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David Weiner's avatar

This is an important topic and the article gets to the crux of the matter, love versus violence.

The problem is that, for many, they are advocating violence but think that they are advocating justice. And libertarians know that sometimes violence must be employed against aggressors, in order to maintain a peaceful society.

Taking a step back, we know that many of those caught up in partisan politics have come to believe that they are victims of violence committed by the other side. In this article, Brownstein admits that there is truth in this perception.

So the question then becomes how do we end this feud, this cycle of violence, or at the very least , mitigate it so that it doesn't consume our society?

I am reading a powerful book right now called "Forgive for Good". It is written for the ordinary individual who is looking to greatly improve his quality of life by incorporating the author's successful protocol for forgiveness into his mindset and behavior. But the author has also done research demonstrating the successful use of his protocol for Catholics and Protestants who were involved in the Irish civil war.

This approach points to another direction for promoting liberty in this world. We need to become mediators who can help others to renounce their hate and resentment toward those whom they perceive as their enemies. Yes, it is still about promoting love, but it tackles the problem from a different angle.

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JdL's avatar

It's absolutely true that our primary focus to improve the world must lie within. Someone whose own life is a mess has no chance of improving others' lives, either through force or by example. And even if there were a hundred million Americans with perfect mental health, I doubt they could accomplish anything useful by banding together and brandishing weapons. Still, there is a place for force, when employed entirely defensively. Would-be tyrants often understand nothing else.

Thanks, again, for a thoughtful and constructive column.

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