There are many laws that seem to govern this universe in which we live. When you drop a pencil, it falls. When you mix vinegar and baking soda, there is a chemical reaction. And when you act in violence, it’s usually more violence that you’ll reap.
In other words, violence begets violence.
This week, I listened to the archived version of Howard Stern’s September 11, 2001 show. I wanted to gauge the reactions of actual people reacting to the actual situations as they unfolded. I was surprised by the unbridled anger expressed by so many of the show’s personalities. “Bomb everyone in the world,” they said. And I remembered my own anger. I remembered the immediate backlash against Americans of Arab descent.
When the terrorists acted violently against us, it was revenge and violence that we sought. Violence begets violence. And so began the war on terror.
And as the war on terror continues under different names in Iraq and Afghanistan, our violence continues to play out. But instead of making our country safer, we’ve only planted more seeds of hatred and violence. No doubt, a whole new generation of people are coming to hate the United States. And the violence we gave to others will return to us in like form. It’s a vicious cycle.
If we teach our children that violence isn’t the answer, then why do we turn to violence to solve some of our deepest challenges?
Ultimately, we can all work towards creating a more peaceful world through the reactions that we choose. World peace begins with each of us, and eventually, our collective consciousness will reach a tipping point. Of all the reactions available to us, I’d venture to suggest that violence is one of the most self-defeating.
September 16, 2009 at 8:31 am
I’m would love nothing more than to see all the violence in the world disappear. However, I feel sometimes action is needed but not necessarily violence to make things more peaceful. Something in between the two! Great blog!
September 16, 2009 at 8:49 am
When I watched 9/11 unfold, I wasn’t thinking let’s bomb everyone, I was thinking, what kind of a monster could do this?
September 16, 2009 at 9:18 am
I cannot stand violence. I wish people could see the pain they are causing eachother by being violent. It’s completely unnecessary to harm anyone. It makes me sick to see it and I just wonder what people (violent people) would do in a world full of peace. It makes you wonder. Amazing post today, Davey (as always
).
Love,
Adrien
September 16, 2009 at 10:43 am
Unfortunately, the violent responses are kinda inborn i think… Like in nature, animals need to either fight or flight to survive.
But the truth is violence cannot solve most of the problem in the contemporary human world in long term. Yes violence does beget violence. What we need to learn is to sit down and think about other alternatives, which may not be available straight away.
September 16, 2009 at 11:06 am
As Borat called it “America’s War of Terror”. So true.
September 18, 2009 at 9:10 pm
borat only begets more violence-any semblance to peace will never become if one follows borat-borat begets more violence.
September 16, 2009 at 1:50 pm
After reading this, and then listening to it at http://www.yourbbsucks.com/forum/howardstern911.mp3 I decided to read these comments. and you guys are wrong, its not what kind of monster/horrible person/sick person did this. but we should focus on what kind of world do we live in that creates such hurt people, and how can we make this world a better place were people will not need to lash out in such violent ways.
September 16, 2009 at 2:48 pm
I simply can’t picture you having a ‘backlash against Americans of Arab descent’!
All I could feel then was this huge sadness and disbelieve about the things some ppl. are able to do.
September 16, 2009 at 2:50 pm
sometimes certain actions cause violence though…and sometimes it’s unavoidable. for example,think about the 1789 french revolution. if violence did not occur, then more ppl would have died in poverty as the rich kept getting richer. just an example where violence was necessary.
September 16, 2009 at 9:36 pm
I would counter that. The situation in India wasn’t too different in the early part of the 20th century and Gandhi got the British out without violence. I realize that’s a pretty simplistic look at a very complex process but essentially he showed us that non-violence can be as powerful or more than violence.
I would also suggest that the ends don’t justify the means. The result of the French Revolution was something people wanted but they had to become murderers to get it. I see it as a Pyrrhic victory.
September 16, 2009 at 4:46 pm
Beig a Pacifist I read this blog with so much familiarity! There will always be violence in the world; and i chose to talk about matters rather than bomb to get voiced. I think, like the 1st comment suggested that there is something in the way, maybye it’s the military – they promote war; but they only fight when being fought so they didnt begin the fight. Maybe it’d tradition, back in the day violence was right or maybe it is the ability to gain pleasure from painning others and getting away with it. It’s one issue i have a huge problem with. I have jst been promoted into the school council at my school, and this is one of the topic’s i certainly want to bring up and make the school students aware that violence doesn’t need to occur, respect each other and peace will be present.
