I just wrote several comments in response to others, I'm going to go ahead and make this into a post also.

Many of us did apply non violent principles. Many. I should get myself a drum to accompany myself and others on this message. I was all over town yesterday. I saw faith communities able to express their wishes and engage in coalition building. I heard songs. I heard folks express what was in their hearts with passion and peaceful hopes.

I saw a church protected. I saw communities learning that they were respected by the rest of us and that we would stand with them if they were targetted.

More...

I heard and participated in conversations ranging from how to make sure we weren't baited into violent verbal reactions, how to be safe afterwards, how to keep our spirits up, to how to tell good jokes as we tromped along to the next site.

I saw a little girl walk up with her aunt to two police cars and thank the police officers within for helping keep our community safe.

Very important that we not lump everyone together. As I've written elsewhere, many many Olympians yesterday were peaceful and dedicated. Healthy important coalitions were built with faith communities.

I want to remind us that people of all sorts and philosophies and experiences gathered pretty much spontaneously on next to no notice.

I know that I and the people I was with behaved with maturity and were peaceful.

Lumping us all together serves no one. Yes, we can disagree with various strategies and tactics, I simply encourage us to see the whole picture. There were some mighty fine things that happened yesterday also.

I e-mailed city hall today also to let them know how much I appreciate our local police.