Dr. Edward M. Marshall's Blog

VIOLENCE PREVENTION IS NEEDED IN HAITI RIGHT NOW

Dr. Edward Marshall — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 02:52:00 GMT

This is the first time I've written two blogs on the same day. The situation in Haiti cries out for violence prevention. On TV we see armed gangs roaming the streets carrying machetes. The shortage of food and water is likely to lead to drastic actions and behaviors.

What can be done?

Fortunately, massive aid is beginning to arrive in Haiti. Local police, foreign troops coming in, and everyone there who can do so, should try to recruit every able-bodied Haitian to join the clean-up, road clearing, rescuing the trapped, burying of bodies, and the distribution of relief supplies, People carrying weapons should be offered the chance to turn in their weapons in return for priority in receiving food and water, except that the helpless, sick, and injured should have top priority. Police could give receipts for weapons that can be reclaimed once reasonable order has been restored. The main thing is to get these obviously fit individuals mobilized into helping instead of threatening or carrying out violence.

I would like to see your suggestions. The thought of people surviving the earthquake only to be killed by some desperate people with deadly weapons, is appalling.

CHOOSE ONE: PEACEFUL, RAPID MARITAL STRESS RESOLUTION, OR HATRED AND DIVORCE

Dr. Edward Marshall — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 02:00:00 GMT

You thought The Peace Prescription only deals with war and peace OUT THERE somewhere? No way! What about peace between you and your romantic/marital partner, right under your own roof?

Chapter 11: Be At Peace With Yourself and Everyone in Your Life, doesn't just get close to home. It gets inside your home and beneath your skin, into your brain and heart. I'm a doctor, so I know about those things.

How can you hope to be effective at helping your own neighbors, your neighborhood, your friends, your co-workers and everyone in your life to be at peace with themselves and with you, if you are not even at peace with yourself? That's where it has to start. Each of us needs to appreciate and love ourselves so that we have the emotional health and wealth to appreciate and love others.

Many readers of The Peace Prescription tell me that Chapter 11 is their favorite chapter. It gets very personal, but it strives to give the best guidance and real support in the direction of inner peace that can shine through to cast its light on all those in our lives.

If you, or people you care about, are going through persistent and serious stress that threatens to end a marriage or other romantic relationship, or to keep that relationship from being peaceful and satisfying, read or tell them about Chapter 11. There, on pages 117 and 118, I describe a 45-minute session that a couple can use to get their relationship headed in a much better direction. Two pages. 45 minutes. Not even a whole hour. Doesn't cost anything, except a few bucks for the book. Compare that to the emotional and financial cost of divorce, even when there are no children to be affected.

Basically, the two people meet privately for about 45 minutes without interruption, and exchange lists of the things they like best and the things they most dislike about each other. The lists are discussed item by item. It works! No therapists. No lawyers. No divorce needed.

Then there is the rest of the book, showing how violence and war can be prevented by dealing effectively with beliefs and behaviors that lead to violence and war beyond our own homes and most intimate and loving relationships.

8 RADIO INTERVIEWS THIS PAST WEEK! LET'S SHARE OUR ACTIVITIES TO PREVENT VIOLENCE & WAR

Dr. Edward Marshall — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 02:20:00 GMT

Let's use this blog to share what we're doing to prevent violence and war, to promote peace. Don't be bashful about posting, because it will encourage others, and even the smallest action counts.

For example, were you at a party, at work, or anywhere, when you heard someone speak hatefully about all of the members of some race, religion, or nationality? Did the person say that all of them should be killed?

Perhaps you made a good response, such as, "There are good and bad people in every group. it doesn't do any good to start killing them, because the survivors will start killing members of our group for revenge, and the killing will just go endlessly back and forth. It's better to get the perpetrators and advocates of violence apprehended, and to negotiate, bargain, and make deals to resolve issues and disputes with the peaceful members of that group."

Have you heard about one or more bullies at a local school, perhaps one that your children, nieces, nephews, or neighbors attend? If so, did you suggest that a bully control committee be formed so that bullies and their parents can be counseled, with further action taken if necessary?

Do you have family or friends living in non-democracies, countries that do not have true personal freedoms and valid elections? Since true democracies with real freedoms and elections rarely if ever attack other such countries, perhaps you can encourage your family and friends in countries not blessed with real democracy and freedoms to work to establish those institutions... if it can be worked on without undue risk. The Peace Prescription points out ways that this can be done.

Have you written to any elected members of Congress, or Senators, advocating that the Peace Law be enacted making it a crime to seriously advocate, threaten, or plan to initiate violence or war? Public safety, survival, must have priority over "freedom of speech" to plan, encourage, or incite murder and violence.

Are you an attorney or judge, active or retired, who has started looking into the possibility of helping organize an ad hoc court of justice to resolve specific disputes or claims that cross borders, or for which there are no "regular" available courts to settle the matters? If not, would you consider doing so, to help prevent the violence of revenge when there is no normal way for people to redress their grievances?

Do you know of anyone who holds office or position of authority or power in your area or country, who advocates violence, murder, or war? If so, have you made it known to others, if you can do so without undo risk to your own life, that you disapprove and that you believe that such people should be barred and disqualified from seeking or holding any position of authority or power in any government on Earth?

The five paragraphs above comprise the Five Steps needed to prevent violence and war. They will work, if the steps are taken!

