h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I certainly hope so.

Our species is capable of such incredible creativity, compassion, and self-sacrifice, it is hard to understand how we can also be capable of such evil

So far, we have avoided destroying ourselves, although we are very close to devestating our precious planet.

I wonder if we can hold it together long enough to sort out our petty differences?

Well, it seems we may witness the answer to that question sooner rather than later. Let's hope in the positive rather than the negative.

I'm hoping too.

Grief, your nick has never seemed so appropriate

x x Fenny

Grief, Torment, Terror and Despair...

The horsemen are joined by the four mulemen of the apocalypse.

Let's talk peace wherever we go tomorrow. It might just work, and it's better than the alternative.

"What's so funny 'bout peace, love and understanding?" Elvis Costello

If we need a theme tune, i's a good one.

How to pray for Peace.

I am posting this in all relavent threads I know of - forgive me if it therefore looks like spam.

We all know what it feels like to be near someone who is full of anger. Fewer of us know the power of being with people who are full of peace.

There is a 2500 year old method of building peace in your heart, and spreading it out to others.

I have written a guide entry called How to Pray for Peace. You can find it here. http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A631261. Again. This is not my invention, it is 2500 years old.

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a girl called Ben

We can have peace. When those who commit brutal and illegal attacks against us are dead or in cutody, I will fully support peace.

Two Bit Trigger Pumping Moron
To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace. - George Washington

As we used to say in the 70s... Fighting for peace is like f**king for chastity.

We have to start in our own hearts.

(Two Bit - I fear that we are both right, in our own ways).

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a human called Ben
http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A631261

There will always be somebody out there. We have to hold peace and humanity in our hearts even when we are frightened and angry. Because if we have to work on fear and anger, then most of us are victims, cannon fodder, irrelevant. And the ones who are left have nobody left to rule.

Should we roll over and let those who want to attack us have carte blanche to do so?

When you are attacked, you have to defend yourself, or you'll be destroyed.

We should cultivate peace and love in ourselves and between ourselves so that there will be less attacking and less need for defense.

Two Bit - I respect your anger, and your right to your anger. I do not know if I could say the things I say if it was my country and my friends who were killed.

But...

A semi-naked man brought down the British Empire

A man in jail for 20 years - much of that time in solitary confinement - brought about an end to apartheid

A minister with a dream brought around civil-rights in the US

The reason Christ said 'turn the other cheek' is to prevent the escalation of violence, and more innocent deaths.

I honour the bravery of Ghandi, Mandela and Luther-King, and I respect the power with which they changed the world for good.

Two bit - I have been moved by the resolution and dignity of your posts. But there is a difference between just taking it and between loving one's enemies.

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a human-being called Ben
http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A631261

I don't want to love my enemy. Although, strangely enough, I really do like most of the people I take to jail.

I think that non-violence has its limits. You have to live in a nation that has some sort of respect for peaceful means. The British may not have been the best imperial masters, but you could approach them on a human level and appeal to their conscience. Americans are basically a just people. Their stomachs will turn when they see dogs turned loose on protesters. They were seeking the equality that we have always espoused. Mandela was able to appeal to those feelings from South Africa, and the western world forced South Africa to change its policies.

Christ was killed. I don't much care for that option.

I don't think you can approach the people who support these attacks with non-violence. I can't imagine that appeasement will work with these people. It baffles me that some people think that it could work. How are you going to show hardened terrorists the suffering of their victims and expect them to change their methods?

Two Bit Trigger Pumping Moron
Not believing in force is the same as not believing in gravity. - Leon Trotsky

I am not for total non-violence. I am for the absolute rock-bottom minumum necessary violence. People who are beyond hope must be eliminated, but people for whom there is still hope must be rehabilitated.

I still try to love my enemy - consider him/her human. I want to never attack anyone unprovoked, and when attacked, I will first of all attempt to defend myself without hurting my attacker back, and when I need to attack, I will try to render my opponent harmless without hurting him/her.

I'm not a violent person, in spite of my user name. I've only been in two fights since I was 14. I think that's pretty good considering my profession. In fact, I was p****d off at the other officers I was with during the second fight, because it ruined my streak of four years without a fight.

When violence is necessary, it has to be overwhelming. If you pussyfoot around with people, it increases the chances of either party getting hurt. It also increases the damage that you suffer. That's why I'm a fan of Glock Kwon Do. I will draw a weapon in a heartbeat to make it clear who is in charge, and who will win from the outset. So far, no has forced me to really hurt them.

I'm a big fan of rehabilitation, but I really believe that the inspiration for change has to come from inside.

Two Bit Trigger Pumping Moron
It is a fatal to enter a war without the will to win it. - General Douglas MacArthur

Like I said: I'm not totally non-violent either. I know sometimes you gotta use massive force and not wait around and give someone the chance to do something *wise* but incapacitate him right away, and the best chance to incapacitate is to aim to kill. Also, producing a powerful weapon very rapidly can sufficiently intimidate someone to end a possible fight immediately.

You're speaking from the perspective of a cop. You're job is to clean up messes after they've already been made. I'm thinking of trying to avoid messes in the first place. Working for societies where kids are given better educations and better opportunities so more of them will have a chance to make something of themselves instead of getting caught up in s**t. Teaching people good values. Teaching them - *showing* them - how to get along with other people. It's a difficult thing. It's not just a case of going around with rose-tinted glasses saying 'peace and love'. It's about teaching people how to talk to each other, listen to each other, understand each other, have some patience with each other.

"If violence is necessary, it has to be overwhelming..." "Massive force..." This cuts both ways.

If you wear a uniform, and you're not on your own, then pulling a weapon, or a loud-hailer, or even striking an attitude can stop trouble.

If you wear ordinary sloppy clothes and you don't give a damn, and there's nobody in uniform within spitting distance, you will follow the "massive force" philosophy and you will get what you want.

Violence is sometimes necessary - I don't wish to deny it - but I can't help feeling it's like hitting your children. It's already too late, you're out of control, and it's just to make you feel better in the short term.

You're right. When violence is used legitimately, it's used to establish control over the situation. If you had control, then you wouldn't need to use violence.