AL ELLEMA

One ironic reality is the way we keep the peace which is ordinarily by ways that are not peaceful. We usually attain peace by imposing rules through enforcers who are armed. Being armed gives the enforcer the authority that can elicit respect from people. We are aware of that normal tendency among us to ignore any authority figure who attempts to enforce the law to promote peace and order. There are even those who try to assault such authorities just to show that they are powerful than the one enforcing the law.

At times when the lawbreaker is under the influence of intoxicating substances, defiance of persons in authority only vanishes at the sight or threat of a gun. Without the gun, law enforcers could hardly keep the peace as people have that misplaced inclination to show contempt upon authority figures that are unarmed. Conflict is as natural as peace is. It is difficult to avoid conflict in our relationship with others. Individual differences are primordial factors that trigger conflict among people. Variance in interests and preferences is a cause of conflict between and among different individuals.

These differences often place individuals at loggerhead positions that appear to be irreconcilable. In many instances, people who are placed at adverse positions would pursue their cause with the end of prevailing over the adversary. It is that desire to prevail that keeps people at an uncompromising position, refusing to open to possible options that would lead to a win-win solution. In some cases, conflicts are resolved by violent means that end in the defeat of one party due to the force resorted by the other.

We have seen peacekeeping forces being sent to areas that are under trouble and disorder. Such forces are on a mission to keep the peace but are armed to the teeth. It is really mind boggling why peace is promoted using instruments that are not peaceful in the first place. While it is true that peace and order are broken often by people who are lawless and armed, it still is ideal if we could find ways to counter violence with peaceful strategies.

There surely are a lot of methods, strategies and approaches that we can avail in our effort to keep the peace peacefully. Such strategies would bring lasting solutions so conflicts that are solvable by peaceful means.

Court battles are not different from the other adversarial conflicts that we encounter in our daily life. The desire to win over the adversary is the root cause of a person’s adamant position to pursue a case at all costs. Nothing is wrong with fighting for one’s rights if the same is being trampled upon by others. It will keep one’s dignity intact and give a good lesson upon those who transgress the law and the rights of other people. In most cases, relationships between the disputants do not heal with the termination of the case. There is a better option which is the peace alternative.
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