Fighting back
Violence is a strong undercurrent in most of my fiction, particularly in The Dojang and Redemptio.
Purveyors of violence use it in certain tried-and-tested ways. Tyrants use brute force, deploying either brainwashed, callous or cowardly foot soldiers to do their dirty work. Criminals are equally savage, but often use the element of surprise. They sneak up behind you, blind-side you, ambush you. They strike at night, under the cover of darkness, or when you are distracted, using whatever weapons they have or can find. They know that the odds are significantly stacked against their victims if they do not make it a fair fight. They are also masters at disguising their true objectives. A mugger, for example, may smile at you, asking you if you have the time on you. Before you know it, you are down on the ground, injured and missing an expensive watch or mobile phone.
Both tyrants and violent criminals also have intent. In other words, they are committed to a course of destruction until their goal is reached. Pleading or negotiating rarely work once their minds are made up.
The strange thing is that many people understand when they are in danger. They are “street-wise” without even knowing it. You don’t need to have been brought up in a rough neighbourhood littered with used syringes and broken knives to be able to spot trouble. A smiling mugger is still a mugger, and you usually know it instinctively. Equally, it is relatively easy to spot a police force or army that is obeying the orders of a tyrant. They betray their hostility with a cold and silent menace.
Nevertheless, people often react by freezing when under serious threat. A huge adrenaline dump pumps blood to their vital organs and gives them tunnel vision. It makes their limbs heavy, it slows their reactions. It is almost impossible to move quickly or react to any hostile action.
There is nothing wrong with this type of response. It is a survival mechanism. And a very useful one to boot.
However, it is not a reaction that can fight off criminality, oppression or evil. History shows that pacifism, whether voluntary or not, can rarely uphold Truth and Justice.
This is why societies need courageous law enforcers. This stems from our innate knowledge of natural law. Those who have influence in government or in shaping a nation’s discourse (politicians, journalists, religious leaders, academics) must fight back against autocrats and tyrants in all their forms. Soldiers, policemen and women must go into the lion’s den to prevent wrongdoing. Brave judges and juries must stand up for the rights of victims, rather than criminals — and for what is right. All three groups throughout history have consistently done so at their expense of their own lives.
Occasionally, however, for whatever reason, none of these heroes emerge when they are needed. That’s perhaps why the idea of vigilantes (who dominate the storylines of The Dojang and Redemptio) appeals to so many people. The anti-hero deliverer of justice is not held back by any official framework. He answers to no earthly authority. Those who champion the vigilante do so because they know that there is less chance of him being lenient or merciful to the wrongdoer.
At a wider state level, freedom or resistance fighters, using guerrilla warfare, or sheer strength in numbers, are also free from the shackles of the rules that a normal functioning society adheres to. They have nothing to lose, but their own freedom; even their own lives. So they fight to the end, using any means necessary.
In this sense, they are linked to vigilantes. They are battling for what they believe is right.
And if they are truly fighting back for a just cause, then there is nothing more noble.
Progress update
The man who wore hats (working title) is now at 24,016 words.
Through open doors (working title) is now at 16,111 words. Given that it is a novella, this means that I am close to completing the first draft.
Take it easy and thanks for reading.
Marek