Is it OK to be angry?

Given that street protests usually turn to violence, how should anger be expressed?

Anger is a completely normal human emotion, but it can get out of control.

Students in Sierra Leone recently burnt down a police station in anger after a classmate was detained.

In Nigeria 16 people were killed after demonstrations over cartoons satirising the prophet Mohamed spilled into violence.

In South Africa workplace hostilities are reported to be abnormally high, with the International Labour Organisation saying as many as four out of five workers experience aggressive behaviour.

What makes you angry? When is anger acceptable? How do you control your anger? Why are some of us angrier than others?

This debate is now closed. Thank you for your comments.

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Your comments:

An angry man is neither calm or rational Jason, USA

Anger is a normal human emotion to any injustiice real or imagined. Like a small fire, it must be quickly resolved and extinguished with calm and rational thought or it will escalate out of control. An angry man is neither calm or rational.
Jason, USA

I think every body has the right to be angry, but anger if not well managed could lead to a lot of damage. Expression of anger differs amongst people and ones upbringing is actually a determinant of how one can handle anger because any one brought up in a violent environment is likely to express anger in a violent form. The killing of Christians in the northern part of Nigeria is actually unreasonable. My people say the only language a stubborn child understands is a cane so I think the north has pushed the south too far and the south needs to speak the language the north understands which is violence
Joe, New York United State

Anger destroys a lot of things and leads people to more danger. In some religious teachings we are told that it is not good to be angry, or show excessive anger. Even though it is normal to be angry, I belief that it will be alright if we control our emotions sometime, because when the deed is done as a result of our anger, we will become sober and had I known will be the next thing.
Philip Nwosu, Lagos, Nigeria

Your anger stops where my safety and security starts, I don't care what your grievance is, once start killing people, you should expect retaliation. Simple.
Ebi Bozimo, Nigeria/USA

Violence has never been the solution to any problem. I plead with the Christians and Moslems to sit workout peaceful solution
Winston,Nigeria

I'm a short tempered man, but I don't burn out my fuses.In a relationship, one has to confront anger itself and develop a solution for 'anger' in general? One of the best solutions is that in a family one has to say that they are 'angry' and wants to talk about it or want a time-out. If not, see and spend some time with a baby or pet that he/she already has promised not show any outrageous anger to.
Tesfaye, Ethiopia

Anger is as natural as breathing Babatunde Abayomi Adegoke, Benin, Nigeria

Anger is as natural as breathing. There are times and things that provoke that reaction from you. The killing and maiming of innocent people in Northern Nigeria over cartoons that have no bearing to them provoked such a reaction from me. This does not push me however to take innocent lives. I just try to find another outlet for the anger. This is what I believe people should learn how to do.
Babatunde Abayomi Adegoke, Benin, Nigeria

It is okay to be angry, its how you express that is of concern for many. Anger, like any other emotion, should be expressed appropriately; killing, looting, raping, is not an acceptable way to express anger!
Zuwere Chakuamba, Georgia USA

It's quite okay to be angry indeed it is unhealthy to suppress anger. The vital question is how do you express your anger? The kind of anger expressed by Nigerian Moslems over the cartoons which most Nigerians know nothing about is just incomprehensible.
Iranade P. Akinbolaji, NIGERIA

I think it is necessary to get angry sometime; it helps to pass the message across in a particular situation. Many people may not take you very serious when they notice that you are very hard to get angry or you are in constant habits of smiling, they may not even have no regards for you.
Yusuf S. Dempster, Clara Town, Monrovia

Man is born with that tendency to be angry at the absurd and "unacceptable", but maturity entails taking all reasonable steps to ensure anger is not manifested in such a way as to give room to violence. For this reason reactions to triggering events should only be commensurate to such event, it must also be reasonable and civilised. Anger is acceptable when is expressed in a constructive manner. No matter what is wrong one must always know that two wrongs can not make a right.
Mark Ayobore, Lagos, Nigeria

Anger is a feeling not an excuse to act like mindless animals. I have been angry but I would never think of slaughtering another human being out of anger in the name of religion. What is wrong with these people ?
Matt , London UK

