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2009-10-20 issue:

A crash course in nonviolence

What does it mean to turn the other cheek?

by Becky Oberg

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There were no two ways about it—K (name withheld) was a bully. At 500 pounds, she intimidated her fellow psychiatric patients with a foul mouth, boasts about her time in jail for assaulting her mother and sheer intimidation. Even staff members were afraid of her. She was known to become physically aggressive to staff, often elbowing them if they refused to give her extra food.

How does one deal with such a threat?

There was another patient on the ward—B, a former martial artist who had become a Mennonite after being medically discharged from the U.S. Army. She was five feet tall and weighed about 170 pounds but carried herself with an aura of confidence. She handled K the same way one would handle an irate pit bull—by staying out of the way.

One day B asked to use the phone for a business call. K began cursing B, and staff quickly separated them. A few minutes later, however, K made derogatory comments toward B. B firmly stated she did not appreciate the language or the threats. K moved within a couple of inches of B, and growled, “Move.”

B stood firm. “No,” she said.

K shoved B as hard as she could. According to witnesses, B’s feet left the floor, she sailed backwards a good four feet, landed on the tile floor and bounced. B’s martial arts training enabled her to spread the impact out and cushion her head somewhat, but she still sustained injuries to her head, neck, shoulders, back and pelvis. One attending physician compared B’s injuries to being hit by a car. It seemed that B’s courageous stand was proof that non-
violence didn’t work.

But it did. Something suddenly enabled everyone on the unit—staff and patients alike—to say no to K. Staff no longer tolerated her violence, and began documenting each incident. K was placed on violent behavior protocol, then transferred off the unit. The police took a report and criminal charges, as of this writing, were pending. The administration also put new rules in place. Unit life improved because one soft-spoken pacifist refused to take revenge.

What does it mean to “turn the other cheek”? In ancient Hebrew culture, men insulted an enemy by striking him with the back of their right hands. To turn the other cheek would force the attacker into a dilemma. Since the left hand was considered unclean, he couldn’t strike with the left hand without degrading himself. To strike the other cheek, he would either have to use the palm of his right hand or punch his victim—both of which were statements of equality. Perhaps Jesus was encouraging us to nonviolently show our enemies they’re in the wrong.

Ghandi said, “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.” By following the law of love given to us by Christ, we not only avoid blinding the world, but we show them the light of Christ.

Becky Oberg attends First Mennonite Church in Indianapolis.

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