Meanwhile, what have I been doing to help prevent violence and war? Amazingly, I was invited to be a guest on eight radio shows this past week! Three of them were national, some were talk shows, and others were newscasts. I've been invited to speak to students and faculty at Cal Poly Pomona, a California State University in the Los Angeles area, on February 11. I hope to have the chance to speak on many college campuses in the weeks and months to come. Today's college students will be our leaders of the future. Wouldn't it be great if they come to believe that peace is actually possible if the right steps are taken by them?

Here is a list of the radio shows I was on this past week: Monday, Jan 4, 1:05PM PT, WZTK-FM, Greensboro, NC, host Allan Handelman; Monday, Jan 4, 4:40PM PT, KFBK, Sacramento, CA, host Kitty; Tuesday, Jan 5, 3:15PM PT, WICC, Bridgeport, CT host Jim Buchanan; Thursday, Jan 7, 1:34PM PT, CRN Radio & Time Warner Cable nationally, host Chuck Wilder; Thursday, Jan 7, 4:20 PM PT, nationally syndicated, host Leslie Marshall (no relation); Friday, Jan 8, 8:00 AM PT, WEMU-FM, Detroit, MI, host Lynn Rivers; Friday, Jan 8, 4:20 PM PT, The Lars Larson Show, nationally syndicated, host Lars Larson; Sunday, Jan 10, 5:50AM PT, WBT, Charlotte, NC, host Don Russell.

My thanks to all of these hosts, who were most gracious, if not incredulous that anyone would dare suggest that violence and war can actually be prevented and avoided.

If you want to do your bit for peace, order one or two copies of The Peace Prescription now, because if sales volume hits a certain level, a major publisher may take over the book and give the book and me more publicity so that the push to prevent as much violence and war as possible can be more effective. You'll also get to read the book, maybe give a copy to someone, and I'd love to get your feedback on this blog! Click onto the Order page on this website and you'll be amazed at the low price! Thank you for your support.

May you be at peace with yourself, your family, and others in your life in 2010, and then become an influence on others for the prevention of violence and war.

Super Book Reviews of THE PEACE PRESCRIPTION from Two Political Science Professors on Pearl Harbor Day

Dr. Edward Marshall — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:41:00 GMT

December 7, just two days ago, was the 68th anniversary of the date that has lived "in infamy" since the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941. And on that date just two days ago, I received two very nice Book Reviews of The Peace Prescription, my recently published book on how to achieve a worldwide peace environment. I don't know if the date was coincidental, but it was certainly appropriate.

I am very grateful to Dr. James Je Heon Kim, Assistant Professor of Political Science at Cal State Polytechnic University at Pomona, and to Dr. Debra Sabia, Professor of Political Science at Georgia Southern University, for those very encouraging reviews. We have to keep in mind that I'm neither a Political Science academician, nor am I some famous politician or government leader. Another encouraging fact is that these are the only two Poli Sci Professors who have been asked to review the book since it was recently published.

Without further ado, here is the entire text of their reviews:

Dr. Sabia's review:

Dr. Marshall wants to immunize the world against war - in fact he wants to eliminate all wars. This is the stated purpose of his recently published book, The Peace Prescription: Five Key Steps We Can Take to Prevent Wars. War must be defined, he argues, so that men can quickly recognize and take seriously all acts of violence. Marshall argues the importance of resolving alleged injustices as quickly as possible before they can escalate to war-making.

In the first part of the book the author identifies the causes of violence and war and provides a short historical analysis of their causes. Dr. Marshall argues that the common denominator of all murder, violence, subjugation, and destruction is abnormal human behavior. These are insights derived from his years of counseling people as a physician of psychiatric medicine.

In the second part of the book, Dr. Marshall offers a five step prescription for eliminating both war and violence. The author’s five step prescription program begins with what he proposes as the Peace Law, a written statute that prohibits the initiation of violence. The Peace Law and the steps that follow it all seek to enforce decent human behavior. He allows that sometimes small wars are necessary to prevent larger wars but he also reminds us that reality is socially created, that our beliefs inform our actions and our actions create our universe. He awakens us to remember that we can change our beliefs and thus our actions. Marshall believes in the possibility for a gradual elimination of war and he has faith in the role of behavior modification. The author believes that with the right preventative care, wars can be thwarted just as illnesses can be avoided.

The Peace Prescription is a thoughtful critique of power, greed, and exploitation and one that questions the soundness of nationalism, patriotism, and the death penalty. Marshall reviews the principles and spirituality of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, reminding us of their similarities, noting as well that all religions embrace and promote the practice of peace. In addition to his discussion of religion, the author weaves into his narrative ancient parables as well as excerpts of speeches from peace-seeking men such as Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. Marshall’s alternatives to war and violence follow, in the tradition of Zen Buddhism, a practice that promotes an awareness of one’s lifestyle, one that encourages meditative reflection, and one that emphasizes the importance of living peace. As the great Zen master, Thich Hhat Hanh, has written it is crucial to remember that if the means is peace then the ends will be peace. Likewise, Dr. Marshall reminds us that we must take responsibility for what we do and for the choices we make. The means always become the ends.

Dr. Marshall’s purpose is to start a worldwide peace movement. He offers clear realistic solutions to many of the social maladies we wrestle with. In fact, what makes this book different from mere academic analysis is that Marshall gives practical suggestions on how things can be changed. His prescription is person-to-person, a grass-roots, bottom-up strategy rather than a top-down, government-to-government remedy to the perplexing problems of contemporary society. The Peace Prescription is a critique of modern life and a proposal for a more humane and livable world. The book is both critical and compassionate and offers intelligent and creative alternatives to the destructive patterns of contemporary society.

