Explain Violence in the US: The Consequences are Grave

What a violent way to start the New Year in the US. True, nations across the globe live with daily violence. Seems we do as well in America, although we are fighting a different kind of war. Actually, we are fighting many wars within the US.

Consider the incidents within the last 36 hours in New Orleans, Las Vegas and New York. Shootings as well as cars used as weapons. Home made explosives abound. Innocent people are shot and injured and killed. The consequences were not accidental; these were/are intentional acts by all media accounts.

Anger

I get that folks are angry. Think January 6th. I get that angry folks seek to make their voices heard. Ponder the killing of the United Healthcare CEO in plain view.

Here are my questions. Why is violence seen as the only or optimal or available way to be seen and heard when one is angry? Is it strategically and morally how best we voice our deepest concerns and angry feelings/thoughts? Ponder school shootings. Ponder other acts of violence like in Lewiston, Maine. And that’s a recent starter list.

Seems to me that violence rarely makes a lasting point with respect to resolving the underling issues that precipitated the horrors. Think Boston Marathon. We know this: Violence hasn’t curbed further violence. It hasn’t changed views, say denying weapon access. Violence makes its points in red (damaging individuals and families and communities forever) but once the blood is cleared and cleaned, what have we learned that sticks?

In sum: Violence doesn’t seem to curb the anger that generated it.

Consequences and Solutions

Those injured from violent attacks suffer. Families of those killed and injured (some with last medical consequences) struggle mightily. There is a ripple effect on past survivors, a rekindling of earlier trauma. There are others who treat survivors: medical staff, first responders, counselors, social workers; they all struggle; they feel hurt too. Add in that parents and caregivers and teachers who try to explain violence to young people. That’s just a short list of the harms suffered.

Explain to me please what can be done (if anything) to curb violence. What solutions exist?

As we enter 2025, our world seems unsafe. Not “seems;” it is unsafe in many ways, of which violence is but one.

We are unsafe in many ways in our culture. Yes. In addition to grotesque violence as described and shared above, we are exposed to non-violent assaults repeatedly by mean, nasty, envious, troubled, narcissistic prejudiced and/or angry people who chip away at our individual and collective wellness. Yup. Meanness abounds (and yes, to be sure, there is kindness too). Think about travel incidents. Think about community incidents including meetings that devolve into shouting matches. I am sure readers have their own internal lists.

Resolutions

I have looked at many New Year’s resolutions (mine included) about folks affirmatively taking steps in 2025 to avoid “bad” people. A shocking number of folks are taking steps to surround themselves with good people as an affirmative step! That’s because we are choosing something to better good in our lives.

Yes, we can and should create boundaries to keep out “bad” people, many of whom have behaviors or characters traits that cannot change. OK. I get that. Self protect. I’m trying that in my own life: bad actors in our private lives are out.

Make our small world better as we try to improve the larger world.

But that boundary creating approach doesn’t answer the larger question about high levels of violence that are outside our control, violence that targets innocent people to make a point (at least it appears in most cases that there is some point being made through these destructive acts).

We can block bad folks on social media. We can avoid bad people in our personal lives for the most part. We can improve workplaces. We can elect officials who display grace and equanimity (think Carter). We can reward those who regularly give back to others by volunteering in many needed contexts. We can use legal remedies if needed.

But, what resolutions will address the large scale increasingly omnipresent violence damaging individuals, communities and our nation?

Wishing violence away isn’t enough. Laws aren’t enough. Physical boundaries are not working well enough. Intelligence efforts by authorities to stop attacks aren’t working well enough.

But enough is enough. Share what we can do.