Pacifism and Personal Responsibility

Ironbear at Who Tends the Fires has written a thought-provoking essay on pacifism.

His central theme, “Pacifism is the ultimate abdication of personal responsibility,” managed to bring into view the underlying irrationality that always puzzled me about pacifism. I could never think with the concept of pacifism, so I simply discarded it as a viable solution to anything many years ago.

I failed to analyze pacifism in terms of what it meant in terms of taking responsibility for oneself and others. I should have.

Even though I was a gun owner and marksman for many years, I don’t agree that gun ownership is the solution Ironbear seems to feel it is. But, I feel he is dead right that the unwillingness to use force when necessary is non-survival and leads to removal from the gene pool.

I insist on taking responsibility for my actions and for others who share my life. I consider those who will not take responsibility for themselves or others to fall in a suspect category that ranges from “unreliable” to “dangerous to be around”.

Read his excellent post and decide for yourselves.