The Rev. Mike Jackson, the Rev. Monica Corsaro, Jan and Bill Cate, and Jack Borland served as panelists for “Crossing the Line into Civil Disobedience” at First UMC in Bellevue, Wash.
Bellevue crosses the line into civil disobedience | By Jesse N. Love
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First United Methodist Church of Bellevue, Wash. hosted a series of presentations encouraging discussion on how to “Speak Up, Step Out, Change the World!” On October 16, 2012, First UMC presented “Crossing the Line into Civil Disobedience” featuring a small panel to discuss the particular movements from the failed Occupy movement, to war tax resistance, to addressing the needs of the LGBT community. How and when do citizens cross the line from obedience to civil disobedience? As individuals, how can one make an impact in the community through peaceful, passive resistance?
The night’s speakers included the Rev. Mike Jackson, a former Canadian Army officer and retired Episcopal priest assisting at St. Mark’s Cathedral in Seattle; the Rev. Monica Corsaro, pastor of Rainier Beach United Methodist Church in Seattle, Bill and Jan Cate, husband-and-wife peace activists who work for the Bellevue Women in Black and the Church Council of Greater Seattle, respectively; and Jack Borland an attorney and believer in freedom of speech and religion.
Each speaker from the panel introduced themselves to the audience and shared how they participate in civil disobedience.
The Rev. Mike Jackson was first involved with the migrant farm workers movement that Cesar Chavez inspired in California. He experienced first-hand seeing police escorting activists and giving people a ‘hard time’. For years, he and his family had boycotted grapes in solidarity of the movement. Jackson cited Mohandas Gandhi’s movement in India as an example of peaceful resistance rather than disobedience.
The Rev. Monica Corsaro spoke on behalf of her and her colleagues’ experiences with the Occupy Seattle movement. She commented that the Occupy movement is a way of living more than something to show up and ‘participate in’. She shared how her fellow Pastor, John Helmiere was involved in a confrontation with police officers leaving him battered as he stayed committed to non-violence.
Jan and Bill Cate are involved in war tax resistance. Jan Cate is involved in the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. Both shared concerns for the US’s military budget seeing that propaganda easily influences people to join military programs.
Jack Borland shared that civil disobedience is when one refuses to obey the law but also refuses violence through passive resistance.
The panel identified a few of the challenges in civil disobedience. The safety of protestors is always a factor, especially with how police forces are now modeled after the military. With confrontation comes the usage of pepper spray and potential violence. Despite this, the Cates feel that if you have feelings, express those views then give others on the sidelines a chance to make their choices on the issue.
When participating in a movement, it should be rooted into a stronger ideal than just for the sake of demonstration and confrontation. Corsaro shared her opinion on the failure of Seattle’s occupy movement. Although the intentions of the movement were right, there wasn’t enough depth or maturity shares Corsaro. She noticed the movement also had people who were willing to rough it in the camps while others would continue on with their day-to-day, middle class lives. She felt that the movement would benefit from studying other movements, law and hire lawyers.
As the evening continued, the panel addressed questions from the audience touching on current movements and struggles (conflict between Israel and the Palestine, the LGBT movement, better wages and benefits for Wal-Mart employees), strategies (using non-violent language), and the true cost of war.
As economic, religious, and political tensions around the world pulse faster and at a higher frequency, First UMC in Bellevue continues to invite it’s community for interactive discussions on how to “Speak Up, Step Out, Change the World!”
For more information visit fumcbellevue.org
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