Stuart's Thoughts  6'17/2017

Would You Press The Button?

The recent shooting of a Republican Congressman while practicing for a charity baseball game brings to mind a question that is occurring to me far too often these days.  What fraction of the human population would gladly press a “magic button” to anonymously physically harm a designated person that they dislike or disagree with?  My initial thought was that it is probably quite small, perhaps 10% or less.  However, the recently published documented list of 30 or so overt attacks on Trump supporters, Republicans or conservatives by liberals (Daily Caller 6/16/2017) makes me fear that it might be considerably higher.
Why is this imaginary situation of a “magic button” that you can simply push to harm someone that you don’t like or disagree with important?  It’s because it’s easy to imagine having such a button but how likely is it for you to say I would never push it or I would only push it, in self defense, in cases where I was being physically attacked by the other person?
The wave of liberal rage since the rise and subsequent election of President Donald Trump is too reminiscent of the behavior of ISIS, the Ku Klux Klan and other “hate” groups.  These groups personify the worst aspect of human nature and I would hope that most all of us would reject the concept and use of this kind of “magic button”.  Defeating people or ideas that we disagree with is actually more likely through the use of acceptable strategies like rational debate or via the ballot box.  Tactics like “Liberal rage”, persecution of others or ISIS- like strategies of terrorism will ultimately fail because they greatly strengthen the resolve of those being attacked.  The Japanese learned that very sad and costly lesson following their 12/1/1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.