Love and Peace
Jack
September 16, 2009 at 7:19 pm
Hi Davy Wavy I just have a question I would like to ask you. I am really interested in this guy I met a few weeks ago, but he is still in the closet and is not comfortable at all with getting close to other guys. I know he is gay because he told my friend that he is sexually attracted to guys. How can I get him to come out of his shell and just be himself?
September 16, 2009 at 9:45 pm
If I might give my 2 cents, I don’t believe that anyone can get him to come out of his shell and just be himself. He and he alone can do this. You could influence him, certainly, but I’ve found over time that when you act on behalf of an agenda the person will tend to resist. He will come out of his shell and the closet in his own time. I would support him in his quest and let it happen naturally and organically. If you try to force it or even speed it up you run the risk of him feeling you’re pushy or have an alterior motive.
September 16, 2009 at 7:28 pm
Preach it brother!
September 16, 2009 at 8:16 pm
DAVEY,
In the real world there are people who want to force their views on how the world should be and how everyone should live. This is what really happen on 9/11, a few wanted to place fear in the hearts of many in order to get their way, they are bully. They think of america as being evil and should be destroyed. As my grandpa used to say you can reason with a gentleman but not with a fool. There are things that are worth a fight. You and I enjoy the freedom we have because of the men and women that were willing to fight to their death for us. I am like you in that I like the peaceful ways and is my first road of choice but sometime as they say here ” that dog won`t hunt”. Welcome back home!
September 16, 2009 at 8:17 pm
DAVEY,
In the real world there are people who want to force their views on how the world should be and how everyone should live. This is what really happen on 9/11, a few wanted to place fear in the hearts of many in order to get their way, they are bully. They think of america as being evil and should be destroyed. As my grandpa used to say you can reason with a gentleman but not with a fool. There are things that are worth a fight. You and I enjoy the freedom we have because of the men and women that were willing to fight to their death for us. I am like you in that I like the peaceful ways and is my first road of choice but sometime as they say here ” that dog won`t hunt”. Welcome home!
September 16, 2009 at 9:17 pm
“The next saddest thing to losing is winning!” Duke of Wellington after Waterloo.
September 16, 2009 at 10:18 pm
On Sept. 11, 2001, I awoke to my grandmother’s yelling “Turn on the TV! A plane flew into the World Trade Centre!” I watched intently as the drama unfolded.
I was angry. I was God damn angry! I immediately thought, and voiced, “Nuke the Middle East! Throw in Malaysia and Indonesia for good measure! I don’t care how many innocents have to die at least we’ll rid the world of these f*****g pricks and their f*****g ideology.”
It might have worked for a while. Let’s face it, if we decimate the numbers of our enemies they’d be hard pressed to attack us again. But of course the example we set in doing so is that it’s acceptable to basically commit genocide to teach people a ‘lesson’.
After my anger subsided and I did a lot of soul searching, I realized that retaliation in any form was counterproductive. Retaliation was a knee-jerk reaction that showed the world that:
a) we are human with all our inherent flaws in logic; and
b) we are unwilling to think things through rationally and we set aside our morals and the teaching of the man who most Americans consider to be our personal Lord and Saviour when it’s convenient or when we’re really, really angry.
What ever happened to:
You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
OR
But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
At this point, I have come to the conclusion that it is better not to react at all. In not reacting, we leave the actions of those who incited the violence to be judged on their own and not side-by-side with our reaction. On top of that, it is a great show of strength to hold one’s peace in the face of devastation. It is a far greater example to show restraint than to destroy in anger.
September 17, 2009 at 10:49 am
Clearly, then, we do NOT live in a Christian nation. We just pretend we do so that we can justify our hatred and our unChristian actions. There’s a word for that…..now let’s see, what is it?
September 17, 2009 at 8:28 pm
I believe that most people’s faiths are quite sincere. But just like the radical Islamic clerics who promote war and unprovoked attacks there are many WHACKO leaders in Christian churches who are feeding their people spiritual horse-s**t to serve their own agendas.
