I'd Rather Teach Peace [Englisch] [Gebundene Ausgabe]

The settings that McCarthy taught in run the gamut of contemporary society, and he shows no favoritism as his experiences are recounted with equal compassion and critique of the various audiences with whom he interacts. From prestigious graduate schools (like Georgetown Law) to youth detention centers, private religious academies, alternative high schools, and other settings, McCarthy recognizes that no matter what the circumstances his students may find themselves in, they (and we) all share a common humanity that puts whatever differences may exist among us in perspective. He blends humor, intriguing anecdotes of pacifism in action, and a more than infrequent use of confrontational questions to get students to, as he says, not merely ask questions, but question the answers that they and so many of us have been conditioned to receive about many of the social and cultural dilemmas facing us in today's world. McCarthy is truly a master at getting people to reconsider their old assumptions, and this may be among the most valuable contributions of this book. His confidence in the ultimate value and wisdom of a determinedly non-violent approach is unshakeable, event to the point that I sometimes wonder how he was able to put up with all the examples of people around us who not only are so quick to concede the "necessity" of violence but often seem to prefer it to anything resembling even a mildly pacifistic approach. In the current circumstances of the "war on terrorism" (which McCarthy alludes to in the book's introduction, written in November of 2001), we need voices like his to speak forth in the public arena, as well as to offer us encouragement when it seems like so many around us are all too ready to plunge further into a violent struggle aimed at somehow promoting "peace and security."

Anyone interested in getting some good tips on how to communicate principles of peace to an audience that isn't necessarily already committed to a lifestyle of non-violence will find plenty of helpful material here. But the appeal of the book doesn't stop there. McCarthy also addresses a range of significant socio-political issues including the death penalty and the criminal justice system, the effects of US foreign policy on other nations over the past 55 years, the benefits of a vegetarian diet, racism, substance abuse and its treatment, communication and cooperation skills, and a host of other topics, all delivered in the casual, easily readable style of one who has been studying and living out these values for decades. Never at a loss for an opinion on something, and able to produce the facts to back himself up, Colman McCarthy is a man committed to realizing a vision of a world where peace is taught as the first, best and only justifiable response for young and old alike. His book offers us a needed boost of encouragement that we who share his vision are indeed helping to create a more harmonious and sustainable world.

*I'd Rather Teach Peace* is a running account of some of McCarthy's experiences at the various places he's taught peace. Three features make the book especially worthwhile. The first is McCarthy's wonderfully flowing style. Reading his prose is like having a conversation with a person who loves words and people. The second is McCarthy's reflections on peace and peacemaking, and why so few folks in this country take either very seriously. But the third feature--and, for my money, the heart of the book--is the story of McCarthy's adventures in the classroom, chatting with kids about peace, overcoming their resistance, learning from their experiences, challenging them to think outside the box. McCarthy clearly teaches peacemaking as a way of life, not merely a cessation of war, and one of the first conditions is that his students begin to ask themselves some tough questions about how and why they value what they do. In reading his accounts, we find ourselves in the classroom with him and his students.

Professional teachers (and I'm one of them) will profit from the pedagogical strategies that McCarthy writes about. My favorite one, an exercise for encouraging students to reflect on the meaning of authority, is the "red car, green car game." Excellent!