Writing Prompt 3: Violence

What are your feelings on violence? Do you sympathize with the Allmuseri? Are there ever situations where violence is necessary or justifiable?

I strongly dislike/disapprove of violence on the ideological level. I prefer to think that there is always another way of solving a problem. However, I cannot deny that in certain situations where a person is fighting for their life or to protect a love one that I would sympathize with their struggle. I could not look that person in the face and tell them that they shouldn’t have fought to save themself. I would also like to accept the ideas of my Catholic religion which holds that violence of any sort is harmful; however, as exemplified by that selfsame religion, even those who preach pacifism are affected by and engage in violence.
In Johnson’s book I certainly feel for the Allmuseri, but as is often the case, no group of people is ever completely saintly. When we, as the reader, get to see the true personalities of this tribe we realize that they possess all the vices of any other people. Thus, while I can understand their willingness to resort to violence in order to stop the violence being perpetrated on them, I am not surprised that they, as the new oppressor, are soon overturned through internal rivalries and the sea.
As to situations in which violence might be necessary or justifiable, I believe this is covered in my first paragraph. Although I would add that whoever behaves violently, whether for justified reasons or not, will most likely find themselves hurt by the cycle in violence that they participate in. Violence begets more violence and cannot be stopped by a final act of violence, but rather by a commitment to intervening acts of peace.