Let me take this chance to define two important terms here. The terms are violence and peace. Violence refers to the aforethought application of physical might either actual or life threatening towards a group of people, an individual or a community. Such an action has a big probability of causing harm that may be psychological, loss of life, injury and impaired development. Peace on the other hand refers to the state of dwelling in a state or environment that is surrounded by tranquility and harmonized personal relations. Peace can also be derived from a state of security that can be achieved either customarily or via law enforcement.
As for my team, I totally agree and ascertain that it is through violence that we get peace. Word has it that people get to understand themselves and others better after a series of misunderstandings. This has been observed for years since time immemorial and it has been proved to be true.
Considering American history, many events have taken place for a long time. This has been observed among various activists and leaders. There are several reasons as to why I maintain that violence is a catalyst for peace.
John Darby asserts that “It is easier to start a war than to stop it” (8). Wars can be launched on schedule, with a telephone call or a flick of a switch.” With violence the following results;
- Upon relative termination, one side is labeled as loser. This brings the end to violence leaving people no option other than peace. The United States of America has been reluctant in ceasing the misunderstandings witnessed from the air attacks by Iraq. However, it is generally a fact that when nation-states make peace, their treaties tend to maintain for an appreciable amount of time.
- The deep division that arises from history, antipathy and interests that seem to be discordant can be brought to an end since the involved individuals come to value peace hence aspire to secure a peace agreement amongst them-an action that enables them to cooperate with their former enemies. If this is maintained for a longer time, it can lead to ultimate stabilization.
- It quite interesting that an emergence of violence triggers peace. According to John Darby, “it enables the middle ground to find its voice at a time when the voice of moderation could make a difference.” ( 8).
- The Negroes earned their freedom though violence. This was observed during their time of oppression as exhibited in the articles that made appearances on “Must Negroes fight back?” and “The Plot to Get Whitey”. Formerly, the nonviolent approach to get peace had proved futile.
- In the Northern ghettos, the use of violence has been perceived as the sole way to freedom. There has been a series of mob demonstrations rioting in Chicago so that their grievances are heard.
- A ceasefire is capable of bringing to an end stubborn conflict. The differing sides opt to refrain from violence for a certain period of time. However, it is rare for such people to go back to arms again.
It is harder to bring violence, so it is easier to annihilate peace than to nutriment it. Therefore, we should try as much possible to nurture our hard earned peace.
Works Cited
John Darby.The Effects of Violence on Peace Processes. United States Institute of Peace Press Washington D.C. 2001. Web May 2013.
"Mortality and Burden of Disease Estimates for WHO Member States in 2002". World Health Organization. 2004.
Keith Krause, Robert Muggah, and Achim Wennmann, "Global Burden of Armed Violence," Geneva Declaration Secretariat, 2008.
"Violence Prevention: the evidence", World Health Organization/Liverpool John Moores University, 2009.
Rosengart M. et al. An evaluation of state firearm regulations and homicide and suicide death rates. Injury Prevention, 2005.
Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence "Blueprints for violence prevention/
Flannery, D.J., Vazsonyi, A.T. & Waldman, I.D. (Eds.) (2007). The Cambridge handbook of violent behavior and aggression. Cambridge University Press.
Nazaretyan, A.P. (2007). Violence and Non-Violence at Different Stages of World History: A view from the hypothesis of techno-humanitarian balance. In: History & Mathematics
Krug et al., "World report on violence and health", World Health Organization, 2002.
Walker, Phillip L. 2001. A Bioarchaeological Perspective on the History of Violence. Annual Review of Anthropology.
The Culture of Violence in the American West: Myth versus Reality. Retrieved from <http://www.independent.org/publications/tir/article.asp?a=803 > on May 2013.
Martin Luther King, Jr.May 04, 1966.Nonviolence: The Only Road to Freedom. Retrieved from http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/document/nonviolence-the-only-road-to-freedom/ On May 2013.
