That has got to be a knuckle break LOL!
I'm not one to consume or turn on the News. It's hard to decipher as a consumer the biases of media. I would rather learn about the struggles of people locally to me and how I can help them. That is where I have found the most peace in being non-violent. I cannot blame either side and I can support the communities around me. I found myself at one point consuming the trauma-porn of the world rather than spending time helping those close by. Now I can work on changing that.
This is a tough question and one that my teachers get asked a lot! Firstly, I do not surround myself with violent people. I associate with people I know will not bring me harm and I do not need to go out of my way to use "self-defense" on those I assume are going to harm me. However, this week a peaceful protest on my street was attacked by a group of angry men who were likely very lost in hate. I walked past just hours earlier, and I wonder what I would have done if I was there... There are ways to protect others and yourself in non-violent ways. Defending is not always violent - you can use self-defense as a means to de-escalate or escape from a situation if you are capable. There is nothing wrong with protecting as a means to stop others from getting seriously hurt. To me, however, hitting an attacker in anger back or with the desire to truly hurt them is where violence stems.
These things happen so fast; it's hard to theorize about what I would have done. And - we are human. Mistakes are made and that's okay. As long as afterwards you can address them and grow. Today I can ask myself: how can I help in that situation? What would be the best way to defend myself and others in a way that aligns with my morals?
I couldn't judge anyone on how they choose to approach the current state of the violent world we live in. This statement strikes me, and I think it depends from person to person. But, violence does not need to be the answer to violence. That will only feed the cycle.
Thank you for sharing these thoughts! It got me to do some thinking today
