When is violence the answer?

I really can’t think of any situation except in defense of your self or someone else.

When you are faced with the same violence, or threat. Like if someone pulls a gun on me.

Can you define violence?

Suppose I put poison in your teacup. You drink it, and you die.

Was that a violent action? Sure, it’s illegal and not very nice of me, but is a violent act?

What I am getting at as this. Suppose you come at me with a knife. I could pull out my gun and shoot you. That would be a violent response.

But suppose I ran away, and then that night set your house on fire or poisoned your tea. Or cut the brake lines in your car.

All of those would be vengeful. But would they be acts of violence?

Self defense when other options are exhausted or not available.

When the opposing player is carrying the ball and the whistle hasn’t blown. ;-)

To combat oppression. The American Revolution and other anti-colonial uprisings are justified.

When you, as the victor, are in a position to write history after the fact.
When you can control the narrative to make the rest of the world believe that you were justified.
When you can get away with it.
Was it actually justified? Who cares.
Technically, the treasonous colonial rebellion against the crown over having to pay taxes was not justified in the least. But since they ended up winning (with essential help from France), they got to write history.

Technically? Would that be according to British law? A minority imposing its will on the majority in support of the outdated theory of mercantilism is out and out wrong and rebellion was the right course of action.

They were all traitors who should have been hanged.
HANGED.

Violence should be a nuclear option. A last resort. Like @josie said…

@ragingloli Just curious. How do you feel about the colonial powers in Africa and India? Should they not have been overthrown? (I’m not really looking to defend the Revolution, just poking a bit with a stick. :-))

Those were the indigenous peoples liberating themselves from European conquerors and oppressors.
If the native americans had overthrown and subjugated the european settlers and their descendants, I would have no objections.

@ragingloli I suspected as much and don’t necessarily disagree.

@janbb , Are you also saying that the American Revolution was unjustified?

@LostInParadise Not really. I have no great need to justify or unjustify the Revolution at this point.