This week I just want to pose a question. Let me give you a little of my story and background.
Kill or be killed; Live by the sword; Bravado;
Machismo; Masculinity; Code of Honor; Knight’s of Valor;
Protector; Defender; Alpha-Dog; Respect…
These terms describe so much of what I love about being a man, the rough and tough. Clint Eastwood and John Wayne are my two favorite actors. C. Heston, M. Brando, K. Douglas, P. Newman, and R. Redford top the list of lead actors to my favorite films. The Godfather Trilogy, James Bond, and Star Wars are top 3 cinematic collections EVER! Then there is my affinity for War movies, the pure abandonment of ones self for the survival and protection of others, good versus true evil.
[tweetthis remove_hidden_urls=”true”]The very role-model one looks to helps define ones affinity for violence[/tweetthis]
But lately I have wondered as I look at my mindset and worldview if I have missed something? Where Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. better models to shape an effective and productive life after? While the first list of names and characters are fictional, almost exclusively, they are no less influential.
“BE THE CHANGE THAT YOU WISH TO SEE IN THE WORLD.”
I’ve served in the Military for 12 years, for over 6 years I was stationed with the 1st Combat Camera Squadron, JB Charleston, SC. The mission is: To provide senior U.S. government officials with a directed imagery capability in support of strategic, operational and planning requirements during wartime operations, worldwide crises, contingencies, joint exercises and humanitarian operations (1).
I deployed to Iraq, managed hundreds of deployments of friends and coworkers as a unit deployment manager, preformed maintenance on photo, video and satellite transmission systems and trained for if the worst happened while performing our duties. One part of that was working to create an Advanced Weapons and Tactics Training course. I never had to engage in combat, but others have.
I know for me, just being in that environment and cultivating the necessary mindset effected me. During this time of my life it was a necessary change, it was a natural change; in essence, survival dictates encouraging key attributes in my nature. What do you do once you are no longer in a position that needs these attributes as the predominate traits leading your life? Driving in Iraq is different from driving in the United States, crowded concerts are not market places with unknown threats, simple disagreements don’t even hold the same weight.
“AN EYE FOR AN EYE WILL ONLY MAKE THE WHOLE WORLD BLIND.’
A common military outlook is that there are three types of people: sheep, sheepdogs, and wolves. I was trained to think sheep are vulnerable and week, wolves are predatory, and sheepdogs protect and defend sheep while jacking up wolves. Even as I write this I want to agree with it; say “Hooah” and just press on. Never the less, I cannot.
DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT AN ANTI-MILITARY POST. I AM ACTIVE DUTY AND WOULD PROUDLY GRAB MY ‘GO-BAG’ TOMORROW TO SERVE MY COUNTRY, DEFENDING THOSE WHO CANNOT DEFEND THEMSELVES. I PRAY CONTINUALLY FOR MY FELLOW BROTHERS AND SISTERS AT ARMS WHO ARE CURRENTLY DOWN-RANGE PUTTING THEIR LIVES AT STAKE FOR EVERY ONE OF US, EVEN MY RIGHT TO WRITE THIS POST AND HONOR EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO HAS LAID DOWN THEIR LIFE IN SERVICE TO THEIR COUNTRY, FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE. THIS IS JUST ME WORKING THROUGH MY PERSONAL JOURNEY AND BELIEFS.
“DARKNESS CANNOT DRIVE OUT DARKNESS: ONLY LIGHT CAN DO THAT.
HATE CANNOT DRIVE OUT HATE: ONLY LOVE CAN DO THAT.”
If I take a step backwards in time, I grew-up in a Christian home and today hold those beliefs and values as truth in my life. It has been a long and arduous road to this point in my life to develop the premise of my life’s theology. I am asking myself how do I merge these to essentials in my life: Christ and Violence.
- Is violence excusable when the motive behind it is good?
- Does violence solve a problem?
- Does violence change a situation, a person?
If the adage is true “Violence begets violence”;
then does
“Training for violence invoke violence?”
“LET NO MAN PULL YOU SO LOW AS TO HATE HIM.’
We will be continuing this post with pt. 2 next Thursday. I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions – scroll down and leave a comment.
What do you thing?
Do you agree that training for violence invokes violence?
Do you have an example of how violence has changed you?
Scroll down and leave a comment below.
References:
(1) http://www.charleston.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=6831