While a bit repetitious and didactic, the book is a welcome addition to the literature on conflict resolution. The book is a must read for every global citizen who deeply cares about humanity and wants to seek compassionate solutions to contemporary problems. The book is relevant to students and educators. It is engaging and intellectually stimulating.

Dr. Kim's review:

The Peace Prescription by Dr. Edward Marshall challenges the reader to think non-traditionally and intuitively about a question that has haunted most of humanity since the beginning of civilization. The goal of this book is less to end all wars than it is to present a prescriptive strategy for reducing all “warlike activity” (54). In essence, it is, as stated by the author himself, “intended to be the beginning of the end of all wars forever.”

The book is worth picking up because the intention is noble in and of itself. The author’s argument and his “Five Steps” are worth considering given that he presents us with a clear roadmap instead of lofty intellectual argument as to why we should even consider eradication of violence. I give big kudos to the author for having the courage to begin this important discourse set in, what I believe to be, the right path. In doing so, the author may not win many supporters. His argument in the book will especially rub

the realists of the world in the wrong way. His “Five Steps” are also not likely to have much traction among advocates of cultural relativism, national sovereignty, and political order. Nonetheless, the book does ask an important question: how do we begin to end the never-ending cycle of violence, which plagues our society? The prescription is laid out in the second part of the book. Although the author is a medical doctor by training, his understanding and depth of knowledge spanning the statistical facts, history, and various religions (including the Koran), makes for a fascinating read.

I cannot say that I would agree with all of the claims made by the author; nonetheless, I do think that the question being asked and answered in this book is very important and somehow our society must begin to address it. We need not look too far to find the hundreds of non-government, government, and intergovernmental organizations devoting significant resources to report on acts of violence all around the world. The reports and the statistics do not seem to end. When I teach my students about political

violence in the world, I find myself not being able to do more than simply state the harsh reality of the million deaths, rapes, maiming, and tortures. The question of what to do about this problem is less than easy to answer. Yet, The Peace Prescription presents an interesting approach and one I can share with others to begin the important discussion about ending this grim reality.

Overall, I thought the format and editorial in the book was nicely executed. I found little grammar or spelling errors but I did think the use of single page for quotes was a little distracting to the reader. As far as the overall style of the writing is concerned, I thought it was fairly easy to follow. I enjoyed its colloquial flow and avoidance of academic jargons.

I applaud both Dr. Marshall and Grassroots Press for having the courage and the will to provide an important starting point to begin the discourse about winning the peace. In my eyes, The Peace Prescription has successfully done its job in setting the discussion on the right path – towards peace.

As you can see, when professional academics review your book, it's a bit like having your term paper graded. Neither of these Professors accuse me of perfection, but I'm so pleased that they seem to have an overall favorable impression. They deserve thanks and praise for their courage shown just by taking my book seriously enough to review it. They could have said, "Who's he? These ideas are not the usual things we read. What will my colleagues think of me if I review this book? Forget it!" But, no, they had the fortitude to go forward, and I am grateful.

Upset with Virginia Tech Administrators Ignores Fact That Massacre Was Preventable

Dr. Edward Marshall — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 02:25:00 GMT

I've been on a reduced blogging schedule in this holiday season, but I very much want to respond to recent media coverage regarding the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre of 33 students, a faculty member, and the killer himself. Some families of murdered students are irate and continuing to condemn university administrators for notifying student families first rather than immediately getting the word out to students that shootings and mayhem were underway on campus that day.

These criticisms may have some validity, and if emergency response to horrendous evolving events on college campuses can be improved, by all means those improvements should be done.

But, let's get real here! A crazed student determined to kill as many students and faculty as he could was already on the campus firing weapons and killing people. At that point prevention was out of the question, Even the most level-headed, efficient response would not have been likely to save anyone's life that day. And, if I'm wrong, and some lives could have been saved, then let's pay attention to how things should have been handled better and could be handled better if, God forbid, similar events were to occur in the future on that or any campus. Still, all of this is missing the most important issue of all about the Virginia Tech massacre and all other such events, such as Columbine High School, and more recently, Fort Hood.

Doesn't anyone care that the entire massacre could have been prevented? The killer's English professor, a lady who also happened to be Dean at Virginia Tech, knew, more than one year before the massacre, that the student who later did all the killings was a dangerous person. As his English professor, she had read writings by this student that suggested a serious threat to public safety. She knew that something should be done about him. She went to faculty members, to meetings of university officials more than once, and to the local police. Everyone agreed and told her that nothing could be done because the killer had not yet killed anyone.

This is outrageous! In California there is a law that a psychiatrist can go before a judge and request a 3-day psychiatric hospitalization for evaluation of a person deemed to be an imminent threat to the lives of others or themselves. The "hold" can be lengthened by the court to a total of 14 days at a second hearing after the three days. That California law is good, but not good enough. It should be the law in all states and all countries that anyone reasonably thought to be a serious threat to public safety can be evaluated, voluntarily or not, medically and psychologically to evaluate the severity and likelihood of the threat to public safety that such persons represent. This law, which I call the Peace Law in my recently published book The Peace Prescription, should allow a court to order not only the evaluation, but the treatment and even detention, when necessary, of such persons for public safety reasons.

How can we continue to allow massacres of innocent people by crazed persons who are already known to have threatened to murder others or who have made verbal and/or written statements that indicate the likelihood of such behavior?

