Ornicus covers the recent atrocities in Iraq, and compares them to the lynching of blacks. I can see what he is saying- we need to examine ourselves also. We can't just say "those other people over there are animals! The only language they speak is violence!" or in the case of the lynchings "Don't try to make me feel guilty! I had nothing to do with it!". I believe that everyone has the possibility that they will participate in some inhuman, brutal act. Sure, everyone has the possibility to do good and wonderful things, but the former is more likely. It's not just the Iraqis that are 'animals', we are 'animals' too, and we have to realize that. Even with the lynching photos, I am black and identify with the victims, but I also find myself asking- would I have gone along with it if I was white? What would I have thought they had done?

Because the truth is that even if others have done nothing, we'll think of reasons to justify our violence. The people in Iraq think 'they are Americans, they have stolen our country" even if we really thought that we were doing good. The whites thought the blacks were a threat to them, wrongly, of course- it wasn't a physical threat- it was a mental one- fear of losing their dominance. I gripe about whiny neocons, but at least I'm glad they keep their strong fear of losing dominance to mere whining and bitching instead of violence.

So, we come to an impasse- how do we know our reasons for violence aren't us merely trying to rationalize the desire? Um..I actually have no idea. Maybe more study will reveal the answer.