Wednesday, 10 August 2011

On The London Riots

"When naked apes revert to jungle rules, a body is prey, predator or able to dissuade predators who think you're prey. A firearm, most particularly a handgun, is the most effective means to this last end. You are the first line of your own self-defense..."
That's commenter Harry Schell on this thread at Samizdata on the disgraceful riots in London.

If the good people of Clapham and other London districts were in practiced possession of firearms, they would not need to depend on the police. A cricket bat wielded by an old man is not going to be of much use against a mob. Handguns, shotguns and, especially, assault rifles on the other hand, could be of inestimable defensive value.

Later... so what seems to have happened is roughly this: a man gets shot and killed by the police, after which the "underclass" of London (wearing expensive trainers and wielding blackberries and iphones) subsequently decide to start rioting, looting, burning etc just because they can.

Later still... more rioting and murders in Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool. The Guardian seems to be outdoing the other papers in its coverage, as with this item in which they use online maps to plot the rioting and allow commenters to point to inaccuracies and even better maps. On that video showing the police beating up rioters on bicycles in Manchester... so long as those kids had been rioting, looting, burning etc then fuck 'em. A good kicking is the least they deserve and is exactly what I and probably most other right minded people would have given them.

... Plently of compelling video at the Guardian here too. In all of this it is crucial for the police to be able to tell rioters from people who are just out on the streets to defend their shops and businesses. That it isn't easy for the police to do this is a criticism to be made of a State-run police force, not a criticism of people rightfully defending their property. Samizdata has been very good with a series of posts on the rioting since it started. Here's Perry de Havilland's latest post in that series.

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