Violence by an individual is certainly a form of war. What if such a murderer could obtain a nuclear weapon? There is no level of violence or war that we should tolerate. That means you and I have to take a stand for the Peace Law, or be satisfied with continued massacres on and on into the future. You, I, our families, our dear ones, our friends, could be the victims of such completely preventable murders. Will some murders occur anyway? No doubt. Let's reduce the number to as close to zero as we can get.

What We Believe Determines Our Behavior and the Results We Get, So Let's Choose Beliefs That Work Best for Us

Dr. Edward Marshall — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:35:00 GMT

Why are some kids bullies, and others are not? Why do some people use alcohol, tobacco, and firearms for stress, and narcotics, while others never do? Why could the Catholics and Protestants of Northern Ireland finally make peace about a decade ago, and yet the Jews and Muslims of Israel and Palestinian territories have not been able to do so?

I should probably be asking easier questions, but I love a challenge, and maybe you do, too. So, let's tackle these tough ones.

If you think a large bomb is about to go off within a few feet of where you are, in just a few seconds, what will you do? You'll get out of there very quickly, unless you want to die, right? You would do that whether or not a bomb then really explodes or not. Your belief determines your behavior. Likewise, if you're convinced that no bomb is going to detonate near you at any time soon, you will more likely remain where you are if you have no other reason to move. That would be true even if the bomb really is about to blow you to bits.

This example is important, because it shows the ;power of our beliefs, regardless of the consequences. And, our beliefs change. Suppose someone opens up the suspicious package that supposedly held a bomb, and you learn that there was no bomb there. You now have a new belief that allows you to return to the spot you had left so hastily. Of course, there could still be a bomb nearby, but you don't believe it at the moment, so you're willing to return.

Why does a child become a bully? Maybe they experienced taking a toy away from another child who had not wanted to share the toy. And, there was no punishment by a parent or teacher, and the other child may have cried, but there were no consequences for our bully-to-be. Now the young bully has learned that you can just grab what you want. Maybe another young bully learned that behavior by watching one of his parents bully the other parent. The bully comes to believe that ruling by intimidation or force works.

Another child who took away a toy, and who was quickly admonished by a parent or teacher who took back the toy and returned it to the victim, has developed other beliefs: It's better to figure out how to share toys with others; just grabbing them isn't going to work.

As for stress management, there are both healthy and unhealthy ways. Some people find that use of certain substances is soothing, whether drugs, alcohol, food, or tobacco. The stress is temporarily reduced for them, and they come to believe that they need such substances for relief. There are other beliefs that make the usage continue: Nothing else will help; others may get into trouble using these substances, but I won't; and so forth. Others try healthier methods that work for them, and they come to believe that they have no need for substances for stress management. As a physician I saw hundreds of people change their beliefs, and by so doing, their behaviors and habits, and therefore, their results changed. If you strongly believe that cigarettes are going to kill you, it makes it hard to smoke, unless you have a death wish. If you believe that cigarettes are not that harmful, or that they may harm some people, but certainly will not seriously harm or kill you, then you are free, based on that belief, to continue smoking, and probably will. You can pick and choose your beliefs, and whatever belief you genuinely hold at a particular moment, will determine what you do at that moment.

Regarding the Catholics and Protestants of Northern Ireland, there is still occasional bloodshed, but nothing compared to what had been going on for centuries. The vast majority of both groups now live in peace and have a working governmental partnership going. It was worked out with the help of President Clinton and other third parties, and was based on a growing belief by the Northern Ireland people that there had to be a better way to go other than continuous killings on both sides. There was tremendous bargaining, negotiating, and deal making. All involved deserve tremendous credit.

Is there a guarantee that the peace will last? No, because one murderous outburst by a tiny minority on either side, could resume the vicious circle of revenge killings back and forth on both sides. General peace can last, after such an episode, if both sides hold to their belief that the best way to show respect for the dead is by making efforts to apprehend and punish the guilty parties, while generally reaffirming the need to keep the peace, and while avoiding random revenge killings which will simply reignite the conflict.

Continued peace activism on both sides will be necessary in Northern Ireland for the indefinite future if general peace is to be maintained there.

And now you know what it will take for the Israelis and Palestinians to make peace. Bargaining, negotiating, and deal making, all based on the belief that never-ending waves of revenge and retribution on both sides are totally useless and destructive. And, based on the belief that the best way to show respect for the dead is to do the hard bargaining, negotiating, and deal making in order to generally bring peace to the area. Both sides should understand and believe by now, that there will never be an ultimate, final military victory for either side. There can only be endless bloodshed, or there can be peaceful resolution. Should be an easy choice. First we must have the beliefs that work well, and those beliefs will cause the behaviors that will give the best results.

Do you believe it? If so, share those beliefs, pass it on. It makes a difference what YOU say and what YOU do.

My First BLOG RADIO TALK SHOW is Scheduled for Tomorrow Sunday at 11AM PST

Dr. Edward Marshall — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 20:09:00 GMT

You can safely say that I'm motivated to get my "preventing violence and war" message out to as much of the human race as I can.

And, I don't for a minute believe that it's just "my" message. Probably 95% or more of all people do not seriously want to, or intend to, personally kill, or commit violence upon, anyone. Nor do they want to be killed or injured by anyone. Just as certainly, none of us want to see the ones we love and care about get killed or injured.

