tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187043.post3079097541532514531..comments2024-03-29T09:13:55.008+00:00Comments on UK Commentators: 'KeyWalk' marches sparked by Toronto officer's remarksLabanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12031578024191117985noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187043.post-18901297311726299372011-05-20T01:09:41.692+00:002011-05-20T01:09:41.692+00:00The new 'right' to act stupid. Darwin was ...The new 'right' to act stupid. Darwin was right.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187043.post-16811467282410977202011-05-14T15:48:46.473+00:002011-05-14T15:48:46.473+00:00Nice find, Laban, looking at the evolutionary expl...Nice find, Laban, looking at the evolutionary explanation. Rape is a problem for the po-mo criminologist who is nowadays loath to ascribe as old-fashioned a notion as agency to perps (it was society what made 'em do it). And yet the victim in rapes is nearly always from a "protected" victim class (women) and the perp from a predator class (men).<br /><br />One could equally argue the evolutionary reasons behind many crimes (standard freeloader problem and a system's response to it), but here the victim and perp usually belong to the criminologist's preferred classes (privileged/deprived). At least that is how it appears to the nice middle-class academic.<br /><br />This is probably the reason for the alacrity with which "hate crimes" are prosecuted today. After all, you really do know where you stand with a hate crime.<br /><br />Perhaps the best advice is like that to those being chased by a tiger. Dress as sluttily as you want to but make sure you're not the sluttiest.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187043.post-34771971830731369172011-05-09T22:10:10.724+00:002011-05-09T22:10:10.724+00:00Vladimir - I'm all for taking sensible precaut...Vladimir - I'm all for taking sensible precautions. I just don't trust the police to decide for me which precautions are sensible. Leave it to them, and I'll be wearing a bullet-proof vest to go to the post office. No pockets, obviously. It'll need to be stab-resistant too, and proof against drunk drivers. God alone knows what I'll need to wear to travel on the Tube. <br /><br />I'm aware of the narrowness of vision of the Slutwalk organisers, and I won't be going myself. But their error is in being excessively specific, not in being on the wrong side. Given the choice between having more scantily-clad women around the place, or letting the police decide what is sensible for them (and me) to wear, I know which side I'm on.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187043.post-72371780927217518322011-05-09T18:14:27.571+00:002011-05-09T18:14:27.571+00:00I did think of that guy when I wrote it ... but th...I did think of that guy when I wrote it ... but then I don't blame someone who leaves the keys in the dash and had their car stolen.<br /><br />There's not really a huge issue with undress per se, otherwise beaches and swimming pools would be very unsafe places. To that extent our unfortunate officer did drop himself in it. <br /><br />But when darkness falls, much alcohol is consumed, and the Friday night streets take on that Bacchanalian vibe - then maybe it's not a good idea to hitch home, and even less to get into that car with four blokes you don't know.<br /><br />Victims of crime have no responsibility for the criminal act. But everyone with any self-respect has a responsibility to themselves, for their own safety.<br /><br />The attitude of the march organisers, that it should be a woman's right to dress and behave as she pleases in all circumstances without the risk of assault, is in theory unarguably correct. <br /><br />But if you're concerned to reduce the number of sexual assaults, I have a feeling that encouraging the public, outward expression of the inner slut may be counterproductive.Labanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12031578024191117985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187043.post-83920983298998116122011-05-09T13:00:46.583+00:002011-05-09T13:00:46.583+00:00Rather as uncovered meat attracts flies, Laban?Rather as uncovered meat attracts flies, Laban?Peter Risdonhttp://www.peterrisdon.com/blognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187043.post-68087057021707495932011-05-08T23:42:56.838+00:002011-05-08T23:42:56.838+00:00To Anon. Low crime has always been partly the gene...To Anon. Low crime has always been partly the general public's responsibility - that's in Peel's principles, where "the police are the public, the public are the police". Surely this extends to taking sensible precautions to prevent crime.<br /><br />I'm annoyed when the police appear to regard crime as inevitable, but in some ways they are right, as there is no way to completely eliminate it. They could do much, much more to prevent it, as demonstrated by recent history, but there has always been crime.<br /><br />The SlutWalk business isn't so much about blaming the victim in general, and more about blaming the victim for one specific type of crime. The political factors involved here make it impossible to even hint that the victim might have some responsibility. The point of the protests is to shout down anyone who might still have the wrong opinions on the matter. However, these politics are only applicable to this very specific case. They are not a general protest against police defeatism.Vladimirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03343205052620782883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187043.post-7684380617770313832011-05-08T22:40:29.648+00:002011-05-08T22:40:29.648+00:00It would be a lovely world where we didn't hav...It would be a lovely world where we didn't have to lock stuff up. You still get a feel of that in some island communities - the Hebrides for example. Kids leave their bikes against the school wall - no locks.<br /><br />But I doubt there have ever been any communities in history where being female, drunk and half-dressed in public hasn't had the potential for danger not too far away. And that would apply just as much to generally 'safe' (i.e. old-fashioned) places, which don't get to see so many drunk and half-dressed women.Labanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12031578024191117985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5187043.post-22539700334755136942011-05-08T21:31:09.798+00:002011-05-08T21:31:09.798+00:00Damn right. And homeowners who don't keep the...Damn right. And homeowners who don't keep their doors and windows locked at all times aren't helping. Anyone who doesn't sleep with a gun under the pillow clearly isn't taking all the crime-prevention precautions they could. Likewise anyone who carries their credit cards on the street, or who wears a short skirt. <br /><br />I have a better idea. Maybe we could employ a bunch of people to try and catch the criminals. We could pay for it through our local taxes. It might be more effective than employing some drone to explain to us how we should all adapt our behaviour to the criminals.<br /><br />Many other countries manage without this sort of paranoid nonsense. Many Europeans habitually leave their bags and cameras unattended in restaurants. I've seen hundreds of unlocked bicycles parked together on a European street. I've seen Africans ask complete strangers to mind their babies for a few minutes. Try doing that in London.<br /><br />Even in the UK, I grew up in a village where the front doors weren't locked. It was only thirty years ago and it wasn't very unusual. But it relied on effective policing rather than "Crime Prevention". <br /><br />It isn't the job of the police to tell us to lock everything up - they should be making the locks unnecessary.<br /><br />I'm not surprised the Canadians are protesting. They are a robust bunch and, thanks to us, they know exactly where this agenda leads.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com