Non-fictional Violence

I will say very little, but feel I must speak. I abhor violence. You may ask how I can represent myself as non-violent when I write about murder. I remind you that fiction is not reality. Examining motives for actions in fiction allows us to understand underlying problems facing citizens' lives, government and other social institutions.

Therein also lies at least one problem in society; the problem is the common belief that a thought occurring in one's mind means one should act. That belief is wrong. Actions have meaning. Our actions affect others. We must think about what and who will be impacted by out actions before we carry them out.

The horrors of police brutality are societal problems. In many situations the brutal actions affect some people in our society disproportionately. But, the truth is: police brutality in all instances is unacceptable. And police brutality must be stopped. Let me also say burning buildings, autos, stealing, and attacking others are also unacceptable actions and indefensible. As a former member of a police commission, I fought systemic problems in policing. Stop using identity as emphasis when the brutality is a horror in itself. Identity crimes are already punishable separately in the law both criminally and civilly. If we need new laws, then write them. If laws are unfairly prosecuted then act to change them by voting, by peaceful civil action; not by being a criminal.

One horror I see in the riots is the effect the riots have had on the every day living in affected cities and particularly the poor and disenfranchised who often live in cities. Their stores have been robbed. Their buildings have been destroyed. Further, insurance premiums in those areas where there has been destruction will rise. Rebuilding may be prevented by actual and social costs resulting from this turmoil.

K. B. Pellegrino, Author