Do You Justify Using Force to Get What You Want?

I cannot bear the men who rush up to me, put a pistol to my head and cry, Be my brother or Ill kill you! Nicolas Chamfort referring to the justified violence during the French Revolution 1789-1798. Most people, when push comes to shove, believe that initiating offensive force (this does not include defensive force) to get what they want is justified. Most dont think about justifying the acts of violence that are done in their name by whatever collective is in control. In general people accept the reasons their leaders give for the necessary aggression, even against themselves in times of crisis (e.g., the physical body searches in airports). I would like you to think about the moral rightness of allowing anyone including yourself to physically aggress another person for any reason, sacred or politically correct. It is important that you look up close and personal into the mirror of your humanity when you, implicitly or explicitly, justify violent means by their higher ends. +++++++++++++ The ends chosen to justify violent means differ, but usually sooner than later, silently or noisily, most agree that force is necessary and morally right. Jews, Christian, Moslems, Communists, Capitalists, bankers, teachers, lawyers, policemen, soldiersthey all believed their end (Nation, Party, God, Guru) justified, regrettably or proudly, physical aggression against whoever did not act as they

should act.
++++++ (usually sooner than later) for a cause they believe is fair, right, holy, or for the greater good, believe that using force to get what they want is justified. Whatever the sacred end: minimum wages and rent controls; to cover or not to cover, a womans face in public; to say or not say prayers in schools; to worship or not to worship a cross, a crescent, a sickle and hammer; for all of these and many more, throughout history including now, people have been willing to initiate physical force to get their way.