Violence permeates our culture like salt does a country ham. Some would argue that violence has also preserved our nation from time to time in much the same way that salt prevents meat from being invaded by bacteria, but we are not here to discuss whether violence is right or wrong, simply that it is. As for my qualifications to discuss the subject I offer military service, a lifelong study of martial arts, a youth spent hunting and a number of friends in law enforcement; all subjects which include the use of force where appropriate.
A visitor to our planet could gain some insight into our violent nature by simply studying the language. Consider some of our popular expressions: “Killer” and “that’s the bomb” are both used to express approval. When the alarm clock goes off at 5 AM we could kill for a cup of coffee. At the end of a long day, we crash. We are happy when our favorite team murders their opponents. Even political columnists refer to the “nuclear option.”
I began thinking about the subject of violence a few days ago when I discovered a nest of hornets on the grape arbor immediately adjacent to the only path through that part of the garden. Many peace loving and gentle people would think nothing of “nuking” a hornets’ nest, but I am a friend of hornets. Over the years I have learned to respect them. They are worth their weight in gold for the number of flies they catch and their stinging response, though it feels like being punched by a spiked fist, is usually always fair and balanced. Like a hive of honeybees their collective intelligence is surprising and where they are regularly exposed to humans they can learn to recognize individuals. I once blundered full on into a nest of hornets in the shrubbery behind the house. It had formed unseen along a path where I frequently passed and as I trimmed along with the hedge clippers I bumped the nest with my shoulder. I was stung once on the cheek and very lightly, a warning, while the rest of the hive flew around me entering and exiting the hive. I allowed the nest to stay where it was and moved the path. No one was stung again by a hornet that year.
The nest on the grape arbor was more of a challenge. It had formed on the base of a vine where the grapes needed some serious weeding. There was no other option for moving the path. As I stood there contemplating the unavoidable demise of the hornets, a scout flew out and hovered for a moment at eye level before returning to the nest. I remembered at that moment that hornets had been responsible for my third great life lesson in natural consequence (a hot stove and a sleeping cat being the first and second.) As a child I had discovered that a hornet can follow the exact trajectory of a rock thrown at her nest, tracing the projectile back along its path to administer justice to the thrower.
As I reluctantly turned towards the barn for the wasp and hornet spray, I noticed the hose which carries gravity fed water into the garden and my non-violent solution became apparent. A few minutes later a gentle stream of water was spraying the outside of the nest. Twenty four hours later the hornets had moved to a new location.
Violence is an unavoidable part of life – even a vegan must acknowledge the violence of the plow as it tears the earth and a tomato is just as alive as a kitten, though I do prefer tomatoes in my pizza sauce. Nevertheless, though violence is a given, a balance must be maintained. A good general out maneuvers his opponent to win the battle before the first shot is fired. A true martial artist never looks for a fight and when he must use force, turns his opponent’s violence against him. A good hunter takes only what he needs to eat. An effective peace officer is not just an enforcer but a member of his community and a role model.
It is a fair question to ask whether our culture is out of balance where violence is concerned. Our media is steeped in violence from the nightly shooting report to the movie of the week. We maintain two wars and over 140 military bases around the world. Our prisons are crowded and many of our neighborhoods are unsafe. Our young people steeped in a culture of violence run the risk of being desensitized to it, further escalating the problems we already face. “Hornets nests” are now abundant in the world, more, perhaps than we can afford to “nuke.” It would behoove us to consider our options.