1964 Awake! - Theocratic Collector.com

fore the world six years ago, and Birming.
ham, Alabama, last year, many in supposedly
civilized social circles, men and
women of education and substance, took
an active part in the violence. Even in
Panama the violence that followed tbe
fiag-displaying issue on January 7 of this
year was not solely because of youth. Violence
erupted when adults with old, bitter
political and economic animosities joined
the youthful demonstrators.
Violence Concerns Adults
The fact is that most of today's violence
concerns adults--adult oppression of one
form or another. In many instances it has
to do with racial, religious and political issues.
Violence reflects an overpowering desire
for change, sometimes from majori.
ties, sometimes from militant minorities.
It has become a way to power-force as a
solution to problems. It is a scorning of
law and order. It represents a world with·
out faith in God or man or in the institutions
built by man for his own protection.
For example, when the South Koreans
were dissatisfied with the one-man-rule of
Syngman Rhee, the recourse was to mass
force. A bloody upsurge of violence followed,
and the Koreans got their new regime.
In Turkey the situation was much
the same. The people demanded an end to
the one-man-rule of Adnan Menderes.
There were demonstrations, violence and
finally a change in government. Under the
banner of patriotism and nationalism,
mobs gave themselves license for violence
in word and deed against the very constitutional
principles they claimed to
champion.
In South Vietnam opposition to the regime
of President Ngo Dinh Diem gathered
like a thunderhead. The Buddhists
charged that they were being discriminated
against and persecuted by a Roman
Catholic minority in power. Buddhist
10
monks martyred themselves by becoming
flaming torches -on the streets of Saigon.
The government replied to the people's demands
with oppressive brutality. There
were demonstrations and a revolt. In the
wake of violence, success, but it was success
tempered with caution and sadness,
for men had died, others were cruelly
maimed and the future of the country was
still anything but assured. About three
months later another government seized
control.
Religious, Racial and Economic Causes
Not all violence has its roots in political
unrest. Racial and religious differences,
difficult working conditions and poor living
standards have all provoked uprisings. For
example, in Moscow's Red Square, on December
18, 1963, some 500 Africans grappled
and scuffled with Soviet policemen.
The Africans were protesting the death of
a Ghanian student who allegedly was killed
by Soviet citizens because of racial discrimination.
In Srinagar, Kashmir, a stolen hair from
the Hazratbal shrine resulted in riots that
left sixty persons dead and scores injured.
Moslems believe the hair came from the
head of the prophet Mohammed. The in·
cident made it clear that old animosities
between the Hindus and the Moslems were
still close to the surface.
At Nowa Huta, an industrial suburb of
Cracow, Poland, the Communists removed
a wooden cross from its site. The townsfolk
swarmed to the scene and fought the
steel-helmeted police to prevent removal of
the cross. The riot continued for hoW's before
order was restored; but the cross remained.
Religious superstitions are highly
explosive issues quickly erupting into
violence.
In Temir-Tau, a new steel town in the
Karaganda coal-mining region of the So-
AWAKE!