Murder

"The distance is not all that far away." Broughton

Don't ask why, but as of late there have been an increasing number of senseless murders in New Zealand. When I was a young man and in my prime, there were perhaps three or four murders a year. Now I'm old and getting grey, they happen virtually every day. The more sophisticated our society becomes, the more some people misbehave. The question is why?

It would be simplicity in itself to blame the politicians because they set the standards they expect from the people. The rest is up to us. But maybe politicians live in a world so remote from reality that their desires are unobtainable? In recent years there been a massive increase in repressive legislation designed to control human behaviour but the more controls imposed, the more human nature objects. For example: banning smoking in bars has resulted in numerous Speakeasies and a huge lift in teenage binge drinking. Increasing the drinking age limit won't make the slightest difference. It will be just another unwelcome restriction placed upon the young. Obviously, if the young can't drink and smoke legally, they'll do it illegally, and without the social obligations imposed by bar owners, all hell will and has broken loose.
Thus, we should remember the old adage: that for every action, there is a reaction.

Extend this well proven age old philosophy and bingo! Senseless murders are now in vogue. We can understand domestic anger and drunken brawls causing moments of regrettable madness but the deliberate slaying of a 66 year old school teacher in her classroom during the holidays, seems a little far fetched. What could a school teacher of 5 year old kids possibly do to warrant being brutally murdered?

A retired fire fighter was recently murdered and dumped in the ocean with his hands hacked off. An attempt had also been made to decapitate him to avoid identification. NZ police are first-rate and within a couple of days the body was identified and the drug based motive established. A 21 year old was arrested and charged with murder and the plot is still thickening. More arrests are expected. If NZ society is politically perfect, why are illicit drugs so popular?

My point is simple. Things that shouldn't be happening, are happening. Is it the fast pace of modern living? I doubt it, NZ operates at a snails pace compared with most countries. Indeed the national philosophy is never do today what you can put off until tomorrow. There's no rush, the weather might prove lousy but tomorrow will always arrive. Thus, the philosophy of live and let live is still relevant.

I'm inclined to think that the largely unnecessary restrictions placed on today's society are the reflection of political arrogance. Those in charge seem to think they are infinitely superior and that their fantasies, no matter how stupid and unenforceable, must be made into law. The actuality is that they are ten times more stupid as the people they wish to control. The only thing I can say is that they should keep their mouths shut and brains open. Use commonsense, listen to and act upon the practical people's advice. If they don't and ignore the common people, history shows that sooner or later the people will decide enough crap is enough crap, then political violence becomes the actuality The resulting deaths will not be
senseless but premeditated excuses deemed essential to create a just society. The NZ path to political violence my be slow paced but it is inevitable.

Although hopefully not in my lifetime. But you never know what tomorrow might bring. With a bit of luck I will win Lotto and retire to peace loving countries like Israel and Lebanon. They have a long history of turning the other cheek towards their own people's wishes. I've always wanted to eat Java oranges and ski in the Lebanese Alps.