Nonviolent direct action?
On December 26th, 2007 Bill Sweet (not verified) says:

When I was reading the latest peacework magazine (12/07-01/08)I turned to page 16 and thought wow! Someone has done some impressive direct action work! Then my pacifist nonviolent mind started asking questions; Is this violent or nonviolent action? What if the signs were burnt intead of smeared with painted hand prints? What if the signs were stolen?
Then I read the article on the page; "Consequences of War Enacted at Blackwater Headquarters". Another direct action project came to mind when I read that this action was organized by the Catholic Workers at Jonah House. I believe it was in 1964 when the Berrigan brothers and other activists walked into a draft office in Baltimore, went through the files, and carried stacks of personal draft records outside and burnt them.
Do you consider that violence? Slashing military recruiter's tires, throwing bricks through military recruitment offices, burning someone's American flag on private property. Where are we headed with direct action? We know the facts of the thuggery and murder by Blackwater employees. We know the facts concerning the militarization of local police, the blatant violent use of physical force, pepper spraying, tasing, etc. How far will this militarization, violence and mockery of the Bill of Rights go? How do we in the peace and counter-recruitment movement respond to all this? What can we justify as "nonviolent direct action"?

(Bill Sweet wrote the above and posted it elsewhere on the site, I'm (sam) re-posting it here as well.)