Mister Bump UK

Only So Much

One apparent plus side of COVID – we have not, for a while, heard of any mass shootings in that themepark which is the USA. It might well be that they have continued, but seems to be on a scale which does not make the news across the ocean.

It is a relief that these events, from here, seem to be happening less often, but frankly, they leave me cold. Every event, there are a thousand varieties of people calling “bad”. Fair enough. But very few willing to stand up and say “this is how we stop it”. And, if somebody does stand up, there are lots of “ah, but…”s but frankly…ah but, you have no right to life.

Bottom line, it is a straight choice. We need to get past the “ah, but”s, one by one, before we can get to the issue itself.

But we have a duty at least to identify what these “ah, but” issues are. I see very little of that.

While there have been no shootings making the news, though, that phenomenon has certainly made it across the ocean.

You will all by now have heard of Sarah Everard. If not, look her up.

Same as the shootings. A thousand “bad”s, eloquent as you like. But I want more. Anybody in their right mind knows that this is bad – if somebody can think of a new way to express that in words, so what? What I am looking for is how we make sure that Sarah was the last. Unless we can do that…there is only so much I can give.

I wrote a post the other week involving an alleged rape. The post did at least crystallise the issues. The violation itself versus the potential loss of liberty, in cases which often boil down to his word against hers. Juries quite rightly know this, and are reluctant to convict. All the numbers point to guilty people walking free as a result.

I highlighted the issue, and that was a start. But, that isn’t good enough. We then need to kick on to solve it. Given that there are people out there who would do this, what steps do we, as society, take to ensure that they dare not act on their impulses?

This post is an open-ended question. It is the kind of thing I ask myself, it is the kind of thing that wakes me up at 2 in the morning, when I should be fast asleep.

Women-only juries? My gut says no. A crime is a crime is a crime. Gender shouldn’t come into it. But maybe women are the only people who truly understand the magnitude of the crime? Again, that feels wrong, because the magnitude of the crime is an entirely separate question to whether someone committed it or not.

Come on. blogland, give me the answer, let me go back to sleep. Or are you just going to be the next voice to tell me how bad this murder is?

Published by Mister Bump UK

Separated with a grown/flown daughter. In life, I designed IT systems, taking a career break as a bicycle mechanic, until interrupted by a stroke in 2016, aged 48. On my way back into full-time work, I developed health-related apps and performed voluntary work. I enjoy composing limericks and flash fiction in my spare time.

28 comments

  1. The Sarah story is awful, and to compound it the police won’t let people mourn/protest ~ except Kate got to lay flowers 🙄

    Unfortunately, we had a mass shooting in Atlanta today 😢

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • the police, the protests, they are sideshows I feel. The police have been instructed to police for COVID. They were bound to oppose any gathering.

      With the royals, perhaps appropriate to ask why they all didn’t go? But it was only worth doing if it makes a difference.

      Like

      Reply

    • Paula, It wasn’t the daytime laying of flowers that was the issue for the police, and the Duchess of Cambridge was not breaking the law.

      It was the banned mass gathering of the evening vigil. No matter what the cause, and this one was meaningful, anyone taking part in mass gatherings knows they are breaking the law and they had been pre-warned not to take part.

      The police were following their orders as laid down by the government – mass gatherings are banned.

      I didn’t like what I saw either, but this wasn’t just a candlelit vigil for Sarah, the women turned it into a protest meeting. And there can’t be a law for one group and a different one for the next.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  2. I’m afraid they’ve started again since States have decided to open up. There was a series of shootings in Atlanta today…they have the guy in custody.

    I agree it’s time to shit or get off the pot and get this problem fixed. There are people you allude to that will never follow rules or have a sensible discourse about gun control. They are the Trump types – ones who believe his hype, and arm themselves for whatever they think is being taken from them.

    There are those that spout the opposite hype about taking all guns. Those folks have never held one, know nothing about them, and spout hype from similar minded politicians.

    Then there are those owners who are sensible; who abide by gun laws; who want the problem fixed. We are willing to submit to background checks; we are willing to wait a few days to complete a check; we take training and safety classes; we secure our firearms properly. Yet we are not invited to share our opinions.

    I don’t get why people object to background checks. We endure credit checks for every big purchase we make…our homes, our cars, for employment, for college admissions. I have stood for several gun checks. A problem here is data that would prevent a sale is not always in the database! There is no national law mandating it! Each state controls their own databases.

    It is frustrating to legal, law abiding owners when shootings happen and politicians start with the Chicken Little routine…”The sky is falling”. Our state of Illinois has the most stringent gun laws in the country, as well as one of the highest firearms death rates.

    So, do very restrictive laws work? In this case no. The laws are regulating an inanimate object- not the unpredictable human. The object cannot harm on its own…only when a troubled human gets a hold of it. We are not trying to regulate the human sadly.

