, The Deepest Peace: “Peace is not superior. Peace is persistent. Rage is persistent as well. I meditate while trembling with rage.”

Portland Buddhist Peace Fellowship meditates in public to call attention to systemic racism and its brutality and violence. We meditate in rage, honoring the suffering caused by white supremacy. We meditate in silence. Silence is one tactic. We support multiple tactics. Many of us practice multiple tactics. 

 

Do not call us peaceful. We are strengthened by meditation so that we can find other ways to resist the domination of a violent State. Do not mistake our silence for peacefulness.