Barbarism or Civilization

“Restore Civilization to our streets.” This was the remark of a prominent politician recently. It sounds good; it has the ring of confidence and it is cynically calculated to allay the fears of the ordinary person who has to walk those dangerous streets, not having access to a chauffeur-driven limousine as do our political masters.

In the present instance it has been said in the context of public unease concerning violent crime on the streets. The use of CCTV seemed like a good idea but putting cameras mounted strategically in the town centers has meant that the thugs, yobs and assorted vandals have transferred their unwelcome attentions to residential streets. The level of noise, tuneless singing, mindless yawping, swearing and fighting is now a regular feature of Friday and Saturday night life outside your average semi-detached. It was once the centers which were no-go areas for the elderly, the respectable and the timid. Now they are being intimidated by those who insist on indulging their destructive and anti-social inclinations in public, in the leafy suburbs.

It was alright to express self-righteous disapproval when it was in the town center on a Saturday night. However it is now in the middle class frontyard and the privet hedges that are a target for lager tins and regurgitated curry. Even now the persons of the respectable are under threat of violence so they are making their displeasure felt and government is looking for some well-turned phrases to allay the fears of those who voted for them at the last election.

This response is predictable. A bit of huffing and puffing about law and order and a few ringing calls to arms and it will all be forgotten by next Sunday week. They hope! They wish! To further distract public opinion from the real issues, from issues which government can do nothing about, they make sure they are seen to be taking action. There is nothing like a government finding a few hapless scapegoats and being really severe with them to make the punters think they really are governing. The latest ploy to distract the public form the real issue is the announcement that government is to be tough on begging and on beggars.

What has that got to do with fights on a Saturday night? What has that got to do with yobs who gatecrash respectable parties and break up respectable barbecues ? Clearly nothing, nothing at all! What does the Home Secretary intend to do to stop begging, that most serious of crimes? Is he going to evict them? He can hardly do that, they are living and sleeping on the pavement and in shop doorways already. Is he going to have them arrested for vagrancy? If he does this he will most certainly earn the undying gratitude of some. To exchange a cold and damp pavement for a warm cell must be like going to heaven. To exchange the prospect of no meals a day for three inadequate and bland meals a day must seem like going to a banquet. You might get a few extra votes that way Home Secretary, but not that many I should think, because what most of the homeless are not, is stupid.