    I agree this is out of control. I also agree it seems no one has an answer or has bothered to work towards one. I would enjoy being part of that solution. But I fear our leaders will get nothing done except pissing on each others shoes if we continue to let them be in charge of finding a solution.

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

    • There’s a lot in that comment, thanks Larry.

      I feel that when you have a system that is not smart enough to determine who will and won’t pose a threat, then there is only one way to jump. I never found an American who agreed with me, but that’s what I think. But, next question, how?

      Like

      Reply

  3. Comment on Sarah’s tragic death.

    I was very sad to read about it. As I read it I thought of my mom and two daughters. My mom was abused by my dad for 22 yrs before she found the courage to leave him. She went to our pastor to seek help in getting dad to stop the beatings. She was told my dad was following scripture as head of the household – it was she who was breaking his tules, suck it up and be a better wife.

    My next opinion will piss people off but so be it. The is a male dominated world and our religions propagate the idea that women have no voice. Our knuckle dragging Neanderthal citizens believe women are property; should be seen and not heard. Just about every religion I’ve been in or studied treat them as second class. They can’t stand in the pulpits; they can’t become priests; they can’t worship with the men; they cannot teach adult religious classes with men in them – only with children.

    As long as we treat women that way in our worship, men will see that as the example of how women should be treated in general. Fix the church and carry it over to our homes and schools. Teach our kids respect at home; teach them to respect girls/women in school. Women and girls deserve it.

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

    • Thanks again Larry. Not pissed off here, buddy, not in the least. We are more secular here but there is still a problem with equality. Whatever the grounds for those beliefs – religion, whatever – that is the battle.
      But it goes deeper even than gender – that one human being feels it is acceptable to do this to another human being is the root of all our evils.

      Like

      Reply

  5. Well the police reaction to the protests following the death of Sarah Everard say it all don’t they? We live in a world where women are second class citizens and that needs to change. There will always be the odd psycho who slips through the net but I am amazed one made it into the Met Police. Better screening, better mental health care. Less guns and less people allowed to use them.

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • The police have been told to police for COVID, In that context, opposition to any public gathering is understandable. To me, anyhow. But I also think that the police story is a sideshow.

      The other things you say might be suitable for a long-term approach but for the short-term I’d be happy to engender an atmosphere where we say “we accept that there are psychos out there, and our goal is to make them afraid to step one foot out of their shell” How we get to that point is the issue, but I’m happy to worry about profiling and the like, later.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

      • I always felt safe going out with my dog, when we had him. He was a mean looking dog. But I shouldn’t have to feel the need for a dog when I go out alone. I think the police were way too heavy handed especially given the circumstances. Outdoor gatherings with masks are not high risk for Covid.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

  6. I find it hard to know where to start with this. The comments about patriarchal religions reminds me that ancient religions worshipped goddesses. We aren’t goddesses, but as men would not be here without women risking their lives to give birth to them, how could they ever think we were inferior or so worthless that it’s okay to abuse us?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • While what you say is absolutely true, I kinda come from the direction now that there will always be a minority of people who do not respect others, so we, as society, need to make it clear that this isn’t on. Most laws are at least attempts to be sensible, most people naturally buy into them, we need to come up with concrete plans for those who don’t.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

  8. I would never walk anywhere alone at night, and yes I agree they are usually men, but can we ever get rid of weirdos?
    Fortunately, there are a hell of a lot of good blokes out there and I imagine they feel a little insulted to be tarred by the same brush.
    The trouble with female protest groups is there are always plenty of screaming loud-mouth trouble causers amongst them that spoil it for everyone else.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • It’s funny, actually, one of the things I pick up on this is..a vigil for women, violence by men, seemingly not recognising that many men will be every bit as appalled as any woman.
      And it makes me think that if all we do is replace one bias with another bias, we haven’t really made any progress.
      By al means, people can attack me for what I do or what I say, but attacking me for being born male is unacceptable. It’s a shame because a lot of otherwise valid campaigns will lose sympathy as a result.

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

      • I think I’m going to write my next blog about lovely men. My mum used to laugh about her friend who used to say ‘All men are beasts’, but we really don’t want that to be the normal mindset.

        Liked by 2 people

        Reply

        • It was your post from the other day that inspired me to write this. I feel definite frustration that, very like shootings, we tut, shake our heads, express sorrow. Then the fuss subsides and two weeks later, it is business as usual. The next time this happens, we will just repeat the cycle. I’ve seen this too many times.
          Politicians should be shouting out “this is absolutely deplorable, and here is what we do about it”, frankly if they don’t know what to do they should just make way for somebody who will do something.
          .
          I’m sorry, this “reply” isn’t a genuine reply. I wanted you to know how powerful your post was. Please thank your friend from me.

          Liked by 2 people

          Reply

Leave a comment