Anger is an expression of disapproval.There is a saying that, the hungry man is an angry man.Must people who expressing their anger by killing and destroying other peoples properties, don't border because they are poor and dont have any thing to offer.
Sunday Oduh, Germany

As a Social Worker, I believe that being angry is a normal human behaviour All humans have a right to express their anger and grievance to a situation, but we're also held accountable to way we express our anger, especially when the law is broken. Expression of anger does not mean a green light for the violation of law and order. It is way of letting the people around us or the authority know that we're dissatisfy with the situation around us, or the situation that we're seeing, or that that something ought to change.
Flomo, David, Saint Louis, USA

I believe anger is a healthy human reaction. It is high level frustration and not necessarily the anger that makes some people destructive.
Swalleh Kenyi, Kampala, Uganda

Anger is another form of witchcraft,which can be controll however it is very dangerous and should not be express
Fobete, Germany

Yes it is ok to be angry especially when you see conditions gets hard, the Ibos proverb said that he that beats the evil drums should get ready to dance the evil devil dance.
Chris Obi, Brazil

When I was young, it was taught to me that you can never control what happens to you. There is always a choice to be peaceful or damaging, to be a uplifting or poisonous. People forget that they are only attacking other people who have children. There is no religion that promotes aggression, and there can not be such a thing as a peaceful revolution.
Lisa, Italy

Nigeria spearheading Sub Saharan Africa's response to the cartoon controversy is a case of a country misplacing her priority. Given the fact that in Nigeria, religious issues quickly become ethnic, and then we are still a country without an identity. The killings senseless as they are confronts us with the question of who are we as a nation?
Ferdinand Okorie, Chicago, USA

Anger is something you feel for issues that are either personal or very close to home. Otherwise, it is just another word that is abused and used as an explanation for yobbish behaviour.
Emeka Duroha, UK

Anger is very normal but the management is very very essential.It should not be allowed to turn to a monster!!!
Kasigiri Pekwo Martin,Atlanta,

I guess my friends are scared of me Andrson Emmy, Nigeria

I usually fly off the handle at a little hitch. I guess my friends are scared of me. I do not much like it, I've tried to control myself by remembering those that are close and dear to my heart.
King Andrson Emmy Snr, Nigeria

I think all people become angry but anger can be controlled by keeping quiet because rising up will be adding oil to the already burning fire.
Mwesiga Elly, Kampala, Uganda

Tolerance is the word Baaba Turkson, Ghana

It's o.k. to be angry as humans but we should't let the sun set on our anger, otherwise it takes over our conscience. Tolerance is the word.
Baaba Turkson, Tema, Ghana

I am the kind of person who when I get angry I keep quiet. This keeps off the guilty, condemnation and regrets I will have to endure in case I spoke 'bitter' words to the person who offended me. People, lets exercise self control.
Eliab, Kampala, Uganda

Anger is a natural way of reacting to something unpalatable and unpleasant. Whether anger is ok or not depends on how it is expressed. The killing of 16 people in the northern part of Nigeria is unreasonable. The victims know little or nothing about the Danish cartoons.
Maxwell Ukpebor, Lagos, Nigeria

There is no crime in expressing anger in a civilised manner without endangering innocent lives and property Adewale Adebanjo, London

There is no crime in expressing anger in a civilised manner without endangering innocent lives and property. However, from my experiences in Nigeria, peaceful protests by well meaning people are often hijacked by extremists whose sole purpose is to create mayhem.
Adewale Adebanjo, London

Anger is natural to every human being. Even Jesus Christ, who came from Heaven, was angry. The Bible says "be angry and sin not". In other words we are to be angry but not allow ourselves to be driven by it to do anything that will make sin.
Seme Zobo, Lagos, Nigeria

No one has got the right to be angry. It does nobody any good, but; leads only to regret and sorrow. In my native language we say "whatever you say in the heat of anger is like a broken egg which cannot be withdrawn or gathered together". In addition, froma religious point of view, anger belongs to the DEVIL!!!!
Mayowa Ilesanmi, Liverpool, UK

We need to control our tempers and learn to talk through our issues Paulo Muzuza,Angola

