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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsUse of Violence is an American Thing
That's why we have a military budget larger than all of the next 5 countries put together.
The US launches a drone attack on people in foreign lands who merely threaten us, and lets not forget about the last president who invaded Iraq because of a perceived threat. And had 90% of the public supporting that invasion.
It's an American idea infused in our society that violence is a solution to our problems. So if you are aghast at what is happening on the streets of Baltimore, maybe you just don't get what it means to be a modern American?
clarice
(5,504 posts)RobertEarl
(13,685 posts)We spend a fortune on this idea of using violence to get our way in the world.
cherokeeprogressive
(24,853 posts)11 Bravo
(23,926 posts)Lancero
(3,003 posts)The2ndWheel
(7,947 posts)Obviously it's not just an American thing. That's ridiculous. Violence, might makes right, is progress. America wouldn't exist without it. The UN, whatever it's worth, wouldn't exist without it. Europe wouldn't exist without it. The list goes on.
If you win, you get to make the rules, and then justify and rationalize what you did in order to win. Morality is subjective, dependent on context. We're no different than any other form of life on the planet, just maybe more successful, because we have an ability to increase the violence when needed. We think we're different, but again, that's subjective, justified by us, and rationalized by us, the winners.
RobertEarl
(13,685 posts)That is what made America number 1. We excel in violence. So why would a modern American be so aghast at the use of violence on the streets of the US? It's what makes us great, as you so profoundly expressed.
The2ndWheel
(7,947 posts)We see the use of violence differently, depending on who's doing the violence.
Plus people aren't used to seeing it. We think it happened in the past, so why should it happen again. Even though there is no objective time, and it's just based on the amount of times we've twirled around the sun, which doesn't make any difference to what happens when.
We're all just trying to make sense of the world, what should or shouldn't happen, but there are billions of us all doing what we do.
bemildred
(90,061 posts)Fred Sanders
(23,946 posts)cali
(114,904 posts)but use of violence is a human thing. It's the glorification and reliance on violence that is so heavily interwoven into our culture that is, if not unique, so pronounced.
Nuclear Unicorn
(19,497 posts)RobertEarl
(13,685 posts)I think if the mindset of using violence as the correct course were to go away, the world would be a better place.
There was that one famous guy who suggested as much, Jesus, I can't remember his name right now, tho. <grin>
virgogal
(10,178 posts)Nuclear Unicorn
(19,497 posts)Glassunion
(10,201 posts)If there's one thing we truly excel at... It's f%#ing shit up.
djean111
(14,255 posts)leftynyc
(26,060 posts)all the violence that occurred before we were even a country? It's religion that is the scourge of humanity.
RobertEarl
(13,685 posts)Religion, since you brought it up, is mostly founded on brotherly love. It is asswipe humans who corrupt the idea. Blaming religion is like blaming clouds for your being flooded.
I do not make any excuses for violence. I just make sure violence is not in my works. It isn't easy to do, but damn it does make it easy to love my brothers and sisters.
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)of all the violence before the US was a country? And I completely disagree about religion. As long as there are those religions that are so sure their's is the only way forward, violence will be committed in the name of religion - always has been, always will be.
RobertEarl
(13,685 posts)There was no religion then, but there was violence.
Religion has been corrupted, but so has the air and water. It is hate that causes violence. Nothing more than that.
zappaman
(20,606 posts)leftynyc
(26,060 posts)Wasn't it G-d himself that got involved with Cain and Able? Just because it wasn't organized doesn't mean there wasn't religion. As long as there's going to be "My G-d's dick is bigger than your G-d's dick", there will be endless violence. And you still haven't answered the same question I asked in both my posts.
RobertEarl
(13,685 posts)Myself, I prefer love. Jesus said: ""Love thine enemy"". Hateful people can't do that and their hate causes them to do violence. Hate is the cause of violence.
The2ndWheel
(7,947 posts)Then again so is violence.
Hate can be a cause of violence, but so can survival. Or love. Or jealousy. Or just plain indifference. Or just because you enjoy hurting people.
NuclearDem
(16,184 posts)Animals--including our ancestors--have been killing each other since the dawn of life on this planet.
Various institutions have been set up to justify violence and killing, but violence and killing are animal behaviors.
hifiguy
(33,688 posts)has largely been about three things, at east christianity and to a somewhat lesser extent islam:
Conquering and converting the "heathens" at the point of a sword.
Trying to exterminate the "heathens" be they internal dissenters or external other-believers
When these things became more generally frowned upon, bombarding the "heathens" with missionaries, co opting a few locals and exploiting the living bejesus out of the "heathens'" countries and the inhabitants thereof in the joint names of gawd and capitalism.
The2ndWheel
(7,947 posts)HereSince1628
(36,063 posts)So Yes, it is an American thing because we are a subset of humanity.
This behavior is pretty much one of the things people hope to have protection from when they endorse the creation of government by, for, and of the people
BUT, because it's also human nature to piss-off others through selfishness and other 'ass'-ymetries, violent expressions happen.
The dynamic sometimes place 'us' on the side of the angels and sometimes not.
libdem4life
(13,877 posts)Getting the first round of Civil Rights for blacks was not peaceful. Becoming a Global Empire has not been peaceful. Since the Civil War there have been 120 "incursions" that have not been peaceful.
Protesting and organizing have led to nothing but a veneer of Racial Equality, so the next wave of the same Civil War will not likely be peaceful.
Maybe some other civilized country can come in and help us with our dishonest elections, human rights violations, killing our own citizens (death penalty)and gross income equality.
Wait, that's what we do with other countries. Someone said the television images looked like Palestine. I thought that myself a number of times.
RobertEarl
(13,685 posts)Round and round we go, where we get off, nobody knows.
Increase the war budget and pay for it with food stamps. Round we go.
I post here on DU to try and make this a more perfect union. We all have that duty. Some work hard at it, others are slackers. Round and round we go.
upaloopa
(11,417 posts)into existence. It was violence that kept the Union together.
It will be violence that brings about the progressive change so many DUers are clamoring for because violence is the only thing that gets the needed attention!
The changes that came about out of the sixties came because there was violence.
I remember this debate from those times.
ann---
(1,933 posts)People are going to stop caring about the plight of minorities when the
"bad apples" get all the attention.
Just like some cops are "bad" - the looters and firestarters - and violent
protesters are "bad" too.
zappaman
(20,606 posts)BainsBane
(53,035 posts)The French Revolution, The Russian Revolution, the rebellions of 1848, the Cuban Revolution, the Mexican Revolution, the Chinese Revolution, the Iranian Revolution, the Spanish American wars of independence, foot riots throughout European history, popular rebellions throughout the world, and countless other uses of violence outside the US. Yet none of them really happened. Historians have totally made up shit about a world existing outside the borders of the US. How could any of that possibly matter when it's not on the teevee?
zappaman
(20,606 posts)No violence necessary...
BainsBane
(53,035 posts)into peace and all.
hifiguy
(33,688 posts)"As American as apple pie."