Of Fire and Water

America is headed for the abyss because it glorifies violence. We have a history of "solving" some problems with it, while ignoring the long-term result of having more problems to "solve". Thus, the cycle of violence never ends, as America's brief history shows: this nation has been at war almost nonstop since its formation.

I think it all started because of the way we handled the British problem. In the Revolution, we defeated the British in a glorious victory. Predictably, ever since then, we have been a culture that glorifies war, military heroes, military weapons, victories, the righteous hammmer of justice. How could we be anything else? We owe our whole existince to war. Thus war is our national god.

And we suffer. Oh do our people suffer.

I think it's high time to realize a fundamental truth about the universe. When you try to fight fire with fire, you just get a bigger fire. But if you fight fire with water, even if you don't put out the fire at least you have a smaller fire.

Imagine if we had defeated the British through nonviolent civil disobedience. Think about what effect that would have had on our national mystique. We would look back on our history and see salvation in peace, see brotherhood and harmony as the way, understand violence as primitive and barbaric. And yet we would still revere courage. Just a different kind of courage, and arguably a nobler kind: the courage of martyrdom. "Land of the free and home of the brave" could still be our motto.

Then maybe freedom would have actually worked, and maybe we wouldn't be so desperate to throw it away for a little bit of economic or military security.

Or perhaps I'm just drunk on idealism right now. I'll sober up soon.

Brilliant post. S&F. In a sense, perhaps one of the unintended consequences of the tragedy in Tuscon is that people are questioning and condemning the violent ra-ra rhetoric.

I totally agree with everything you said. Imagine if, throughout history, conflicts had always been resolved through non-violent action....what a different world we would live in today!

Can I have just one bump? Pretty please?