September 18, 2009 at 9:26 pm
that christian fascist crap goes on every sunday in christian churches all over.if christians practiced the true word of God from the get go we wouldnt nearly have the conflict we have now.
September 20, 2009 at 9:44 am
Every time I meet a so-called “born again Christian” I tell them I am a Born Again Homo. That usually causes a moment of reflection followed by some form of verbal violence.
I have been “saved” by my acceptance of who I am.
Violence begets violence. The only way to break the cycle is by returning love (acceptance) for violence.
The US is the only nation to have actually used the atomic bomb. Those who were our victims are now our friends. Not because we bombed them, but because we treated them fairly and engaged with them in trade. Japan is now one of our strongest allies.
Now just suppose that instead of spending Billions of Dollars on bombs in Iraq and Afghanistan, that we spent 1/10th of that amount in direct aid to the poorest people in those countries. In return we would have saved nearly 5000 American and allied lives along with 100′s of thousands of dead Iraqis and Afghanis, and the distruction of their cities and infrastructure, thus planting deeper hatred in their minds. Instead of destroying the poppy fields of the opium growers we should buy their crop at a better price than the war lords who get all the profits now and use it to make cheaper morphine, a derivitive of opium. But then that would not be as profitable for war profiteers like Haliburton (Cheney $ Co.).
Too bad our leaders were only “Sunday” Christians and not enlightened enough to practice what they so love to preach.
Be well,
September 16, 2009 at 11:35 pm
I remember that I was in, like, fifth grade when Nine Eleven happened. (I is a young’un.) At the time, I had thought that things like this weren’t a very big deal, and that they happened fairly regularly. It wasn’t a very impressive tragedy in my mind. Why were so many people raising such a ruckus about it?
It took me two years to really appreciate what had happened for what it was. This is a big concept. The hatred it took for that to happen is absolutely stunning.
But I find terrorism a particularly disgusting tactic to use. Wars I’m NOT okay with, but terrorism? What the heck? That’s a no-no.
Now I have nothing left to say, so… yeah.
September 17, 2009 at 2:03 am
All mammals including humans have an emotional intelligence below the concious level. It consists of stimulus, emotional response and behaviour and figures largely in our reaction to other humans and even dogs/other mammals. Someone takes my bone, anger, teeth, dogfight. Violence. Equally it provides protection & support for our loved ones and destruction and hurt for bone takers and bombers.
Conciousness is about becoming aware of our emotional intelligence, so that it is not our only automatic response. The universe provides an appropriate response for each situation, depending on the people, place and time. Sometimes violence (and varying degrees of violence) will be appropriate. BUT it should not be our first and only reaction in any given situation.
September 17, 2009 at 2:10 am
Perhaps I should mention that a violent /action response (approp or not) will most likely create a violent response unless the person is concious enough to step back and evaluate all options.
The other side is that “positive” emotional responses can be equally positive or negative depending on people, place and time. Giving money to a begger can avert a robbery (he bought food) or provide the means to buy a murder weapon. Again what is the appropriate concious response.
September 17, 2009 at 6:56 am
You have stirred the pot. There are moments in time I remember. When Jack Kennedy was shot Martin Luther then Bobby it was a great wound in humanity. When the towers fell I turned to my friend at work and said “it is time now that we know who we are, find our center and what we believe. Things will never be the same again.”
September 17, 2009 at 7:48 am
“War on terror” is a very confused concept. Terror is a tactic, not an enemy.
September 20, 2009 at 10:09 am
For the British, the American colonials were “terrorists” because they hid behind trees and shot at the Red Coats who were all in a line in the open field fighting according to the “rules of war”. “Terrorists” who fight against an overwhelming enemy always use nasty unfair tactics. “Why don’t they just stand in line and wait to get shot like they are supposed to?” Duuuh?
Read Gore Vidal’s “Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace”. He’s gay too, you know.
Be well,
September 17, 2009 at 9:43 am
We all ask “what can we do to end violence and hatred” as if just one person or a small group will somehow come up with a way to “solve” the problem that we all look at and say “my, isn’t that trebile”.
Well, we all have to “act” to end all the hatred in our world!
