2007 — Sixth Grade Fifth Place:

Justin Lun, Ohio.

What does compassion mean to you?

Acts of violence and compassion have always been a part of any civilizations throughout history. In a society, compassion drives a person to reach great heights. However, in some circumstances, compassion can lead to violence when they cannot reach their goal or when something is in the way of their goal. In come individuals, this can cause confusion. Their minds are clouded with passion and rage. Then violence follows to satisfy their need for revenge on others that rook their dreams away. This violence has a tremendous impact on society.

            Compassion verses violence is like good verses evil in a person's emotion. Compassion is when we have control over our emotion, and the act of caring and kindness is the good in all of us. However, violence is the evil that is within us when our emotion is out of control. Even at a very young age, a child can be compassionate toward a playmate or a family pet. As the child grew, compassion toward someone or something can lead to violence. This can happen when a child's emotion is hurt, then anger can lead to violence.

            In our society, compassion is demonstrated in many organizations that reach out to help others. They work together to accomplish theirs goals peacefully. On the other hand, violence will drive someone to do anything to destroy things in the path of their goal. This will cause havoc and disorder in a society where innocent people could be killed by accident. For this reason, violence has a devastating and immediate effect on the society, much greater when compared to compassion.

            It is our human nature to be compassionate toward life, especially the unborn. Organizations such as Right to Life and Pro Life are against abortion. But when an individual becomes compassionate towards the unborn child that crime is committed against the abortion clinic, then violence will prevail. Arson and shooting at the abortion clinics are the results of these violent acts. Once again when our emotion is out of control, the person who is so compassionate toward life is committing violent acts that can takeaway life.

            Another example is religious wars that continue for centuries. Religious groups and very compassionate about their religion, and think that other religions are evil. They have fought over the centuries to promote their own belief and others become outcast from the society. This is another example of compassion turned into violence and anger.

            Violence has a greater effect on society, because it causes death and destruction. The society will suffer personal and financial hardship. The effect of violence is immediate and can be long lasting. This is true for local crime committed by an individual to a revolution to overthrow a government. Compassion is a necessity in our society, but when it becomes an obsession then violence is the final outcome.

 

 

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