21st May 2008

I can never comprehend the ability of the human species to inflict misery and death on fellow human beings. Burma is yet another in a long line of countries guilty of committing genocide on its citizens, this time through sins of omission by not allowing assistance offered by other countries and agencies to give aid after a devastating cyclone.
It is interesting to note that a majority of the countries in the Africa and the Indian continents where human life holds no value, and rape, pillaging and mass murder are everyday events, are previous colonial territories of the British Raj.
Say what you like about British colonialism which is said to have suppressed the rights of the majority and been exploitive of both labour and resources of the countries they ruled, it was a calming influence compared with the law of the jungle which prevails in modern times. Freedom fighters have become modern despots, tribal behaviour rules and civilised behaviour a thin veneer.
Closer to home, in Auckland at the weekend, five 'animals' murdered a man returning home from a church meeting at a bus stop thus exhibiting the same primal tribal behaviour. It really sums up the human race's indifference to each other and if there are any aliens observing us from the depths of outer space, they have done well to avoid making contact with us. As a species, we are a nasty piece of work.

TC