So, tomorrow, Sunday, November 15 at 11AM PST, I will go "On the Air" via the Internet. It will be my first Internet talk show, on BlogTalkRadio.com, and it will be a 30-minute show. Go to that site a few minutes before 11 if you want to catch it. I hope you will, and I hope you will call in with questions or comments. When you click on my show, called "Dr. Ed Marshall", you will see a call-in phone number, or you can just listen. If you have a speaker or speakers attached to your computer, you'll have no problem hearing the show. Just use your telephone if you want to call in.

The subject will be, of course, the prevention of massacres such as Columbine, Virginia Tech, 9/11, and Ft. Hood. We, the vast majority of non-violent people, can manage the violence of the minority if we go at it like we mean it.

Some future shows will be on other subjects, such as how you can have any new habits or behaviors you want, to replace the ones you don't want. We will deal with subjects such as weight management, alcohol and drug problems, and relationship issues (look out, Dr. Laura and Dr. Phil, here I come!).

Still other shows will deal with how all of us at the grass roots can help solve the problems of education, health care, crime and drugs, and other social issues in America, in ways that not only do not require big government spending, bureaucracies, new taxes and deficits, these solutions will actually reduce both costs and suffering.

You might call it "Problem-Solving Radio". That is my intention, and it can't be done without you and many others out there.

Ft. Hood Massacre Could Have Been Prevented With the Peace Law

Dr. Edward Marshall — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:39:00 GMT

Now we know that the Ft. Hood Army doctor, turned mass murderer, could have been stopped had the Peace Law been in effect. He was known to have contact with a jihadist Imam, an al Qaeda associate who was involved in the 9-11 disaster.

Yet nothing was done to stop him. He was not detained for questioning. He was allowed to kill and maim innocent victims. Why?

For one thing, the US Army, and the government bend over backwards to avoid appearing to be anti-Muslim. Up to a point, the Army and our government should not oppose any religion or its members so long as neither poses a serious threat of initiating violence. But freedom of religion is not a legalization of murder for those who claim to be murdering in observance of a religion. The truth is, the Koran urges vigorous self-defense for those attacked and prevented from practicing their religion, but there is no other advocacy or approval of violence.

It is the radical jihadists who murder and advocate murder who are to blame for the Muslim religion being viewed with suspicion and even opposition by much of the world's population in recent years. The religion itself is not to blame. The vast majority of the world's 1.8 billion Muslims are not murderers and have no intention of killing except in obvious and immediate self-defense. Even some former radical jihadists have become activists in exposing the improper, anti-Koran, and anti-Muhammad teachings of the radicals, as discussed in The Peace Prescription.

A second reason that the Ft. Hood massacre was allowed to occur is that the Peace Law is not yet the law in the United States, or, to a proper extent, anywhere in the world. Advocating murder, war, and destruction, and joining with such advocates, are not yet against the law. It leaves people like the Ft. Hood murderer free to communicate with fellow assassins and murder advocates, and to carefully plan and carry out violence.

We need the Peace Law, as fully explained in The Peace Prescription. Under that Law, any person who seriously advocates violence would be subject to arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment. The Peace Law will make it difficult for people to organize for violence and war. Any person who can be identified as a significant, real threat to public safety could, by court order, be detained for a limited time frame, such as three days, for medical, psychological, and forensic evaluation. The courts would then decide what needs to be done as a matter of justice and to guard public safety, following such evaluation. Do we have the right to prevent murder? I think any answer other than "Yes!" borders on suicidal insanity for us as individuals and as a society.

Does the safety of you, your family, and those you care about, interest you? Then begin small steps: Speak up for the Peace Law to people you know; contact public officials with letters, phone calls and emails. Refer people to The Peace Prescription book and this Blog site.

Let's be active in the quest to lessen the chances of events such as the Ft. Hood massacre from happening in the future. It will take time, perhaps a generation, to develop a peace maintenance environment. And, that's only if WE begin that process. If we wait for others, the government, politicians, international organizations, we will wait forever. It's you and me, and everyone we know, or don't count on it ever happening.

It does make a difference what you SAY and what you DO. Please don't hesitate to post your comments about this or any of these blogs.

You Can Help the Business of Stopping Violence and War - All Book Profits Will Go for Peace

Dr. Edward Marshall — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 17:28:00 GMT

Today's Blog is strictly business - the business of helping to stop violence and war before such awful behavior starts.

The Peace Prescription ("TPP") book sales were slow in the first month on the market, for two reasons:

1) Self-published books are not automatically available in the big chain bookstores such as Barnes & Noble, and Borders, because, understandably, the books first have to be scrutinized by the central offices of those chain stores, whereas books from big publishers are readily accepted. The problem is that many thousands of new books are published every day, so it takes a few months for the process to happen.

2) My name, as the author, is not famous - not yet , and it always takes time to build name-recognition.

Meanwhile, TPP is available: On this website; from Amazon - including as an e-book for Amazon's Kindle owners; and on BarnesandNoble.com. Ingram, one of the largest book distributors in the world, has recently begun acting as a distributor for TPP.

A lot more is pending.

If you are interested in promoting peace and defeating violence and war, here is how you can help:

You can call your local Barnes & Noble or Borders stores and ask them if they have TPP in stock, and if they say "No" (which will surely change to "Yes" within a few weeks or months), you can ask if you would be able to order a copy of TPP from them. Even if they say you can do so, you're not obligated to place an order, of course. Meanwhile, your calls may do some good when the local managers are finally allowed to order the book for their stores to put them on their shelves. If you have read the book, and you purchased it from Amazon, you can post a review on Amazon. And of course, you can tell the people in your life about the book that aims to "immunize" the world against violence and war to the maximum possible extent.

