A surge in violent crime in England has been raising eyebrows. Mark Steyn, in an attempt to dismiss gun control as ineffective that, incidentally, I disagree with, claims that within 2 years, the murder rate in London will exceed that in New York (via Damian Penny). And Tom’s comment was “Britain is falling apart. You might like to mention it in your blog.”
Well, Tom’s right, it does bear mentioning. In this past week alone there’s been a siege where police squared off with a hostage taker for over 11 days, negotiating and feeding the gunman Kentucky Fried Chicken. The hostage has been freed but the gunman is still refusing to surrender. Two women have been murdered, and their body parts found in plastic bags. Two men were stabbed to death in Bristol. A cab driver was murdered in Manchester. And the shooting deaths of two girls and injury of two others on New Year’s Eve who walked out of a club and into bullets apparently intended for gang rivals is leading to renewed calls for gun law reform.
Is there a full moon over there or something?