Violence begets violence, so many religions say. Americans should know. After all, the United States – a nation founded on Indigenous genocide, African enslavement and open rebellion against an imperial power to protect its wealthiest citizens – cannot help but be violent. What’s more, violence in the US is political, and the violence the country has carried out overseas over the generations has always been connected to its imperialist ambitions and racism. From the US bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites on June 21 to the everyday violence in rhetoric and reality within the US, the likes of President Donald Trump continue to stoke the violent impulses of a violence‑prone nation.
Uh, no?
Riots in France over unpopular political policies are so common that they’re a meme. Saudi Arabia overthrew it’s dictator via political violence. China, Russia, many others have had political violence on a massive scale.
Political violence is common. The only real difference is that–in theory–Americans have the tools to enforce regime change at home, should the citizenry choose to assert that ability. There are literally more guns than people (by a lot!) in the US, so our civil wars end up being some of the most bloody and brutal on the planet. (Roughly 2% of the entire US population died in battle in the US Civil War; US Civil War 2 would almost certainly be worse, since it wouldn’t be limited solely to direct military engagements.)