Kimberly Pariyavanh

ASA 2, A03

18 October 2015

Blog #5

Response to “Empire of Death and the Plague of Civic Violence”

            In Hamamoto’s article, a particular line resonated with me: “The romantic myth of the nonviolent peaceable kingdom of band and tribal societies…has proven to be…the collective fantasy of those in advanced civilizations seeking relief from the sophisticated barbarism of the modern age". People often compare time periods saying “It was so peaceful back then”, but in reality violence among various individuals can always occur. For certain individuals, violence is not always justifiable but I think it is important to understand the reasons that lead one to commit crimes such as murder. For example, within the article there were various individuals who became desensitized to violence experienced during war and through that violence they even gained a sense of power. It was a bit disturbing to read because some people came back to the United States deemed as war heroes when they actually committed horrific actions toward others. I also think as a society, through media and video games we are conditioned to see the glory in war. Through its glorification, all the complications become distant and some people tend to not recognize or are even aware of the issues that are paired with participating in a war.  

Question: While I was reading Hamamoto's article, it made me wonder what available resources are there for people who return from war and how accessible is it?