Notice that I said “our world”; this is because most of us, no all of us can only really do one thing; CLEAN OUR OWN BACK YARD!
Once we all “clean our own back yard” then “we” will “collectively” merge “all of our individual power of positive thought into one big positive thought with the universe”!
What is menat by “cleaning your own back yard”?
It means [once again] what I always tell everyone who visits this site regularly;
“CHANGE YOUR STINKIN’ THINKIN’” or in other words, “CHANGE YOUR THOUGHT”!
Clean up your “own yard” by getting rid of ALL of your negitive thoughts about everything and everyone!
Then, little by little, we will collectively change the world for the better!
Just as we (and those before us) have created all of the hatred that we are now seeing through out the world!
September 17, 2009 at 10:56 am
Imagine for a moment if, in 1963 we had decided to support Ho Chi Minh’s revolution against foreigners….we would have saved billions of dollars, 50,000 US soldiers, hundreds of thousands of ghastly casualties, and hundreds of thousands– perhaps millions of Asian lives. And we would have pretty much the same S.E. Asia we have today. Imagine for a moment if we had not invaded Iraq in 2003, but put those hundreds of billions of dollars into our own roads, schools, ports, airports, health care, etc. Now….imagine the likelihood that we will be in Afghanistan for 10 to 50 or 100 years, trying to make that land into something it is not. What will be the cost to us and to the world? In dollars? In lives? In lost possibility? Things to think about.
September 17, 2009 at 11:53 am
Each religion preaches peace. But do it our way or else. And if you don’t look bad now, we’ll prevoke you to look stupid and people will flock to us, because we are the smart ones.
September 17, 2009 at 3:59 pm
A poem for davey: “How happy is the blameless vestal’s lot! The word forgettings by the world forgot. Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind”. alexander pope
September 17, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Awesome post! You’re absolutely correct.
September 17, 2009 at 11:41 pm
This is beautiful, Davey; well said. Can you forward this to Stephen Harper? I think he needs to read it.
September 18, 2009 at 9:45 pm
Harper needs to be reminded his buddy Bush has been retired to West Texas-to reign as permanent Village Idiot for eternity.Harper and Bush-failures of our generation.
September 18, 2009 at 5:29 pm
This reminds me of a little thought I had the other day. The thing that separates us from being “animals” is the ability to reason. So when we don’t exercise this ability, we’re just mere animals. =]
September 18, 2009 at 5:31 pm
And God created violence!
Human has always been violent; it’s in his nature. This behaviour of primate is a response to an irrational fear. It’s true that, nowadays, that aspect of his personality is often lit by the spotlights of current events.
September 19, 2009 at 5:07 pm
You’re right. All of us should think like you.
Vilence begets violence. We must stop doing this to change the world in which nwe live
n_n
September 22, 2009 at 6:30 am
One of my daily prayers is for all those whose hearts are heavy with hurt and hatred, that somehow they may have a change of heart and may choose a non-destructive means to address the issues that are weighing heavy on them. Whether it be the terrorist that is planning mass destruction, or the individual who is so hurt that they strike out at another in word, physical confrontation, destruction of property or reputation, or even in silence, refusing to talk to someone. Hatred and hurt are heavy, unnecessary burdens to keep carrying around with us. Let go, forgive, be free . . .
September 24, 2009 at 5:02 pm
I have vivid memories of Richard Gere being booed off the stage at a 9/11 rally, shortly after the attacks, when he suggested that more violence was not the answer. He was just one celebrity perveyor of a peace and understanding message that comes from a more enlightened place than the agressive, knee-jerk reaction that so many of us are more comfortable with expressing….I keep affirming that we will get there. We just have yet to reach the “hundredth monkey theory” tipping point of the enlightenment.
July 27, 2010 at 8:40 am
ha ha! good job America now I’m going to deploy to N.Korea
“As long as we don’t believe peace can be achieved, it will not be.”
May 3, 2011 at 9:25 am
old quotations: the wages of sin/evil is death! how it comes is a secret. we are not informed, hence we cannot prepare for it. Motivations for evil acts are all over the map. If the action arises from a ‘sane’ human, & that is rare, there may be a rational (?) or not. Those with personality disorders are becoming common place of late; predicting them, is a new growth industry! cheers