I saw some of the new pistol-carrying Transit police for the first time this morning. Certainly they are a far cry from the machine-gun toting soldiers you see in the subway stations in New York, but I can't say that the desired effect of "feeling safer" was was acheived.
This is not an improvement in safety, it is an escalation in violence. Of course there is a logic behind it; the same logic that is always used to make those tiny, reasonable-at-the-time slips down the slippery-slope.
"It is for our safety."
"We're lucky. It's much worse in other places."
This is not an improvement in safety, it is an escalation in violence. Of course there is a logic behind it; the same logic that is always used to make those tiny, reasonable-at-the-time slips down the slippery-slope.
"It is for our safety."
"We're lucky. It's much worse in other places."
no subject
Date: 2005-12-10 01:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-10 07:29 pm (UTC)if they don't have wepons?
"Oh I'm sorry ... that is only a one zone ticket "BLAM!!!
no subject
Date: 2005-12-11 07:47 am (UTC)Except for the "reasonable-at-the-time" part. We've had a rash of shootings lately, w/ one woman being clipped in the head while sitting on her sofa almost a mile away from the actual event, & one poor bastard gunned down in front of The Drink over the weekend. & so the BC Ministry of Really Stupid Ideas decides that now is the time they're going to put more guns on the street & unveil a new & totally necessary police force.
Brilliant! Why not some more Fast Ferries, since you're on a roll?
no subject
Date: 2005-12-11 08:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-11 10:51 am (UTC)