It is OK to be angry especially when you see conditions get worse and others rejoicing because they are benefiting. In an African state where you see the so called leaders take undue advantage. We need to control our tempers and learn to talk through our issues and devise some remedial measures.
Paulo Muzuza, Angola

Anger in any form is allowed but should be limited. Killing, maiming and arson in the name of anger is criminal.
Gabriel, Benin

Anger they say is a small madness, people should learn to control their anger no matter what. Though a hungry man they say is an angry man. It is human to be angry but one should be able to control his anger.
Jonathan Ahu, Abuja, Nigeria

Anger is an inevitable an undeniable human emotion and therefore healthy. The key is effectively managing your anger and focusing it towards positive change as we have so often witnessed in Africa's recent past. The problem starts we people cease to think as individuals and get caught up in a "mob" mentality.
Rory, Toronto, Canada

It's fine to be angry. Nevertheless it is not acceptable to vent it on others. Anger should not be an avenue for destruction. One needs to learn how to have self control. Regardless of the situation, I make sure joy overtakes my anger.
Sisterly G., Toronto, Canada

Anger is a God given emotion. God himself can be angry but as the Bible tells us, we should be angry but not sin. When the result of our action when we are angry brings hurt and harm to others, we fall into sin. Self restraint in our words and actions should be the watchword for whosoever is angry so that regrets would not follow.
Deborah Ehimen, Lagos, Nigeria

Anger is an inherent human emotion. Napoleon, Lagos, Nigeria

Anger is an inherent human emotion. However, there is nothing inherent in anger management. While, people manage their anger in different ways based usually on their socio-cultural experiences. Like all emotions, anger is inherently treacherous with its costs and benefits. The sad truth is that until this cost is recognised for what it is, some societies may continue to reap the consequences of unmitigated anger.
Napoleon, Lagos, Nigeria

It ok to be angry but in the case of Nigerian- the militants and the unprvoked riots in the north, the anger are been directed to the wrong people. Why kill poor innocent people? If these people are angry with the government, then they should take their protests to Abuja.
Gold, New York, USA

Most people who know me usually get the mistaken belief that I never get angry since I am always in a perpetually jovial mode. The truth is that when I get angry over something, I go to a secluded spot and stay alone without talking to anyone until I feel much better. This prevents me from speak rudely to people or transfer aggression.
Israel Ambe Ayongwa, Bamenda, Cameroon

The kind of anger you are referring to is the result of people being goaded into a blind yet self-righteous fury by others who have a different agendas. The venting of anger is cynical and sad because it takes advantage of human weakness.
Clinton Davis, London, UK

l believe anger can be the best medium of expressing ones ill-feelings and uncomfortably towards unfavourable situation but this should not be a weapon that destroys lives and properties like what we use to witness in Nigeria
Anthony Adeleye, Germany

Yes it is ok to be angry but it should be done in a civilised way and involve not killing people and destroying their properties.
Ojo Stephen, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

Some people just have a tendency of transferring their anger to others Prossy Nannyombi, Uganda

You can be as angry as you wish as long as you do not hurt anyone. Some people just have a tendency of transferring their anger to others which I find quite abnormal.
Prossy Nannyombi, Entebbe, Uganda

Anger is human emotion, which is difficult to control. But the way I express my anger is quietness, to avoid destruction which I may later regret.
Ayo Osho, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Yes, it is absolutely OK to be angry because angry is another way of expressing your internal visions.
Duop Chak Wuol, Colorado, USA

Angry people should never push it too far. Reason and morality based on reason should prevail. Group dynamics or ideology may never overtake the individual responsibility. In the cartoon rage, many people are uncontrollably angry because they live in shackled societies without citizens' rights. Practice makes perfect.
Bernadette de it, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Its okay to have a society that expresses its anger as long its not destroying infrastructure and most so life. When diplomacy isn't working, Protests can be used as a vessel to move forward, not backward.
Ekiri Namulondo, Jinja, Uganda

As it happens, we are not half as angry as we should be in Africa - at our rulers, that is. We are always too eager to accept the mindless misrule that has caused our people so much suffering.
UE, UK/Nigeria