Show 11 Hey Culligan Man 4 Nothing New Really t 0 1 Jim Culligan Mankind is a violent species Ever since the first caveman discovered that beating a well- well to-do to neighbor over the head would fill his stomach faster than playing a placating drum drumbeat drumbeat drumbeat beat to the God of the Hunt men have been torn between their violent and tender nat nat- ures In our times we are faced with a continuation of this age- age old conflict In violence as in humor there is nothing new under under under un un- un- un der the sun Couldn't this old Greek story have been written for today A young man is about to leave the house feeling very aggressively aggressively aggressively ag ag- ag- ag independent H His i s father calls out to him Have a good time son to which the young man hotly replies Dont try and tell me what to do What is strange and difficult to accept about protest is that it is most virulent in successful societies When the needs of life force a youth to strain and scratch for enough sustenance to stay alive general protest is isa isa isa a luxury beyond his grasp and only the wildest and most fierce persons will resort to violence to take what they can from those who struggle to survive In a wealthy and successful society where all have access to the basic needs of life there is time to consider and organize organize organize organ organ- ize dissent and violence Youth freed from the struggle to physically physically physically phys phys- survive can find t the h e knowledge and power to assault assault assault as as- sault the structure that has given given given en him that freedom This indulgence on the part of the establishment which al allows allows allows al- al lows such violent and antisocial antisocial antisocial so anti cial behavior is so self defeat ing and yet so incredible to those who allow it as to be ironically ironically iron iron- ironically funny Consider this gem from Roman times A young Roman maiden 45 is luxuriously dressed to go out but is standing there pouting as pS asher asher her father tether says I dont don't care what time the other kids get home from the orgy I want you home Tuesday morning Even the relationship between between between be be- tween politics drugs and violence violence violence vio vio- lence is not new The word assassin assassin assassin as as- sassin comes from an Arabic word for hashish a mind blowing blowing blowing blow blow- ing drug common to the Middle East It was the practice in the early centuries of the Empire for political leaders to keep a group of young men addicted addicted addicted ad ad- to this drug whose violence violence violence vio vio- lence could be controlled and directed toward the discomfiture ture of their political politic l enemies The modern parallel of this practice is so obvious as not notto notto notto to require explanation But take heart for it was not violence and dissent that destroyed destroyed destroyed de de- de- de the societies of Rome and Greece and Egypt It was complacency and indifference Violence itself usually frustrates frustrates frustrates frus frus- the ends for which it is committed A little Jewish candy store operator had been robbed many times and to avoid violence upon his person he had always handed over his cash without resistance One night a group of hoods entered his place and proceeded proceed proceed- ed to beat him When he was lying on the floor bruised and bleeding one of his assailants said Okay Pop where is the money to which the old man replied Now you could do me something |