Post No. 6: Violence

Violence is an ugly word. It is even uglier when it is put into practice. Why is it that some people and countries resort to violence?

There are some who are sadistic and enjoy being violent with others. Thankfully these are a tiny fraction of the total.  Most violence is initiated by people who justify it in some way.  Some feel that it is ok to be violent in response to a harm done to them.  “If someone hurts you, hurt them back” could be a basic belief. Others have a self righteous cause that they believe justifies violence.  Russia’s violent invasion of Ukraine is an example of both. Russia believes that the Euromaiden revolution in Ukraine in 2014 that ousted a democratically elected pro-Russian president caused them great harm. They believe it was supported by the West, thus justifying their violence on Ukraine. They also feel a self righteous cause to annex historically Russian territory in Ukraine and champion a supposed anti-Nazi cleansing.  The result is not pretty.  Individuals also justify violence with a similar distasteful result.  There is always another way.  The one exception being genuine self defense to thwart the attacker. Ukraine’s response is an example.

We honor Martin Luther King with his own special holiday.  During the turbulent racial strife in the 1960s in response to historical oppression of African Americans, many black leaders advocated violence. Not so Martin Luther King. MLK insisted on a non-violent response. His results were very pretty and he is honored as one of the greats in this country.

Interestingly, MLK did not see white leaders or the white race as the other. He saw all people united as citizens of the United States including citizens of all races and religions. When one sees the unity of self and others, it is difficult to become violent to others.  There’s almost always another way and it leads to better results.