"There are countless horrible things happening all over the world and horrible people prospering, but we must never allow them to disturb our equanimity or deflect us from our sacred duty to sabotage and annoy them whenever possible." -Auberon Waugh
Thursday, August 11, 2011
This is how we handle it on this side of the pond
Joy McCann compares citizen response in the cases of riots in London and L.A. Well worth a read.
The Brits would have done well to learn the lesson from the Los Angeles riots. Unfortunatly, they were lulled into a false state of security by their liberal laws. Peace is not infinite. The mob will come, not for tea and cookies, but like a barbarian horde on a raid. Lock and load.
About 15 years ago my husband, his then roommate, who was English, and I were watching on TV a hostage situation going on in Mexico City. A man had robbed a bank and was sitting in a car pointing a loaded gun at a woman he had pulled out of the bank. Police had surrounded him and he kept waving the gun around, the next time he pointed the gun at her head in what appeared to be a purposeful manner, they shot him, in the only place where they had a clear shot. Since he was sitting in a car, that was his head.
My husband's roommate was absolutely outraged. When I asked him whether the police should have waited until he shot the hostage before doing anything he said (you'll be shocked) "Yes!"
And thus, a society that tolerates ruffians and thugs is overrun by a mass of ruffians and thugs. And they all stand around wondering how this could have happened.
I've heard it said that we teach people how to treat us. Here's a perfect example of that being true. The barbarians are here, while the 'law' bakes cookies and brews tea, telling the mean ol infidels to be nice to little Mohammed and his friends.
Over the years, I've had my own experiences with the delicate flowers who declare themselves willing to die before they would hurt anyone else (the Vietnam era was especially precious). Of course, thuggish reality always trumps this ridiculous fantasy.
The Brits would have done well to learn the lesson from the Los Angeles riots. Unfortunatly, they were lulled into a false state of security by their liberal laws. Peace is not infinite. The mob will come, not for tea and cookies, but like a barbarian horde on a raid. Lock and load.
ReplyDeleteDeborah Leigh
About 15 years ago my husband, his then roommate, who was English, and I were watching on TV a hostage situation going on in Mexico City. A man had robbed a bank and was sitting in a car pointing a loaded gun at a woman he had pulled out of the bank. Police had surrounded him and he kept waving the gun around, the next time he pointed the gun at her head in what appeared to be a purposeful manner, they shot him, in the only place where they had a clear shot. Since he was sitting in a car, that was his head.
ReplyDeleteMy husband's roommate was absolutely outraged. When I asked him whether the police should have waited until he shot the hostage before doing anything he said (you'll be shocked) "Yes!"
And thus, a society that tolerates ruffians and thugs is overrun by a mass of ruffians and thugs. And they all stand around wondering how this could have happened.
NMP: Excellent example.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, NMP. I've known people -- including Yanks! -- who feel the same way.
ReplyDeleteI disagree. There's no better bleach for the gene pool than a round of 12 gage double aught buckshot.
Smart people may disagree on the caliber, but little else.
I've heard it said that we teach people how to treat us. Here's a perfect example of that being true. The barbarians are here, while the 'law' bakes cookies and brews tea, telling the mean ol infidels to be nice to little Mohammed and his friends.
ReplyDeleteGreat analogy, Deborah Leigh!
Over the years, I've had my own experiences with the delicate flowers who declare themselves willing to die before they would hurt anyone else (the Vietnam era was especially precious). Of course, thuggish reality always trumps this ridiculous fantasy.
ReplyDeleteLinked to at:
ReplyDeleteA Return To Hobbesian Conditions