Afraid of increasing violence

I have been living in this city all my life. Yet everyday I feel more and more ashamed and afraid of it. Rather than having the confidence of walking through its street and saying its my city, I no longer even feel safe.

Yesterday a blueline runs over people killing six and injuring several other. A few days back a scooter driver bumped into a pedestrian. When the poor guy objected he was repeatedly crushed under the scooter while all the passer by watched. A couple was driving their kid to school when they almost ran into a bus family beaten by an iron rod by a school bus driver who was driving on the wrong side of the road. And its not just confined to the newspaper. A colleague got beaten up on his way home by four guys riding on motorcycles. The motive of attack wasn't even robbery. Seems like they all were just looking for fun. Yes - fun - for thats the point we have reached where we beat each other because we think its fun. Or sometimes we beat someone because its the masculine thing to do.

Now I just wait for the time, when violence will leave newspapers and colleagues, and come looking for me. Will I be prepared for it ? How will I react ? Can I avoid violence by simply minding my own business ? I don't think so. What will I do if a guy bumps into my car from behind and when I try to make him see his mistake, slaps me. Will I be able to slap back ? Will I who have never hit anyone in anger or mouthed an insult, be able to fight for my rights. And if I refuse to hit back, does it make me civilized or a plain coward. Is my unwillingness to take disputes beyond words, a cover for my cowardice.

This also raises an old question. When the rights of a common man get violated, what does he do. Does he play the rambo and sets out to thump the guys. Or does he go to the insensitive police. In any case I am not sure who I should be more worried about - the goondas on the road or the police. For there is no dearth of the incidents where the system has proved more effective in harassing harmless individuals. The incident of Rizwan being threated and finally killed by the police for marrying a Hindu girl is one such recent example.

I know this is a question which has always existed. But it has started bothering me more and more, as news of violence keeps pouring out of the several news channels. My couple of unfortunate encounters with a few rude people who are always willing to pick up a fight for the slightest of things, have left me in a dilemma. Either I should get prepared to fight back if necessary, or I should think twice before leaving my home. Because it doesn't matter whose fault it was, you can not reason with a person who is keen to resolve dispute with a fight.