Oct 2nd 2007

I've just finished reading John Minto's Perspective column in the Christchurch Press. (Stuff don't put these on their web site unfortunately otherwise I'd have linked it.)

Of course everyone has an opinion on whether the policeman last week should have shot and killed the man on the rampage with a hammer. Those with the strongest opinions are those without all the facts, which may or may not in time become public property.

Mr Minto nostalgically relates back 30 years when a neighbour having mental problems and violent rage was calmed by a policeman who spoke gently to him, called the mental health support and off they trotted to the police station together. He was also bemoaning the fact that all the policeman appeared to be younger and inexperienced. Wake up John! Everyone knows that you know you've grown old when all the policemen look young. 30 years ago a murder was an uncommon event and drugs were mostly recreational, putting people into a stupor rather than making them violent. Nowadays two murders in one day are quite common. Put your false teeth back in John and sit quietly on your park bench.

Whatever the rights and wrongs are over the shooting and I am not going to venture any opinion on it, we live in an ever increasing violent society where human life has little value to a large slice of it. Mind altering drugs make human reaction impossible to predict and the Police have an unenviable task of trying to second guess the actions of people whose brains are operating at the most primative level. What the police have to deal with day in and out, it's no wonder they become somewhat cynical. The Mintos of this world need to get down from their pedestals and get a dose of reality.

TC