February 2 Reading Response:

After reading the surprising statistics between the relationship between poverty and violence, it occurred to me that the relationship goes much deeper then just stealing from a super market. It seems as though poverty in American in particular leads to a chain reaction that eventually leads to violence and this new concept of “structured violence”, or as I interpreted it: invisible violence within society. When it comes to violence in America it seems to already be accepted as a part of human nature. It also seems to be the fact that woman and children are usually the victims to not just direct violence, but indirect as well. The phrase “ignorance is bliss” should be the bumper sticker of all middle class America when it comes to violence not just here, but around the world. The attitude of violence not directly affecting “my family, my life, or anything around my small community” is the kind of attitude that keeps violence as such a strong aspect of everyday society. As a citizen of the American culture, I know I have done my part in contributing to the idea of “ignorance is bliss”. An example of structured violence is when one is below the poverty line and the education system usually fails one, leading to a very hostile environment. This already “structured”, hostile environment will usually lead to a child not cognitively developing successfully with such little support at a poor school district. This particular enviroment can bring on the ideas that no one else is looking out for them but them selves, creating a hostile citizen of the community. Becoming hostile towards one’s environment can lead to a resistant- behavior to fellow peers and society. Resistance can lead to small acts of verbal violence, and eventually lead to direct violence. Being able to communicate and express the need to find other ways to help communities and other countries around the world with structured violence leading to direct violence is only the first step. We, as privileged citizens, must act on our words, and intervene within this structured violence.