Violence Begets Violence

We need peace, compassion and empathy

When I awoke yesterday and learned of the mass murder in New Orleans and that the perpetrator had an ISIS flag and made some proclamations on social media, I felt anger, even rage, and the wish for revenge against Muslims. Then I came to my senses, and that is why I present these quotes and the wonderful fairy tale, "The Lion and the Mouse," and my amateur story about a similar act of violence and outcome based on compassion.

Martin Luther King Jr. (1929–1968):

"Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness begets a greater toughness. We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love... Our aim must never be to defeat or humiliate...but to win his friendship and understanding."

"The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy, instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it. Through violence you may murder the liar, but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth. Through violence you may murder the hater, but you do not murder hate. In fact, violence merely increases hate. Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

"Violence is not the answer, it doesn't work. We are at the end of the worst century in which the greatest atrocities in the history of the world have occurred... The nature of human beings must change. We must cultivate love and compassion."― Martin Scorsese.

The Lion and the Mouse

A lion caught a mouse and was about to kill it. The mouse pleaded for its life, promising to repay the lion someday. Amused, the lion let it go. Later, the lion was trapped in a hunter's net. The mouse heard his roars, gnawed through the ropes, and freed him. The lion said, "You were right, little mouse. Kindness is never wasted."

"The Strongest Bond" —Allan N Schwartz

In a city full of celebration, a young man, angry and disillusioned, drove a truck into a crowd, leaving devastation in his wake. The community was shattered, and the hearts were heavy with loss and fear.

Among them were Daniel, a doctor dedicating his life to others, and Amina, a teenager from a refugee family who had finally found some sense of belonging in her new country. They'd both lived through the horror, neither knowing each other.

Days later, while serving in the hospital treating injured survivors, Daniel overheard Amina speaking to a bereaved child whose parents had been victims. She explained softly to him that one can unlearn hatred just as one learns kindness. Touched by her words, Daniel went looking for her.

Together, Daniel and Amina started a grassroots movement to rebuild trust and empathy within the community. They spoke out to people of all backgrounds: conversations on anger, fear, and a need for compassion. Slowly, that community began to heal, not through retaliation but from a shared commitment to reject the cycle of violence.

Years later, a third party inspired by what they did stopped another young man from planning a similar attack and convinced him to find another way to make himself heard. That singular act of empathy saved hundreds of lives and proved that a gentle spark can be ignited even in humanity's darkest hour.