Pledge Against Violence

I am posting for my dad who is 90 and wishing to join with other in the effort to end violence.

The Pledge Against Violence:

I pledge that I will not do anything physically harmful to any one around me.
i pledge I will not commit any hurtful or violent act for any possible reason.
Some ideas to hurt others may feel great and exciting and compelling, but they are not right.
It cannot be right to get revenge on blameless children and adults in violent action. I must have the strength and courage to resist these urges.
I pledge I will not act on them, instead i will talk with a person that i respect to share these feelings and to get advice.


I am a psychiatrist, Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, no longer in private practice. I turned ninety on January 6th of this year.
I had been watching TV as were so many others, riveted to the news of the Newtown massacre and the ensuing discussions regarding the problem of violence in America particularly on a mass scale such as in Newtown.

Much attention turned towards the use of guns in these episodes of violence, rightfully so. As a psychiatrist I thought about what could be done to help prevent these violence-prone individuals from acting out their fantasy's, regardless of their psychopathology or their choice of weapons.
I conceived the "pledge against violence"(C.R.12/12) as a simple, potentially effective method, among others, to decrease the tendency to become violent.

I can envision "The pledge" being adopted by schools to be recited daily by classes of older children so that they would become inculcated, over time, with non-violence.
I wanted to send it to you and others for your consideration and other possible applications.
Thank you,

Dr. Alvin Yapalater