Last night BBC showed a report from a London police station. As I do not watch TV I did not see this programme, however, Twitter was awash with the righteous informing us off their opinions thereupon.
A reporter, who gladly reveals himself here, worked in a central London police station as a civil (not uniformed policemen) officer, while secretly filming the men around him. He engaged them in conversation, especially in the pub, and offered a selection of their opinions on some of the people brought into the station each day.
The resulting programme centred on the foul language used on some individuals, racist talk, misogyny, and general nasty things that were said or done. These do not put the men involved in a good light.
Naturally condemnation arose and swift action from senior officers and many words from politicians, especially the usual crew.
However, I am no aware if any attempt was made to explain why men come to the conclusions and expressions offered in the programme. Why do police speak crudely of Muslims? Could it be the ones they arrest are indeed bad men, violent and not living out the 'religion of peace?' Could it be these men, and it is usually men, have not been educated in the ways of the UK? Could it be these officers have years of experience of being punched, kicked and assaulted, threatened with guns and knives, and have had cars driven wildly towards them? Could there be reasons for their attitudes?
Women who claim rape abound in this world, the courts always take their view, men are named and left stranded, especially if declared not guilty. The accuser is not named.
Women bite police, drive cars at them, hit them with broken bottles, if an officer finds a new word for them would we agree with this or not?
I have met the London policeman several times, and found them worthy of respect, yet carrying the daily prejudices of London life just as we all do. For the most part I trust them.
Police work will always produce gentlemen who like to misuse their strength, I suppose it is better they use it against criminals than use it as a criminal? Indeed, some of the people they meet will not answer to anyone unless they are stronger than they themselves, therefore such men have a place.
As I said, I did not watch this programme and do not know all the details, and social media and the BBC and Main stream news outlets are not always accurate. That said, I think more respect for the police is required before we throw them out.
By the way, in a Scottish court recently a man was charged with violent assault. This left an officer with a broken wrist, he is still not at work. The criminal was fined and placed on a community work programme rather than jailed, why?
While people respond to the needless atrocity in Manchester this morning, others will still be showing Palestinian flags in the windows, or on their Twitter feeds, blogs and social media. This always makes me wonder if anyone doing this really understands the situation or actually cares for the people involved?
Certainly we read of 40 -60,000 deaths, 20,000 of them children and feel anger rightly. Putting aside questions regarding numbers, and the destruction seen on TV and press indicates many dead and wounded, I find myself asking, "Why do these concerned people not care about the Ukraine, Sudan, Democratic Congo, or Benin?" "Why is there no outcry re the thousands killed for being Christians in Benin or Northern Nigeria?" "Why do we only care for the cause that is on TV, and ignore all the rest found in the press, if we look for them?"
Most will forget Palestinians tomorrow, most have little understanding or care for them now or later. If they really cared they would try to do something, and I am not talking about cheap stunts using boats on the Med. People follow a cause, but do not really get involved, deep down. Soon, it will be forgotten.
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