Part of nonviolent activism is the development of nonviolent attitudes. Nonviolent attitudes, according to Ms. Sheehan, can make arrest go easier and can make the action more successful. Organizing for a CD action should never be done in a large room, but in a small room where everyone can participate. A good CD training involves lots of interaction. CD training should take about eight hours.
Some trainers have two to four hour sessions or less.
Ms. Sheehan feels this is not adequate time to really get into the fears and feelings of those planning to participate in the action, or to properly role play the possible scenarios. Pacifism is the opposition of war, not the opposition of conflict. Nonviolent direct action and civil disobedience does not mean there is no confrontation. There are always people who cannot risk arrest but would like to participate anyway. It is important not to lose these people.