Deacon,
I respect what you said and I appreciate that often at ZTH I see you putting your points across in a logical and calm manner.
I understand what you are getting at but I would not completely agree with you.
As you said, it's true that crime is a function of socio-political failures. Generally, where poverty is rampant, so too is crime. Yes, I agree that in the long run we need to play a role in elevating the governance of this nation in order to reduce the incidence of crime.
But here and now, we are not law abiding, low crime Switzerland yet and probably won't ever be. We still have to deal with what is happening now. What you suggested about a moderate thinking, non-aggresive citizen is an ideal which works fine mostly in Switzerland and in theory, but this is Malaysia. it's 50+ years of independence now and we are still nowhere near an ideal.
To the guy in the street who just got robbed and violated, to the cop who just had to put his life on the line in a high-speed car chase, the last thing going through his mind is any larger issue of better governance and socio-political function of crime. Of more concern to him is the immediacy of the situation and waht he would do when confronted with a real-world situation, right here, right now.
You might think that a lot of the folks in the footage acted stupidly by the use of undue force. It's no question that they were heavy handed.
Personally I think there' a place for everything....even for such heavy handedness.......
You might feel it is disagreeble from a moral, intellectual or legal perspective but as someone who's actually been put in several situations of public assisted apprehension of criminals I can certainly appreciate people like these truckers have their uses.
It is mostly people like all these tow truckers, blue collar workers......tough, no-nonsense, aggresive guys...who tend to respond to a call for assistance. You don't find some moderate, intellectual, peaceloving, Mr Investment Banking guy to put it on the line to risk his neck to help fellow citizens. It' mostly the working class, low education Joe Mechanic who helps out.
Put it this way. In the real world, when it is inevitable that things will turn rough, I rather have a couple of simple-minded lions on my side than a couple of sophisticated, intelligent lambs.
I have seen plenty of lambs standing by, not having the balls or the ability to help out in various situations. Yup, the lions in those footage acted like a pack of animals on a feeding frenzy despite the presence of cops who are already on scene to control the situation.
But...I will stop short of saying these lions have no place here. Until this country can put itself right and become like Switzerland, you need some lions roaming around. I'm sure the robbery victim thought the same way when he called for the assistance from these tow truckers.
Although the tow truckers resorted to violence like the robbers, the big difference here is the tow truckers didn't go around robbing people. I'm certainly not going to equate what these truckers did to what the robbers did. I don' have a moral hangup to seeing a couple of robbers getting the crap kicked out of them. It might not be the most morally righteous thing to do, and their methods are blunt and brutish to say the least. However, I have seen plenty of the same righteous folks who talk a lot but when the chips are down, these intellectuals are nowhere to be found. Why is it that it's always the rough and tough Joe Mechanic who tends to risk it all to respond to a call of help ?
I personally think if citizens like these feel a need to kick the living sh1t out of criminals, let them have their pleasure. When Malaysia becomes like Switzerland, them maybe you have a point, but until then......
well said... this what im trying to say... till we reach the root of the problem which may take a long time this is the only way to make them fear us abit... If at this time and situation we keep quiet there are just going to get more brave...
