Letter: Columnist’s conclusion about the lizard brain is misguided
Columnist Allen Johnson is a nice man who seems to believe that a part of the human brain is responsible for actions resulting in “suspicion, deprecation, discrimination and aggression” (TCH, Oct. 2).
His conclusion, the lizard brain can make it easier to do bad things, is misguided. Also I don’t believe that all self-defensive actions result in “hate, anger, fear and vengeance.”
The “extinguishing” of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was a reasoned act of war that kept many American servicemen alive and punished a racist nation’s acts in that war, including the Rape of Nanking and murdering prisoners of war. His other examples seem to be acts that only white men committed.
There were no examples of other genocides, rushing to war or hate organizations against people, tribes or nationalities by people who are not white. There are current examples he could have used, such as ISIS and Boko Haram. I don’t believe it was a “flight or fight response” that organized, planned and carried out the Holocaust of Nazi Germany. It took human reasoning to do that, evil reasoning.
Being human means being good, evil, stupid, smart, weak, strong, and everything in between.
Zack Rinderer, Kennewick
This story was originally published October 5, 2016 at 4:20 AM with the headline "Letter: Columnist’s conclusion about the lizard brain is misguided."