The Destruction of Cronulla by Police - the Views of a Local
As a shire boy born and bred, I have been painted by the ‘outside’ community as many things for many years. I have always been happy to play the game, as it is somewhat true for most ’shire-folk’. The riots which have ruled the headlines of the local Media for almost a year have, and are, creating a totally other form of shire. The recent knee-jerk reaction of the Police/Government to ‘fix’ the problem by throwing a force of numbers at the problem is having a negative effect. This brief essay sets out on proving the above statement through first hand observations and logic.
There is a relation to the amount of violence taking place in Cronulla with the Police presence. The ‘Broken Windows’ effect made famous by New York in the crime-clean-up in late 80’s is a prime example that Police numbers do not solve issues. The lesson on display from NY is addressing the underlying issue(or seed) over night reduced the level of crime in NY, yet the previous many years of using force and numbers did nothing in resolving the issue. Unfortunately, the Police in and around Cronulla are busy with their sirens blaring at all times of the night, in a physical display of strength.
Those who are thirsty for violence in Cronulla look around and see broken windows (of society). The result of this is “no one cares”, which magnify their justification and passion for violence. The addressing of the broken windows treats the basic low-level issues, thus greater issues are never raised. The physical presence of Police, however, is seen by those who are thirsty as a method to conform expression.
The role of Police is to mould and conform society through ‘force of law’. When Police are placed in society, the Freedom ‘to simply be’ a member of society is removed. Freedom is a concept that is outside Law. Freedom can not be defined, that is it’s very nature. Law is not created to develop Freedom, it is developed to create order.
The Law, however, did not create the riots, thus it can not solve the riots. The riots were a physical manifestation of an underlying issue in society. The social issues of the riots are one of culture clash and a lack of acceptance. