Political violence
Political violence means a violent act undertaken with the primary intent of achieving a political objective, such as declared or undeclared war, hostile action by national or international armed forces, civil war, revolution, insurrection, civil strife, terrorism or sabotage. Acts undertaken primarily to achieve labor or student objectives are also included.
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| Please Note: This section is not intended to be encyclopedic in nature. It is a section of an essay pertaining to the topic. | |
Mussolini spoke of a very specific type of violence, and there are many many kinds.
The press tells us that words can be violent, especially mean words aimed at women, children, and jews. The word "nigger" is supposed to be violent, but I wouldn't rely on its effectiveness if under attack by one. they tell us that some thoughts are violent as well, but we all know that this is largely propaganda, and that violent words and thoughts are harmless next to physical violence.
But is physical violence always harmful?
Of course not. Physical violence can not only be destructive, but it can be educational, liberating, constructive, spiritual, even life giving.
Mussolini was referring largely to revolutionary violence of course, but because violence is a tool, and not an end in itself, it can be used in as many different ways that the human imagination can concieve. ...and what the human mind can concieve, and believe, it can achieve.
Slapping a hysterical person in the face will get their attention and quickly keep them from spiralling into a type of insanity. they will thank you. Striking a nail with a hammer is just one form of constructive violence. Any construction site will offer you an endless supply of pounding, forcing, slamming, cutting, etc. A doctor slaps a baby to get it to beathe for the very first time, surgeons routinely cut people wide open to heal them, and I defy anyone to watch CPR being performed and say it isn't violent, or watch the use of the electric paddles that jumpstart a heart. I further defy anyone reading this to watch a human birth and then tell me that violence cannot be lifegiving.
Say that violence is automatically evil is like saying that a circular saw, gun, hammer, or BBQ grill are evil. Violence is a tool, that's all.
Violence exists in nature. It can be deadly, traumatic, and crippling, or it can be revolutionary, healing, and lifegiving. Like anything else, its use is directed by the angels and demons of our human nature.