One more thing: If you have personal contacts such as reporters, book reviewers, or other media people, especially people connected with talk shows, it would be great if you mention TPP and me to your contacts, and then refer me to them, or them to me.

My plan is to plow all net book sales proceeds back into promoting the book and the cause of peace and non-violence in every way that I can. All campaigns for worthy causes cost money, so TPP book sales can help reduce violence. Thank you in advance for being a part of the solution. Let's get the job done in one generation or less!

Violence & War at Fort Hood, Orlando, or Anywhere Can Often Be Prevented

Dr. Edward Marshall — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 05:55:00 GMT

Human beings all too often initiate violence. When a certain size and duration of killing occurs, we call it war. But, it's all the same from a behavior viewpoint. Initiation of violence needs to be prevented before people are killed or injured, whether it's one person or millions of victims at stake. Any tolerance for starting violence means we are simply not on board to prevent it, and it will just keep on happening as long as humans exist. Ft. Hood, Orlando, Columbine, Virginia Tech, the Middle East, anywhere and everywhere. We would run out of paper if we tried to make a comprehensive list of violence being initiated all over the world. And that would be true for just this month!

There are often clues that violence is imminent, probable, or likely. We don't yet have all the facts for Ft. Hood and Orlando. We will no doubt learn more about these two who committed those killings in the past couple of days. But, from our experience we know that people who lack sufficient self-esteem, or self-love, and who have become pre-occupied with hateful feelings and thoughts, often write or talk about their extreme and violent thoughts, usually many days, months, or even years before they actually kill.

We, communities, society, all need systems to allow preventive measures to be taken when there are clues pointing to imminent, probable, or likely violent behavior. Yes, restraining orders are issued against people who have stalked or threatened individuals. But, these orders are often ignored, and people get murdered anyway. Rarely is any therapy ordered by the courts, with reports by therapists to be turned in to the courts so that judges can decide on whether detention for more serious treatment, or even detention to save threatened lives, is necessary. People who openly and seriously advocate the initiation of violence in any form, murder, or war, should be subject to arrest, trial, and imprisonment if convicted. We put people in jails and prisons for having a few ounces of an illegal drug in their possession, but those same persons can seriously proclaim the intention of killing many people tomorrow, yet will not be subject to arrest unless and until they actually do the killings.

The Peace Law that I recommend in The Peace Prescription would change all of that. But that change will not happen, and countless lives will not be saved, unless thousands of people get involved to make the Peace Law into reality in the United States and around the world. You can express support for the Peace Law to your family, fellow students, co-workers, and everyone you know. You can write or phone your elected representatives, if you live in a democracy. Or, you can do nothing but just read the headlines and listen to, or watch, news reports of killings upon killings, violence after violence, wars upon wars. Or, perhaps you and those you care about will become the victims, and others who still survive, will get those reports of the violence perpetrated against you and yours. We all have the choice: Be pro-active to get good results, or live with the consequences of not doing so.

You, and everyone you know has the choice to get involved in immunizing your community and the world against violence and war, by means of the Peace Law and all the other steps of the Five Key Steps needed to make that happen. What you SAY and DO does make a difference. We can all be uninvolved and inactive after we're dead. I guess we can pretend to be dead now, when we're supposedly still alive, if that's our choice, and not get involved to end, or at least markedly reduce, violent behavior. There are lots of excuses at our disposal: We're too busy. It's too hard to do. Lao Tsu said it best: A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Speak up. Pass it on. Do good, feel great about it, and be proud when you look in the mirror.

It Hasn't Happened Yet, But Can the Peace Movement End and Prevent Wars?

Dr. Edward Marshall — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:28:00 GMT

People have been demonstrating for peace, speaking up for peace, voting and marching for peace, using peace symbols, peace bumper stickers and T-shirts, and praying for peace. These pro-peace advocates have had an impact. President Lyndon Johnson had to abandon running for a second term largely because of the Vietnam War protests, the United States and Russia have dismantled some nuclear weapons, and perhaps there has been some success in limiting their proliferation. This international grass-roots movement has something to show for all the involvement and effort.

But let's not get carried away by any illusion or delusion of overall success. There are tragic wars going on all over the world. We don't see or hear it in the news, but in just one war, the Second Congo War, 5.5 million people have been killed in about the past 10 years. Daily deaths from the war there are estimated at around 1,000 men, women, and children each and every day, and it's happening right now.

Violence between individuals, gangs, tribes, countries, religions, and religious sects is a daily event around the world. Pakistan, India, Israel, North Korea, and Iran are among the nations who either have, or may soon have, nuclear weapons, in addition to the United States, Russia, and China. And terrorist organizations have been trying to acquire them, and maybe they have some, or soon will. Poison gases, toxins, and Anthrax are likely available to those who would use them.

Why has the Peace Movement not been able to end most wars, if not all of them, and prevent new wars?

Many people, though a minority, have been relying on violence to gain power and to get what they want, throughout the history of mankind, and people of that ilk are not going to stop that behavior without activism being asserted by others.

There are specifically Five Key Steps, spelled out in The Peace Prescription, that are needed to prevent wars, to prevent the organizing and recruiting for the violent behavior that is required for any war, whether on a small or large scale. These five steps have yet to be taken.

