Predictably, in the aftermath there are debates about routinely arming the British Police, bringing back death as a punishment and, possibly the strongest felt of all, sacking Nick Clegg.
It is often said that the mark of a civilised society is tolerance and forgiveness. Jesus is regularly quoted as recommending turning the other cheek, as if the fictional words of a hallucinating Arab cannot be bettered two thousand years on. (But what would Jesus do about Nick Clegg?)
A better mark of a civilised society is one where order prevails, opportunity abounds and living standards are high. And a line is drawn in the sand beyond which aberrant behaviour is no longer tolerated or excused. Turn the other cheek to a rabid Islamist and he’ll take that as a mark of victory.
Similarly the gun crime culture seen in most of our major cities is a sign that our society’s checks and balances are not enough. That shoring up the breaches is insufficient protection against the barbarians outside. Britain and its interests are under violent siege, because the Jihadis and the gangstas will not be stopped by words. Mere words, as is evident, just make them worse; 'cos you is dissing dem, innit?
The death penalty does NOT make us as bad as them. The death penalty is NOT state-sanctioned murder. It is a reasoned, last resort to a problem that words and jail sentences will not prevent. The deliberate, planned taking of innocent lives in the interests of crime or religion is the work of primitive hind-brain driven savages. The strategic, judicial use of execution is an advanced civilisation’s way of lancing the boil.
Talking of which leads us neatly on to the pimple that is Nick Clegg. Hollow words make up the bulk of Lib Dem rhetoric. Powerless out of office; useless in office. It makes no difference what happens to Clegg. Nobody will notice. Nick Who?
Dead man walking
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