Is there really Evil?

I recently read a comment by someone, in which they wrote that is it sad that so many people embrace violence to solve problems in the world. And that we don't do enough to sit down and work out our disagreements.

To some extent, I agree. There are people, even governments (run by people) who jump too quickly to use force. I get that. I agree with that. But I feel that is too wide of a brush, and misses an important component.

One needs to decide, is there really "evil" in the hearts and minds of some people? Does "evil" exist? If one's answer is No, then no amount of discussion about the use of force can really be had.

I believe, and have seen first hand, the evil that man can do, and I believe that evil can NOT be dealt with in a "civilized" or "rational" response. Evil acts, preferably before they can be perpetrated, needs to be dealt with, with sufficient force to stop the acts. To borrow a quote from Niccolo Machiavelli (15th century philosopher), "If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared."

Sad as it is, dealing with such brutal and sadistic murderers, like those in the Taliban and al Queada, I would apply that philosophy of the use of force.

Internationally, we have seen what I would describe as, pure evil, in bus bombings of innocent college students whose only "offense" was to attend a college that was built by Americans, bombings of market squares, and beheading of journalists and other non-combatants. Extremist Islamists have killed scores of innocent people, even other Muslims, for assisting Americans in fundamentally civil actions. Does anyone really think they can rationally work out peace agreements, with such people that would kidnap a person, and behead him, because he was NOT a follower of Mohammad or Allah?

By the way, these tactics are not new. In my lifetime, there were confirmed incidents of the Viet Cong, killing and/or cutting off limbs, of those who would even work with the American troops in medical aid operations in remote villages.

And it's not just the lunatic extremists, it is also in the heart of some street punks, who kill for thrill. Even wanting their victim to beg for their life, before shooting them dead. How can a death penalty NOT be warranted for such a person!  BTW - I knew of a 15 year old boy, who, during a robbery, killed a compliant store clerk, "just to see what it was like to kill somebody" (Quoted from his statement).

To go around in life, humming the tune "Everything is beautiful...", sounds like wonderful life. But in truth, as quoted by George Orwell, "People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." Those who do sleep at night, in some naive belief that peace can be attained with EVERY BODY, need a wake up call.

To those men and women who stand at the ready to protect us from those who would commit evil acts upon us, THANK YOU.