Some in the Peace Movement have focused on political partisanship. Peace does not belong to any political party, group, or nation. Let's focus on getting the job done, not on bashing the politicians and political groups some of us love to hate. That is a waste of valuable time and energy. Yes, oppose any politician or office-holder who advocates the initiation of violence, but continuous bad-mouthing of a particular official or political party discourages some from joining with us and diverts us from what needs to be accomplished.

It's fine to demonstrate for peace, to take part in candle-light vigils, and use pro-peace bumper stickers, etc. But, the specific five steps will have to be taken by many of us at the grass roots, such as bully management at young ages, invoking the Peace Law that makes illegal the serious advocacy of violence or war, the barring and removing of violators of the Peace Law from any positions of political authority or power, and so on.

The challenge is for the vast majority of non-violent people who want peace to take the necessary steps to manage the minority who advocate and commit violence. Prevent violence - Enjoy peace. That's the formula. Now let's do it. Pass it on.

We Can Prevent Violence by Managing Bullies and Dangerous Loners

Dr. Edward Marshall — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:55:00 GMT

Were you ever menaced by bullies when you were in school? Have any of your children told you about bullies at their schools? How did you react? What should we do about bullies? And, what about dangerous loners? Remember Columbine? Remember Virginia Tech?

Every school ought to have a Bully Control Committee. All over the world. Why? Because there will always be some bullies at schools. Some children were not disciplined when they first grabbed a toy from a playmate or sibling, so they learned that bullying behavior pays.

"OK," you say. "So there a few bullies at my kid's school. So what? Nothing serious happens." Really? You mean no innocent children have been robbed, badly beaten, raped, even murdered? As the bullies get older, then what? They may organize or join criminal gangs, move up the ladder to greater violence, armed robberies, rapes, and murders. How many innocent children have been shot by "stray bullets" fired by drive-by gangsters?

In some countries, bullies organize violent militias or terrorist groups. Sometimes they become military leaders, take over countries, and start wars. They are then bullying entire nations, whole populations, the world.

"Well, maybe those things can happen, but what can we do about it?" you ask. "And, how can we possibly prevent loners planning violence, like happened at Columbine High School, and at Virginia Tech, or with the Uni-bomber?"

I'm glad you asked. Fortunately, we can be very effective at managing bullies and dangerous loners. If you help organize a Bully Control Committee at your local school, and if people would do that all over the United States, and all over the world, lots of violence would be prevented, and the bullies and dangerous loners would have better lives themselves.

Start with the school that you go to or that your children or grandchildren go to. Ask if there is a Bully Control Committee, perhaps with a different name. If so, join it and participate. It's a worthy cause, and won't cost you any money. If not, organize one. Try to get the cooperation of the school principal, teachers, and other parents. The students should be involved as well. Bullies should be reported to the committee, and the committee should gain cooperation from the schools and school boards so that bullies and their parents or guardians will be contacted, and counseling will be arranged when needed. And, there have to be consequences if the bullying continues: Suspension, finally expulsion in the worst cases. Counselors should have access to juvenile courts so that the most dangerous and difficult bullies can have to spend time in juvenile detention centers, if they are an imminent threat to anyone. Parents of bullies can also be counseled and trained by professionals who volunteer to help the committees.

"Most loners are not dangerous, so how do we know which loners need any intervention?" It's true. Not all loners are dangerous killers waiting to happen. But there are clues. Teachers and fellow students have been suspicious in most cases before murders actually occurred. When these concerned people went to parents, school authorities, or the police, they were told that if no one has been killed yet, nothing can be done. Laws may have to be changed. Schools need to make rules that allow intervention. People deemed to be an imminent threat to themselves and/or others can be ordered medically evaluated by courts in some states, such as California. I have been involved in some of those cases, and it is clear to me that serious injuries and deaths have been prevented.

Work to have your schools, your communities, and your states and nations pass laws and make rules to allow reasonable intervention before it's too late. Talk about these issues with family, friends, and co-workers. Write to your officials. If you know a loner, try to get to know them. Loners often have a history of having been rejected, and some may respond to real friendliness. Which loner do you think is going to be more dangerous: The ones who feel totally alone, rejected, and isolated, or the ones who have been shown caring and friendliness?

What you SAY and what you DO does make a difference. People who give often say that the giving makes them feel that they have received much more than they gave of themselves. And, this is not just about giving of money. This is about involvement, activism, participation.

All of us can help produce a more peaceful environment for ourselves, our families, and our communities. Or, we can just wait until the violence comes to us or those we care about. Should be an easy choice.

Let's Immunize Against Violence and War With the Same Intensity and Concern We Have for Swine Flu

Dr. Edward Marshall — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:04:00 GMT

Parents are intensely interested in getting their children immunized against the swine flu. Long lines are no deterrent. People are concerned and they are taking action, as they should.

How many of these children will be immunized to avoid swine flu, only to go off to war and be killed or badly injured a few years later? How many children, having dodged the swine flu bullet, will be struck down by the bullets of uncontrolled gang bullies?

We need to manage violent behavior before more millions are killed, whether in large or even world wars, or by the action of one or more people committing horrible acts of violence on a smaller scale. We can do it if we will just take the Key Five Steps spelled out in The Peace Prescription. It's a kind of immunization process, and it doesn't even require us to be given a shot. It does require our participation, to speak out against those who advocate violence, to help manage bullies while they are young, and the other steps that can manage and prevent violence before it happens.

Yes, let's prevent H1N1, aka swine flu. It's fine to be concerned and get your children immunized, perhaps yourself as well. But, there are other vaccines, other diseases to take care of as well, and violence and war is the most serious disease the human race has always had to face, and should be high on our list of ailments to prevent.

