I first saw reports on the riots in London, UK on BBC TV news on Monday. By Tuesday evening my blood pressure was rising so much that I thought I would have another heart attack, I had to stop. For 2 days, I have just kept up todate by scanning headlines on the internet.
Social media and twitter specifically, is being blamed for the rapid spread of the unrest.
What I find beyond comprehension is that a country that once ruled the largest empire the world has known, one on which the sun never set, cannot protect its own citizens or their property in its capital and other cities.
That the chaos and anarchy expanded, continued for 3 days and spread to other cities, is a direct result of both the government’s misguided political correctness and a nanny state policy which severely restricts law-abiding citizen’s rights to protect their property.
Because the government is too scared of being accused of trampling on the human rights of the criminals to take the tough action required to stop the nonsense, the rights of law-abiding citizens are totally ignored.
People who attack police men and women, set fire to cars and loot shops, by their very actions have disqualified themselves from enjoying the rights their apologists scream so loudly about.
If the police had used sufficient force – and yes I mean shooting a few of these criminals with real bullets – on the first night, millions of pounds worth of property would have been saved, fewer police hurt and many innocent people’s lives spared the trauma they have been put through.
By not taking tough action, apparently not even using tear gas or water cannon, the police have done a huge disservice to law-abiding taxpayers who will directly and indirectly foot the colossal bill for this unacceptable lack of performance.
It’s not just Britain, we had a taste of the same weak leadership here in Canada recently in the Vancouver riots, and I am not for a moment suggesting that it is a lack of resolve from the police on the ground. Far from it, they have my utmost respect for their bravery and restraint. It is the political and police leadership that is weak.
As taxpayers, we pay dearly for the government through the forces of law and order to protect us, we can no longer protect ourselves because those same governments have made it difficult to own a weapon and a criminal act to use it to protect ourselves, our families or our property.
It is time leaders in the West found the balls to stand up to criminals and stop pussy footing around the so-called “disadvantaged minorities”. The very fact that people from those groups are in Britain or any other Western democracy means that they are infinitely more fortunate than the vast majority of people in their countries of origin.
The solution, if they do not like the way they are treated is to go back to their ancestral lands, not set fire to the country that has allowed them a chance of a decent future.
I had hoped that Prime Minister David Cameron would emulate former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and restore Britain to the greatness it enjoyed when Great was truly part of the name. Sadly, this weeks events have shown him to be as ineffectual as most of his recent predecessors.
Why is it acceptable that hundreds, if not thousands of innocent people’s lives can be changed forever, millions of pounds worth of damage done, many policemen injured. Just because the government is worried about the “rights” of thugs and criminals.
This dereliction of duty by the government to maintain law and order is beyond belief.
God help us, our governments and police certainly can’t or won’t.
To get back to the accusation that the use of social media, particularly twitter, fanned the flames of violence and suggestions that communication channels should be shut down in the event of future riots.
My thoughts are:
- Don’t blame the medium or technology for government weakness.
- If there are no, or limited consequences for criminal activity, shutting down communication will not remove the incentive to get involved.
- The same communication channels are important for law-abiding people trying to avoid the mobs and protect their property.
Let’s stop making excuses for the outcomes of discredited social policies, including : political correctness, the emasculation of law-abiding citizens, stopping the police from doing their job and making excuses for criminals.
I have experienced at first hand and at huge cost what happens when a country descends into anarchy, when not only did the government stop the police from taking action against law-abiding citizens, but ordered them to assist in the violence. It is not pleasant.
Wishing you success in all your endeavours.
