[jnwatson]

The US political system is at all time low of responsiveness to the needs of its citizens. Congress has been dysfunctional longer than Mangione has been alive.

It makes sense that a young man would lash out this way. Violence should indeed be the last resort, and for many folks the alternatives are dwindling.

[benreesman]

Let’s try everything we can before resorting to violence?

Once that starts, that’s a forest fire that burns in ways no one can control.

[hackable_sand]

Violence is literally always a last resort.

[benreesman]

Violence is the last resort of the incompetent.

We can take down this cancerous thing via more civilized means. It’s that civilization that separates us from the thugs we oppose.

Otherwise we’re just the new thugs.

[benreesman]

In case I haven’t been clear enough on this point: I want no part in any revolution in which the revolutionary has no goal bigger or better than a purely local shuffling of advantage to themself.

The only revolution I’m willing to die for is one where the goal is a better model: a better way for people to live.

I cannot see a way that killing people is a path to a better world. Killing people without thought or empathy is what the adversary does.

I think we can flip everything upside down via wit and endurance and humanity and sheer will.

Violence is for people who fail in all of that.

[meiraleal]

> Violence is for people who fail in all of that.

Yes. But the amount of people that still failed after all of that is ever growing.

[hackable_sand]

I don't think you are understanding what I'm saying.

Violence is literally the last thing a person can do. If there is violence then all other means have been tried.

[benreesman]

Plenty of people regard it as one of the first options. I assume you mean that you and I aspire to better, and if so I agree.

Violence can change things very rapidly in a superficial way: change who is holding the gun mostly.

More substantial and lasting change generally requires ideas framed by compelling words and cemented by personal sacrifice.

That’s the sort of change I’m signing up for.

Any idiot can kill someone.

[hackable_sand]

bruh

[s1artibartfast]

How can you state that as a universal truth?