We Can Stop the Cycle of Violence

We Can Stop the Cycle of Violence

September 15, 2025

In a time of rising political violence, one of the hardest and most important things we can do is look inward and ask: How might my words, actions, or assumptions be contributing to division and dehumanization? 

This self-examination matters because injustice doesn’t suddenly appear full-blown. It unfolds gradually. The Spiral of Injustice shows us that what might seem like “just words” is often the first step in normalizing division and paving the way to violence. The seemingly small ways we speak about and label others lays the groundwork for avoidance, discrimination, violence, and even elimination. Each step strips away humanity. 

Taking a stand against hate is essential, but when that stance hardens into contempt, we risk losing sight of the very humanity we are trying to defend. Once people become “the other” in our minds, indifference creeps in. And with that, the Spiral accelerates. 

Martin Luther King Jr. reminded us, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” His words challenge us to resist the temptation to meet othering with more othering, and hate with more hate. 

Pause for a moment. Whose humanity do you struggle to see right now? What story have you told yourself about them? And what would it take to see their full dignity? 

Interrupting the Spiral of Injustice begins with the choices we make every day. Speaking up when we hear dehumanizing language, refusing to stereotype or dismiss others, and showing respect even in deep disagreement. These deliberate actions slow the Spiral, creating space for justice and belonging. 

When division threatens to pull us apart, we must choose instead to affirm the full dignity of every person. That is how we interrupt the Spiral and build communities where we can all belong and thrive.