Violence

How bizarre it is when violent people are surprised when other generally peaceful people defend themselves when attacked. It is especially bizarre when it is a young fascist doing the attacking and an old hippie defending himself.

Now I do admit I have struggled in my life with a vow I took to proceed in a life of resistance to fascism, bigotry, racism, tyranny, and oppression while trying to use only non-violent actions. It has been a struggle that started from a violent early childhood and was dramatically altered when as a teenager I was lucky enough to have an epiphany while witnessing a brutal beating where I realize I had to step in to stop it. I have spoken many times about the indelible sound of the fists hitting the head of that kid from our rival town across the river.

From the time I refused to kill Vietnamese just because some part of my country's government to told me that I had to damn my soul because of some millionaire industrialist's greed I knew applying non-violence in America was going to be a life-long difficult task. And when I lived in the jungle we call our cities the predators and violent ones could smell the righteous struggle within others and me.

What the fuck are you talking about Cove?

I am talking about what none of you should be surprise about. That good people sometimes fight back. That if you choose to be an aggressor, or a bully, or a racist bigot or a hateful provocateur and worse you might end up with a broken jaw or maybe even a comparable equivalent to your evil. Sometimes justice comes when you least expect it.