Jim Duffy: No reasoning with men who want to burn world down

Why are the police kicking in doors now dressed in paramilitary uniforms? asks Jim Duffy. Why did they not do that last week?

I chatted to my editor last week, where I suggested I wanted to be a bit punchier in what I wrote. I think he was okay with it, so here goes. But, before I sound off, I want you to think hard for a moment. Manchester for me, over the last few days, has been hard. I get a lump in my throat just thinking about some of the footage I have seen and then thinking about my own daughters and how they go to concerts. I have no doubt that these last three days have affected you also. Okay, you know I’m feeling emotional, but pretty wired into all the debate going on everywhere. Here goes.

It’s time to disrupt, tag and detain those who want to harm, maim and kill. I’m sick to my back teeth of leftie liberal types pontificating on human rights and all living in harmony. And I think for me - and so many of you – Manchester is the tipping point. Now it’s time to get a few things straight and off my chest.

Do you really know what the police are there to do? It’s not to give out speeding tickets to motorists they target on the M77 at 10am. This is a soft target and usually targets those who can pay and will pay. Unfortunately, target-driven policing is not always the answer to fostering positive public relations. No, our police officers are there to maintain order and preserve life. Yes, to maintain order and preserve life. These are two hugely important tasks we take for granted sometimes. But these tenets are the premise that our lives are built upon. We can go about our daily lives knowing that bad stuff is not going to happen or should not happen, as we have police and intelligence services watching our back and watching bad people. But things have got out of kilter.

‘Community this’ and ‘community that’ is all very well and good, as politicians tell us to be friends, and together we will all get through this. Bolderdash! What about until the next Manchester? It seems we have to just accept that occasionally a horrific episode will happen and we all get emotional, angry, some more cops with guns at airports and the army on the street. Just think about that. Additional armed police and troops guarding who exactly? The politicians and the establishment, while we have to hope that our streets are safe. Buckingham Palace gets soldiers to guard it. Can I have one outside my house please? Something not quite right about that one – is there?

This is too reactive and to my mind shows we are weak and behind the 8 ball. It’s time to disrupt bad people. Why? Because they will always be bad people. And this is where all the chat of community and togetherness and other liberal musings will just not work. Now think this one through. Some men just want to see the world burn. And it would not matter what concessions we gave them. They are like rabid dogs with their religion, ideology or hegemonic dreams of power and autocracy. It’s the world we live in, and community cohesion just does not solve this.

I know – let’s blame the mosques! Let’s blame muslims! It’s all their fault. Now, isn’t that a feeble measure. Ordinary peace-loving muslims in this country are also sick to their back teeth of being told they need to do more. They are doing more and they have been doing more, but there is no reasoning with angry, indoctrinated and chaotic men.

It’s time to stop listening to the do-gooders. It’s time to stop being afraid of speaking out as we walk on eggshells in this country. It’s time to get serious about security, law and order and free speech that matters. It’s time for politicians to stop trying to be liked and get a round of applause on Question Time. We need to get our priorities right. Why on earth are we spending £50 billion on HS2? Especially at a time when we are potentially losing police officers and indeed we need more to keep us safe. Is it not time we re-think the foreign aid budget and cut it by 10 per cent and spend it at home on keeping you and me safe? And doing away with food banks? Who makes these decisions and why are we not holding their feet to the fire?

I’m not saying we “Israelise” our internal security, a term I heard on LBC radio this week as the debate rages on. But we need to wake up and smell the coffee or Manchester will keep happening each year,  every year. Why are the police kicking in doors now dressed in paramilitary uniforms? Why did they not do that last week? Are they afraid to upset anyone in particular?

It makes we wonder if we are handcuffing our police commanders or indeed if they too are afraid to make bold decisions ahead of the game for fear of criticism.

And don’t think for one minute Scotland doesn’t matter or it won’t happen here. If chaotic men smell weakness and fear, and politicians who want an easy life based on liberal lunacy, then they will move in and we will have to deal with the consequences. It’s time to disrupt those from any “community” who want to cause harm to order. It’s time to let them feel what it is like to be hunted and constantly looking over their shoulder. And only you can make this happen by telling your favourite politicans to stop showboating in the media and start saying how they really feel.