Oh, to be in England! The once upon a time green and pleasant land is now Europe’s burglary capital, the most violent country in the old continent, Albania included. It’s gotten so bad that the paralyzed Blair government has reverted to television slogans such as: “Don’t moan, take action: it’s your street too.” Sure, and pigs may fly. In Britain’s mean streets taking action is taking your life in your hands. One wrong look and some ethnic minority—a protected species—will knife you quicker than you can say John Bull.

Blair’s cool Britannia has made it virtually impossible for neighbourhoods to protect and police themselves. Something to do with “hildren’s rights” legislation imposed by the European Union. This means anyone under 17 can behave as badly as they like without fear of interference by adults. In fact it is a potential offense to intervene when a minor is misbehaving. Even a verbal dressing down can constitute victimization, let alone physical restraint.

I have been burgled four times and I live in a rather posh section of London. The fuzz is busy filling out forms and bobbies on the beat is a thing of the distant past. It all has to do with multiculturalism and diversity. The legal minefields against self-protection have been set up by the Labour government in pursuit of ethnic votes, bringing to mind Mayor Abe Beame of New York City circa 1975.  Hence the UK leads the list of Europe’s crime top ten, and it’s getting bloodier by the minute.

Excellence was abolished from the educational lexicon long ago in Britain and replaced by mediocrity, a dumbed-down system where the lowest common denominator rules. Another killer was the imposition of “equality of esteem,” jargon for blurring the difference between a brain surgeon and a rubbish collector. As a result, real skills vanished while fewer learned anything worthwhile and so fewer could become achievers. This is the “everyone must win a prize” system of education.

The incentives given to fatherlessness and welfare dependency have been the icing on the cake. Criminals and law-abiding citizens are seen as one and the same where rewards are concerned, however. Black gangsters are modelling themselves on Jamaican Yardies battling other gangs for control of the lucrative drug trade. No newspaper or pundit has the guts to mention that the majority of violent criminals using guns and knives are black. When I did, I was referred to the Scotland Yard incitement to racial hatred division. (I was let off with a warning).

As I said, Oh to be in England. Personally I prefer Brooklyn for the moment.