I grew up in the aftermath of World War II. Mom and Dad were traditional Republicans. Everyone assumed that, although war was tragic, it was sometimes necessary. In 1960, when I started in physics at UC Berkeley, two years of military training were mandatory for all male students, including wearing...

Ever since Jesus pointed me towards Gandhi in response to a death threat, in 1968, I have been dreaming of a Gandhian-style nonviolent “army,” consisting of nonviolent “warriors.” Gandhi’s warriors, satyagrahis (“truth-holders”), trained for 14 years before going into battle against the British, who had little chance against such a...