Crime & No Punishment...
It becomes increasingly clear from observation of recent high-profile cases that a predominant feature is that punishment hardly ever fits the crime. The habitual mugger, almost always 'disadvantaged', 'discriminated against' or from a 'dysfunctional family' (perm any 2 from 3), attracts legions of social workers, probation officers and 'community leaders' to plead for clemency from the court. Rarely does he or she have to contribute a penny piece towards the legal costs incurred in the convoluted judicial process. If convicted, endless excuses (or 'mitigating circumstances' as some prefer) are listed by the defence so that, by the end of a trial, it is made clear that the poor little lamb in the dock is not guilty in the slightest but a victim of 'society' (i.e. had no money/was forced to do it because of peer pressure/was off his or her head as a result of drink, drugs or both/etc.).
By way of contrast, any hitherto law-abiding citizen who, finding home or work premises being burgled for the fifth time in as many months, snatches up a weapon and defends his property with it faces the full panoply of the Law. Denied legal aid, the poor unfortunate is then charged with the most serious offences by the spineless CPS pour disencourager les autres! The defendant, driven to the verge of breakdown by a local crime plague, argues that he "snapped" at yet another assault on his livelihood and fired his 12-bore to frighten off, rather than injure, the burglar/vandal/arsonist concerned. The judge, however, invariably dribbles his way through a pathetic speech in which he deplores the temerity of the individual in trying to 'take the law into his/her own hands'.
As it is well known that the only time a policeman can be guaranteed to appear is if you drive your car at 1 m.p.h. over the speed limit, I cannot understand this judicial pre-occupation with punishing those who attempt, in however misguided a fashion, to uphold rather than subvert the rule of law. The scumbags who terrorise the elderly, weak and isolated members of society do so in a callous and pre-meditated way, deliberately breaking the laws of the land in pursuit of unearned riches. If some game individual, sickened at the imbalance between crime and punishment, blows the bollocks off a sneak-thief in the course of his nefarious activities, he is, in my opinion, doing everyone a favour.
Instead of contrived, politically-correct charges in court, those stalwarts who are prepared, often single-handedly, to stand up to the thugs should be rewarded, perhaps in a civic ceremony hosted by the Mayor in all his finery. The police should concentrate resources away from double-parkers and harmless drunks towards the tear-aways and delinquents who get away, often literally, with murder.
But, most importantly, the hopelessly out-of-touch magistrates and judges must re-evaluate their oh-so-liberal priorities. The death by stabbing of the Headmaster of St. George's School, Philip Lawrence, outside the gates of his Maida Vale comprehensive, is a direct result of the incomprehensible agenda to reward and cajole, rather than punish, so-called 'persistent young offenders'. The vermin who infest our streets, on the look-out for an easy target, do so because they know that, if they are caught, an earnest gentleman, a million miles removed from the mean streets of the inner city, will merely urge them to give up crime and devote themselves to good causes (despite the fact that the little s**t has already been given 144 previous warnings).
As on so many issues, the 'establishment' and general public differ completely. The re-introduction of capital punishment is supported by a huge majority of 'the people', but the wimps of Westminster dare not put it to the vote. Everyone is sick of witnessing street urchins, responsible for hundreds of crimes, released every time because they're only 13 years old. As the saying goes: "If you're prepared to do the crime, be prepared to do the time".
It is ludicrous to observe youths, however disadvantaged, laugh in the face of the law every time they are pulled up for an offence simply because they are of tender years. It is at this formative stage in their development that the fear of God ought to be instilled into them; and dire consequences threatened for any recurrence of misbehaviour. The whingeing classes who bleat about 'rights' at the expense of 'responsibilities'
If we are
It's almost like the '60s again in hardly-gay Paree, as peasants and students (and peasant students) take to the streets to demonstrate against M. Juppe's welfare reforms.
At the same time, as one of my colleagues remarked, it is rather going through the motions to stage a 'riot' during which the total damage amounts to two overturned Peugeots and a burnt-out telephone kiosk. The police squads seemed almost reluctant to baton-charge such a hesitant mob and contented themsleves with running about and shouting at BBC reporters. Far more violent scenes, meanwhile, were being enacted on a rugby pitch in Wales, where Swansea played host to Castres in the Union version of the European Cup. Scottish referee Charles Muir, who awarded a string of penalties against the French side, required an escort off the pitch of six policemen, numerous stewards and most of the ground staff! The window of the ref's dressing room was smashed by a French fist and Swansea chairman Mike James remarked: "It was like World War Three out there". At least in one respect the French never change: they are still the world's worst losers, despite so much practice!
Behind the protests, however, lies an issue of great significance for the U.K. If oily Alain, with his 'huge majority', fails to force through his plans, the likelihood is that France will be unable to meet the convergence criteria for monetary union specified by the Maastricht Treaty. This will be the beginning of the end for the EMU pipedream and will leave Germany with a very sore Helmut.
There would be every likelihood that the Deutschmark would become a 'fallout' shelter for the money markets, pushing its value so high that German industry would become hopelessly uncompetitive. The other countries would then have maybe their only chance for decades to rub piggy Kraut noses in the dirt! It would be a wonderful sight after all the pillory and criticism meted out for so long by the Germans.
It would be ironic indeed if the architect of such a spectacular Euro-implosion should be none other than the lesser brown-nosed Frog!
fo doubt a matter of minor importance to the residents of the first two floors, those of us who must stagger up to the fifth and sixth find it neither clever or amusing to discover, after innumerable panting ascents of the stairs, that the ubiquitous 'part' from 'abroad' is the wrong size/faulty/still not delivered (delete as applicable) after a week!
We live in an age of global communications, genetic engineering and information superhighways. We can fly shuttles to and from the moon and send probes to the edges of the solar system.
Is it really so hard to make a bloody lift work??
Nominations for æ***t of the WeekÆ to: WASP@londonmall.co.uk
In our search for the vanished stars of yesteryear, we pose this crucial question:
Whatever happened to luxuriantly-coiffured 'Likely Lad' Rodney Bewes?
Last week's most plausible suggestion, relating to the disappearance of hairy 'Likely Lad' Rodney Bewes: "...became a slap-head" (?).
Suggestions to: WASP@londonmall.co.uk
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