Weirdo on the Subway

The Reaper has been busy so here is something enjoyable to watch:



::GR OUT::
no man can like all, or be liked by all. -german proverb

Power vs. Violence

For the past week, the Reaper has come across many videos on YouTube. Some were sent and some I found but they seem to carry a similar theme: violence. Here is the first video:

The girls beat up the victim because she was “trash-talking” on MySpace (or some similar site). While I am okay with one vs. one fights that both parties enter in to; this situation is ridiculous and the girls deserve a punishment (parents too). Violence has started to grow among the children these days and more situations like these are going to pop up unless people, especially parents, learn how to think about violence. Here is another aspect of violence that has been growing:

Like the creator, many people give in to this fear mongering and are afraid.

In order to give a different point of view I want to quote something from the 20^th century political philosopher Hannah Arendt:

Violence can always destroy power; out of the barrel of a gun grows the most effective command, resulting in the most instant and perfect obedience. What never can grow out of it is power.

She goes on to say that only when an individual or institution begins to lose power, does that entity resort to violence. Power is based on people’s opinions and majority rule, not who has the most guns. Take away our guns and force this country to appeal to other nations with our ideals and resolve. Violence gains obedience, power gains allies.

If our country wanted to be truly great and wanted power, they would not worry about how many guns they have. Our country seems pretty well off militaristically, we have proven it repeatedly. The teens obviously do not find the power of words and chose to hurt this girl violently, who obviously did not want to fight. I consider both the shows of violence to be a weakness that the nation and the citizens need to overcome.

::GR::
no idea can ever justify an orgy of blood- jose marti

Is the relay that important?

I do not care about the Olympic Torch really; it is dumb. The other day, there was an attack on the Olympic Torch where protesters tried to douse the flame, using a fire extinguisher. (Cojones!) (Linkage) There are probably a few who support the effort but many are saying what a travesty it was to have the torch attacked as the Olympics are about sport and unity and blah blah blah.

While I believe the flame to be a good symbol as the games are running, what do we need the relay for? It seems like it takes a lot of money and planning and commotion for something that is not entirely necessary.

If that does not convince you, then how about the information that the Nazis invented the relay:

The torch relay that culminates in the ceremonial lighting of the flame at the Olympic stadium was ordered by Adolf Hitler, who tried to make the 1936 Berlin Games a celebration of the Third Reich. Hitler's Nazi propaganda machine also popularized the five interlocking rings as the symbol of the Games. (Linkage)

Not only did the Nazis invent the relay but they also invented the symbol of the games. It is a new millennium. Shouldn’t we invent some new symbols? One’s that do not have anti-Semitic backgrounds?

::GR::
in los angeles, it's like they jog for two hours a day and then they think they're morally right. that's when you want to choke people, you know? ~liam neeson~