by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
Under British law it was once totally acceptable to defend oneself and others from attacks and harm but nowadays this has become the sole reserve of the law enfarcement services, basically, especially outside of one's own home.
Everyone in Victorian England and before, especially the men, carried a club, that is to say a cudgel, of some sort or, if he was a person of standing a sword or sword cane and it was accepted by the law that people had the right to defend themselves from attack by whatever means.
Today the criminal has more rights in England than any law-abiding subject of Her Britannic Majesty and the mere thought, almost, of carrying a stick (or something else) for the purpose of self-defense is considered against the law.
Any stick, for instance, especially if perceived as a cudgel, will be immediately considered and offensive weapon in the eyes of the police and the courts of law.
In fact, in Victorian times it was considered a right to be able to defend oneself and even by use of a firearm and many people had and carried such.
Over time, however, the people have permitted the lawmakers to whittle away all those rights by increments and the people also gave those rights away, basically, in return for promised protection by the law and the police.
The response time of the police has never been a great one and the truth is that they really only can come in after the event when a person has been attacked and injured or even killed by an attacker.
Nowadays we have arrived at such a state when the attacker is being treated more favorable than the victim should the latter have had a weapon of any sorts on his or her person with which to defend him- or herself. And even the person who just beats an attacker “to pulp” with his or her hands could find him- or herself charged with a felony.
Has the world gone mad? I would surely say so...
Time the people took back the streets and the right to proper self-defense as it once was the case.
© 2013
