- a group of muggers seized a baby from a pram and threatened to drop her unless her mother gave them her handbag;
- two youngsters were shot in McDonald’s restaurant in Brixton
You can be sure that this is by no means the sum total of evil perpretrated in the country yesterday. So many other crimes go unreported everyday. In fact, I am sure that the McDonald’s case only made the news because the shooting took place in front of children.
When did we as a society become so wicked? Even our pets are catching the vibe and mauling children left, right, centre. Once upon a time, there were some acts at which even the most violent criminal would draw the line. This is no longer so. Does anyone really believe the muggers would not have harmed that baby if the mother had hesitated to hand over her bag?
The most shocking thing is that these acts are committed, in the main, by teenagers. Some of them would have been no more than nine years old when this Government came into office. These are Blair’s babies, the ASBO children begotten as a result of moral relativism and a wrong-headed approach to law and order.
A few years ago, it was a thing of surprise for an eleven year old to be given an ASBO. Now, things have changed. We are no longer surprised to read about a ten year old being given an ASBO and a driving ban, for good measure.
These youngsters are growing up in Britain today without a sense of personal responsibility. When children and teenagers start committing violent crime, it is time to ask ourselves if we have done anything to foster it. Here are some of these Government’s policies that may have had something to do with it:
- violent criminals released without serving anywhere near their full term (lesson for children: crime pays)
- ‘incentive’ payments to bribe children to stay on at school (lesson for children: education in itself is not worth bothering with, hence the bribe)
- explosion in benefit payments, with billions lost through fraud (lesson for children: it pays to cheat the system; the Government is too thick to catch you)
- reduction in the number of police on patrol (lesson for children: you can do whatever you damn well like, there’s nobody out there to enforce the law)
- erosion of authority from parents and teachers (lesson for children: you are accountable to no-one)
- a tax and benefits system that penalises married couples (lesson for children: there is nothing to be gained from being a strong family unit)
Is it therefore any surprise that these little angels are now running amok, shooting, stabbing, and mugging to their hearts’ content? Until these matters are addressed, we will continue down the bloody path to destruction. On-the spot-fines are not the answer. High-sounding speeches are not the answer. It is time for the Government to stop its meaningless rhetoric on crime and begin to repair the damage to the social fabric.
September 29th, 2006 at 6:10 pm
I agree with your analysis. We should not be surprised at the results if children are raised with no discipline.
September 29th, 2006 at 7:42 pm
Thank you, David. This is a growing problem, and the Government just buries its head in the sand.
September 29th, 2006 at 7:49 pm
I agree, Bel … this merits wider debate. I wonder if the Tories will address such issues.
PS. Are you coming to Conference?
September 29th, 2006 at 8:30 pm
Couldn’t have said it better myself. Recently took my 11 year old to sit outside a foreign jail to watch the chained up prisoners being dragged in. Then we sat down and practised his 11+s. It worked
September 29th, 2006 at 8:31 pm
Hey Torylady, long time. I haven’t seen you in these parts for a long while
Not going to conference, I’m afraid. A real shame. It would have been great to catch up properly.
About the article, I doubt that the Tories would want to debate this in-depth. They are far too scared of offending anyone. We ar supposed to be hugging hoodies, remember?
September 29th, 2006 at 8:33 pm
moragthemindbender, I wholeheartedly approve of your methods!
September 30th, 2006 at 5:42 pm
I’d like to look at it in a slightly different way, although it amounts to the same in the end.
I don’t think our children became wicked, they have just had a layer of civilisation denied them by the modern, non-judgemental, anything goes, amorality of our liberal elite.
I saw a bear fight televised from China the other day, being cheered on by hundreds of children. My first reaction was, “How can they enjoy such cruelty” then I realised that to them it was the norm.
Britain, as it is today in all its glorious decadence, is the norm for our children.
October 1st, 2006 at 2:38 pm
The tragedy is what a wasted life these young people are having. They most probably have skills, but are not encouraged or supported by their family to develop them. Their role models are based around their home, parent/s who can always afford to drink and smoke, maybe buy drugs too, just sit around the TV all day. I know that is stereotyping, but I think it fits a majority.
I think we should reduce the cash handouts we give jobless young people, make it plain if they didn’t work, then they wouldn’t have any money. The temptation might be for some to turn to crime instead so, as you say, we need prison sentences that are fully activiated for the whole term so they know crime does not pay.
October 2nd, 2006 at 7:17 pm
I am at conference and I can assure you that this is being discussed. IDS is half way through examining social policy. Based on what he has said today, it is clear he is ready to propose radical ideas. See my blog for more on this.