Regarding the prior Blog on Afghanistan, let me make it clear that a military surge can play a role in helping bring an end to a war. It's just that it cannot work alone in a guerrilla conflict. In Iraq, violence is obviously not over, but it's generally quite reduced compared to what we saw before the al Anbar tribal chieftains began to oppose the foreign Sunni insurgents in their villages and cities. Afghanistan may in fact see a shortening of the war if there is a combination of more NATO troops and an involvement of the tribal chieftains in opposing the foreign Taliban from Pakistan. Keep in mind that not all terrorists and insurgents are foreign in either Iraq or Afghanistan, but very many of them are.

In all parts of the world, there are advocates of violence, murder, and war, and it's critical that the vast majority of people everywhere, including community leaders, declare and enforce their opposition to those advocates of death and destruction.

Can We Have Peace in Afghanistan? Yes, if We Learn From What Happened in Iraq!

Dr. Edward Marshall — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 01:44:00 GMT

Greetings to all of you who not only want peace in your lives and in the world, you are actually willing to take the small steps that lead in that direction.

This is the first of a regular series of blogs that I will be posting, most likely three times a week, on this site. I invite your comments. Your involvement is crucial to establishing a peace environment. What you say and do DOES matter, DOES make a difference.

I don't have to tell you that war is hell, and that there is a lot of hell going on in many places in the world. But, in this blog let's focus on Afghanistan. There's talk of an Iraqi-style Surge possibly to take place. Sure, wars can be won with brute force, but guerrilla warfare requires clever strategy, not just brute force. Besides, shouldn't the goal be to win the peace? Isn't peace supposed to be the result of a war ending? What if we can have peace without hardly any killing taking place? That's how the Cold War ended. That's how the civil war in Northern Ireland ended.

And, that's basically how the war in Iraq has wound way down to the point that American and coalition troops have been leaving Iraq. Was that due to the success of the Surge? Not really. The Sunni tribal chieftains of al Anbar Province in Iraq realized, a couple of years ago, that the best way to stop the killing, the best way to get ALL foreign troops, insurgents, and terrorists out of the country, was for them to stop providing refuge for the foreign insurgent Sunnis. Those insurgents would blow up Americans and other coalition troops, but they also were killing many thousands of Iraqis, especially Shiites. The Shiites countered with their own insurgents from Iran and elsewhere, and the killing, maiming, and property damage was intense.

As soon as the tribal chieftains rounded up and ousted the foreign insurgents among them, the whole war began to wind down. Death and destruction were no longer welcome.

Guess what. Afghanistan is also a tribal society with tribal chieftains who really run the show, village by village. What if the tribal chieftains there would come to realize that permitting and sheltering foreign insurgents and terrorists, especially the Pakistani-led Taliban, will keep the war and killing going indefinitely. Once the Taliban are no longer welcome, because the chieftains realize there will never be peace with them there, then ALL foreign mercenaries, including NATO forces, can leave. Yes, the Taliban are a fearsome bunch, but don't underestimate the will and power of the Afghan tribal chieftains. The Taliban cannot maintain their presence and their offensive ascendency in Afghanistan without the welcoming, the permission, and the approval of the Afghan tribal chieftains and the people they lead.

It wouldn't surprise me if many chieftains are already thinking exactly this way, some way ahead of me. But, it wouldn't hurt for NATO, including American, diplomats and military leaders to encourage this viewpoint. Who knows? Peace could break out in Afghanistan the way it has been happening in Iraq.

The Peace Prescription is officially published today!

Dr. Edward Marshall — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 01:44:46 GMT

To everyone out there who seriously favors peace and is willing to be part
of the solution:
The Peace Prescription: Five Key Steps We Can Take to Prevent Wars is
officially published today. Amazingly and appropriately, the shipment of the
first printing of books arrived late yesterday, exactly as planned.
Everyone can now go to the Order page of this website and order copies of
that book, and of one of my previous books, Jump-Starting America: The
Grass-Roots Revolution.

The whole idea of The Peace Prescription is that only we at the grass-roots
have the ability to push for the Peace Law and the other four of the Five
Steps needed to gain a Peace Maintenance Environment around the world,
perhaps as soon as in a single generation of some 25 to 30 years. Waiting
for governments, international organizations, and politicians to bring
lasting peace to the world by themselves hasn't worked over the millennia of
human existence, so that's not even a viable option.

Just as a British doctor ended up saving many millions of lives by insisting
that the cow-pox virus could be used to make a small-pox vaccine, I'm
pushing for the Five Steps that all of us can take as a kind of immunization
against war. Because something that is advocated sounds unlikely, or even
preposterous, doesn't make it so. The British doctor was roundly ridiculed,
but persisted and succeeded. Thomas Edison failed over 10,000 times to make
a properly working electric light bulb, and when asked about that, he
replied, "I've discovered 10,000 ways how not to make a light bulb." He then
persisted and succeeded. When Mahatma Gandhi led demonstrations for India's
independence from British colonial rule, many scoffed at the prospects of
his peaceful methods in opposition to the powerful British military. He
persisted and succeeded.

Welcome to this blog. I look forward to your comments. I realize it will
take time until very many of you will have read the book. I welcome
translators who can help make The Peace Prescription available in other
languages as ebooks, and eventually as printed books.

This is the first step of the journey. As we know from the ancient wisdom of
Lao-tzu, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

Ed Marshall