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Is Violence ever justified

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Is violence ever justified? The debate about the use of violence has been on going for the last decade. Violence, the act of causing physical harm to another person willingly, has often been categorized as being an uncivilized, unjustified act. It is mostly known, and commonsensical knowledge that attacking or inflicting harm upon another person is “wrong”. Most of us frown upon people who resort to such violent acts, and they are punishable by law. However, as we progress into the 21st century, the line of when the use of violence can ever be “right” or justified is getting increasingly blurred. The need for war, punishment, and even domestic violence can be said to deter further violence or stop present violence from exacerbating. …show more content…

When such actions are clouded with alcohol, or not done in a rational state of mind, this violence cannot be justified. Such disciplinary actions can also inflict adverse effects on children instead. For example, children may start to be afraid of their parents, or be even more rebellious. It is also in the belief of some parents that it is wrong to lay a finger on their children, regardless of whether disciplining them in this way can correct their actions. Another instance when violence can be justified is when one is protecting himself from another person’s attacks. It is only human nature to protect oneself, in the only way one knows how to. For example, if one was held at gun-point and given the chance, one would definitely rib his attacker and proceed to inflict harm on him in any way, to make an escape. In times of desperation, violence is seen as the only way out and thus can be justified. A gray area in using violence as an act of self-defence has recently been challenged in the Trayvon Martin incident that happened in Florida, USA. George Zimmerman, a 28 year old Hispanic, fatally shot 17- year -old African American Martin, as an act of self-defence, although the teenager did not carry any lethal weapons on him. The fact that Zimmerman could have made an error in his judgment, yet proceeded to assault and shoot the teenager has brought up questions and protests as to whether violence is justified when merely assuming another to be a threat to one’s

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