46. Controlling Violence

From The People at Your Feet by Shaw, Dwarki and Shivaraja (Suggested Reading, Party Politics, Paper III – Introduction to Daily Politics)

“Coming from a respectable middle to upper class background, you are not expected to be directly involved in violence. However, you must know how to deal with violence and violent men.

Remember, to be a political leader, you must rise above violence. Violence should be beneath you and most importantly, under your control.

But how do you to control violence?

By i) channeling it and by ii) never attempting to restrain it.

Violence is actually much like water. If you suddenly find water entering your room and collecting on the floor, you just need to find a way to channel it outside. If need be, open up new ways. And do not be perturbed if the flowing water damages the channels. You can always rebuild them.

But what will happen instead, if you try to restrain the flow? Water level will start rising and soon it will drown you.

Similarly, let violence flow in a gentle manner. If it breaks something, you can always make something else.

But, never – never ever – try to stop violence. If you do, it will take you.”