End of Year Giveaway: A Force More Powerful

Skip to below for details on winning our first giveaway EVER.

I visited Nonviolence International a few weeks ago to visit two wonderful people: Michael Beer, who I met while organizing against corporate globalization prior to 9/11, and Mubarak Awad, who I met in 1987.

Mubarak was fighting at the time against Israeli efforts to deport him from Jerusalem, where he was born. He had made the mistake of founding the Palestinian Center for Nonviolence, which the Israelis (quite rightly) feared would promote and expand the possibilities for Palestinian liberation. I was part of a group called the "Shministim" made up of high school students intending to refuse to serve in the Occupied Territories. We saw Awad as our partner, a leader of the Palestinian side we wanted to be in partnership with.

I won't tell what NI is up to these days.... but it looks to be powerful. One of things they do is promote the possibilities of nonviolent transformation. While most folks know about Ghandi and MLK Jr., the stories coming from Denmark, Poland and Chile are less well known.

Many observers are convinced (and I'm one of them) that a nonviolent strategy for transforming Israel and liberating the Palestinian people would be much more successful than the current one, in which Hamas and Fatah rely on violence and the threat of violence as central element.

In honor of Nonviolence International and York Zimmerman Productions, Peace in the Middle East will give away a copy of A Force More Powerful over the next week. To win, all you have to do is 1)make a wholesome comment anywhere on this cause, and 2) give Nonviolence International a testimonial right here. after New Year's, I'll choose someone at random and send them the film.

Unfortunately, this is only available to folks with a U.S. address.

Here's what some folks have to say about this film:

"Journalistically, A Force More Powerful brings much honor to PBS and the individuals and groups that funded the film. The film is a work of art because, first, it is a work of fact."
- Colman McCarthy, The National Catholic Reporter

"In a time when there are so few authentic heroes, A Force More Powerful shows all of us, young and old alike, people who take principled risks far beyond their own self-interest."
- Nat Hentoff, Syndicated Columnist

"An important, carefully made, and fascinating documentary that investigates nonviolent resistance movements that have succeeded around the world."
-The Christian Science Monitor

"...rich in archival footage and thoughtful interviews ... The stories are inspiring, sometimes awesome."
-The Washington Post

"Expect more than a passive chronicle of nonviolence ... A Force More Powerful's stark footage and personal stories add drama to the history of a 20th century movement."
- Los Angeles Times