I love violence.

As a United States Marine, I am a student of violence and have, at times, been a ferocious dealer of violence. Dirty, bloody, sweaty, deadly violence. What may come as a surprise is that this is not the brand of violence that I am passionate about. I suppose I wasn’t properly programmed by the Department of Defense. No, the brand of violence that occurs naturally is what I am truly passionate about.

The violence that I am fond of is the violence found in nature. Storms, skinned knees, childbirth.

Necessary violence, the violence of nature, the language of accidents. This violence serves to better validate the human experience than any fistfight or full-padded brawl on astro-turf ever could.

I have no intention of discounting the value of calculated violence — surely it has a place and time. Personally, I value it less due to the sheer volume available to all Americans. Planned violence is readily available from numerous sources such as the NFL, UFC, Hollywood, the list goes on.
Terrorism in recent years has brought a rather foul flavor of violence to many Americans. In turn, it has led to our nation creating more scripted violence in a futile attempt to teach a lesson that isn’t worth learning. These are all examples of unnecessary violence.
Nature’s violence is relatable. Violence surrounds the human experience. The reproductive cycle may be one of the most violent acts carried out on a voluntary basis. Any woman that has ever come down with a serious case of pregnancy can attest to this. I won’t pretend to know the extent of that violence. I am ill-equipped as a male to do so.

Next time you try a new sexual position, feel free to find a way in which it is free of violence. Go ahead.

What nature’s violence offers is a test of how human we all are.  This violence brings a response, and in this response, each victim is given the opportunity to fully examine personal character.  Nature’s violence is a proving ground for all, an honest look at what is at our very core.

Each response to each act is a separate test. Think of natural disasters that yield loss, injury, damage, hope, heroes, and rebirth. Each product consists of the sum of the various individual responses. I guess this makes me a horrible child. I love nature’s violence and all of the ugly (and sometimes beautiful) consequences that come with it.

mtmcdonald@mavs.coloradomesa.edu