Reflections on Violence

There are many echoes in the world,” said Goethe, “but few voices.” The great German thinker said this in a more innocent age. Today voices are heard reverberating the echoes of what seemed a dead past, creating such a din with their demands for violence they will often deploy the word “nonviolence” to achieve it. Most of the voices reecho the language of terror reminiscent of an older time, but not so old it has been obliterated from the living memory of man. At least I hope not.

“When I hear the word culture I release the safety catch on my revolver.” (Nazi leader Hermann Goer-ring’s favorite line from the play The Schlageter, by Hanns Johst.)

MG

About the Author

Max Geltman

Featured Tags

Martin Luther King Jr

Civil Rights

Vietnam

Riot

There are many echoes in the world,” said Goethe, “but few voices.” The great German thinker said this in a more innocent age. Today voices are heard reverberating the echoes of what seemed a dead past, creating such a din with their demands for violence they will often deploy the word “nonviolence” to achieve it. Most of the voices reecho the language of terror reminiscent of an older time, but not so old it has been obliterated from the living memory of man. At least I hope not.

“When I hear the word culture I release the safety catch on my revolver.” (Nazi leader Hermann Goer-ring’s favorite line from the play The Schlageter, by Hanns Johst.)