The film "Faith Under Fire," which tells the true story of a woman who prevented a school shooting, is a reminder that nonviolent approaches to conflict resolution remain largely unknown.

What are we thinking? There is nothing to prevent you and me from stemming the flow of violence into our minds, as far as possible, and thinking for ourselves.

At some point we will have to talk about readily available weapons; at some point we’ll have to realize that a nation that engages in heartless drone warfare, torture, and extrajudicial killings cannot expect to live in peace. But until we liberate our minds from the endless pounding of violent imagery I fear we won’t be able to think clearly about those factors (or for that matter anything else).

Why aren’t we asking, “Who or what is creating an atmosphere of egotism and hate in our culture?” Unfortunately, because we already know the answer, and do not want to hear it.