Question about violence
Sunday July 23, 2006

Dear Alice,
Thank you for your work, books and articles. I have benefitted a lot from them!
My question concerns one detail. Surely any violence towards the children, innocent people, minorities is wrong and abominable. But what about the violence against the despotic parents and people who represent them, like evil dictators and sadists?
I think that in some cases violence is good and necessary. The understood feeling of hatred is healthy but it should be followed with action.
Please, comment on this, because sometimes I got the impression that you condemn all violence.
Sincerely Yours, R.

AM: I completely agree with you. Using violent means against dictators and other dangerous people is necessary. Unfortunately, we can observe it rather rarely because most people fear these persons like they unconsciously fear their parents their whole lives. For that reason almost all Germans applauded Hitler. Their rage and hatred of once buttered children they directed toward innocents victims persecuted in concentration camps and toward their own children. Also today, dangerous dictators are held in great respect, nobody seems to dare to fully acknowledge what they are doing.