The late Sam Francis gave us the invaluable term “anarcho-tyranny” to describe that state of society in which “we refuse to control real criminals (that’s the anarchy) so we control the innocent (that’s the tyranny).”
Britain is far gone in anarcho-tyranny. Among my Christmas mail were a card and letter from a relative we barely communicate with the rest of the year. To make up for her side of the delinquency, she sends us a nice chatty summary of all that’s happened to her large and bustling family in the previous twelve months.
Some extracts from this year’s letter:
January —… Our milk stolen repeatedly from our doorstep. Several night vigils & deterrent tactics, but forced to concede defeat & get our milk from Sainsbury’s [supermarket chain]. A small thing but it feels like something taken from us.
February — My iPhone — a Christmas present from [husband] — pick-pocketed in Peckham. …
April — [Husband’s] lovely red BMW motorbike stolen. A professional job, security lights cut, bike lifted out of front garden into a van. Police spectacularly uninterested …
August — [Son] plans birthday trip to [nearby fun park] with mates; wallet stolen en route with all his birthday money …
September — Our car is stolen overnight from in front of our house. The police again uninterested …
My relative lives in a pleasant London suburb where 3-bedroom semi-detached houses sell for £0.9-1.3m ($1.4-2.0m).
So how do British bobbies occupy their working hours? Well, it apparently took more than one of them to deliver a magistrate’s summons to Chelsea soccer captain John Terry:
Terry was visited by police officers at his Surrey home on Wednesday and informed of the decision by the Crown Prosecution Service and has vowed to fight to clear his name.
Plainly Terry is a serious criminal. But what’s the charge? A “racially aggravated public order offence” under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 during Chelsea’s away match against Queens Park Rangers on Oct 23.
So what, actually, did he do? Well:
He is accused of calling [opposing player Anton] Ferdinand a “f****** black ****” during the match at QPR’s Loftus Road stadium.
Great police work, guys!
Anarcho-tyranny: coming soon to a jurisdiction near you.