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Saturday 30 November 2019

Déjà écrit

Evelyn Waugh - Decline and Fall

"I was on night duty last night between the hours of 8pm and 4am" testified the warder in a sing-song voice, "when my attention was attracted by sounds of agitation coming from the prisoner's cell. Upon going to the observation hole I observed the prisoner pacing up and down his cell in a state of high excitement In one hand he held his Bible, and in the other a piece of wood which he had broken from his stool His eyes were staring; he was breathing heavily, and at times muttering verses of the Bible. I remonstrated with the prisoner when he addressed me in terms prejudicial to good discipline"
 
"What are the words complained of?" asked the Chief Warder

"He called me a Moabite, an abomination of Moab, a wash-pot, an unclean thing, an uncircumcised Moabite, an idolater, and a whore of Babylon, sir "

"I see What do you advise, officer ?"

"A clear case of insubordination, sir," said the Chief Warder "Try him on No 1 diet for a bit"

But when he asked the Chief Warder’s opinion, Sir Wilfred was not really seeking advice He liked to emphasise in his own mind, and perhaps that of the prisoners, the difference between the official view and his own.
 
"What would you say was the most significant part of the evidence ?" he asked

The Chief Warder considered. "I think whore of Babylon, on the whole, sir"
 
Sir Wilfred smiled as a conjurer may who has forced the right card.
 
"Now I," he said, "am of different opinion It may surprise you, but I should say that the significant thing about this case was the fact that the prisoner held a piece of the stool"

"Destruction of prison property," said the Chief Warder. "Yes, that’s pretty bad "

"Now what was your profession before conviction?" asked the Governor, turning to the prisoner

"Carpenter, sir"

"I knew it ," said the Governor triumphantly "We have another case of the frustrated creative urge. Now listen, my man. It is very wrong of you to insult the officer, who is clearly none of the things you mentioned. He symbolizes the just disapproval of society and is, like all the prison staff, a member of the Church of England . But I understand your difficulty You have been used to creative craftsmanship, have you not, and you find prison life deprives you of the means of self-expression, and your energies find vent in these foolish outbursts. I will see to it that a bench and a set of carpenter’s tools are provided for you The first thing you shall do is to mend the piece of furniture you so wantonly destroyed After that we will find other work for you in your old trade You may go".

"Get to the cause of the trouble," Sir Wilfred added when the prisoner was led away, "your Standing Orders may repress the symptoms, they do not probe to the underlying cause ".
===================

Of course the inevitable happened, and the prisoner used his carpenter's tools to saw-off the head of the prison chaplain, Mr Prendegast.

No doubt in the wake of yesterday's tragic events, someone will dare to question the wisdom of not only releasing early from prison an Islamist terrorist, but of inviting him to participate in a criminology conference organised by the University of Cambridge at the exact site of the start of London's previous Islamist terrorist atrocity.

8 comments:

Stephen J said...

I was in London Bridge station while this was happening and I didn't see a thing.

So that is the second time that I have been within yards of terrorism as it happened.

The first was a bomb in the Old Bailey, I worked at DTI in the Export Intelligence Division which had two buildings in that Street. Turned out it was one of the first outings for the revamped IRA or Provo's as they came to be known.

Anyway, I am sure Jeremy Corbyn knows the right people to talk to about this.

JPM said...

Since some people hold Sadiq Khan responsible for all of London's policing successes and failures, I trust that those here will be gracious enough to commend him for what happened on that point yesterday?

That is, the summary execution of a person found to be in the act of committing mass murder.

I don't find anything unduly unjust about that, although I firmly oppose the judicial death sentence.

These people say that they are at war.

Fine. Let the rules of war apply.

Dave_G said...


Commend Khan...???

I don't recall his condemnation of the Islamic terrorist element of the occasion - he's had ample opportunity to express rightful indignation at Islamic abuse of our society and our open-armed welcome.

We should shortly expect the usual kickback response from those whose lives are pre-ordained to fighting for the 'rights of the wronged' and hear demands of an investigation into the 'murder' of a 'British' citizen on open streets.

Mark my words.

John Brown said...

If we are “at war” with terrorists then when they are captured or apprehended they should be treated as prisoners of war and consequently incarcerated until the conflict ends.

It should also be made a lawful necessity for UK citizens to obtain a valid UK visa in advance to travel to selected and defined conflict zones/countries.

Mr Ecks said...



Your brain is full of bullshit Cheesy--what does that useless cunt Khan have to do with it? Plod managed to avoid shooting passing electricians and got a Jihadi turd for a change.

Also contrast the way leftist scum like you were all over the murder of Jo Cox within minutes to boost your traitorous remainiac cause with how this incident has been treated by the non-left.

You are scum Cheesy.

Span Ows said...

The right end result JPM, yes. The fact that so much wrong happened before is the worrying thing.

A new law, anyone released early has to live 6 months with the family of the person releasing them...after fair, careful and in-depth study of their good behaviourhow how many would be released?

byw has any lefty scumbag shreiked why he was shot if he was disarmed yet?

Raedwald said...

Steve - no cut and paste agitprop, please

Anonymous said...

Raedwald said @ 17:57

'Steve - no cut and paste agitprop, please'

Fair enough, however you should know that as a former soldier I take any threat to my homeland extremely seriously.

Steve