To Be Free Of Violence
Disagreement among people is a common, perhaps even necessary part of our daily existence. But too often we feel that because someone’s point of view is different from ours, he is our enemy and must be stopped. As such thoughts grow, disagreement soon turns to violence, and that is a sad comment on life.
During the past decade, violence spurred by a disagreement in political philosophies has resulted in the death of an American president, the death of his brother who was a presidential candidate, the killing of civil rights leaders, and more recently, an attempt on the life of another presidential candidate. All were senseless acts of violence, triggered because someone had a different point of view.
Certainly, there will be opposing views. There is nothing wrong with that. As Gandhi said, “It is not our differences that really matter. It is the meanness behind [them] that is ugly.”1
If we are to be free of violence in our nations and towns, we must also be free of it in our hearts, our homes, our streets and our factories. We cannot settle our differences through violent action and expect happiness to follow. If we disagree with our loved ones or fellow workers, we must try to work out our differences sensibly, or at least allow the other person his point of view.
Granted, that is not an easy course to follow. Self-control now seems to be in limited supply, and a violent response to those who disagree with us is often the easiest and quickest course to follow.
Perhaps we should remember the words of King Arthur when he learned that his friend Lancelot had betrayed him. The king knew that to revile against Lancelot would destroy the Camelot he had built. Arthur remarked, “This is a time when violence is not strength, and compassion is not weakness … we shalI live through this together. May God have mercy on us all.”2
1Attributed to Mohandas K. Gandhi
2From the Musical, Camelot, by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe
May 21, 1972
Broadcast Number 2,226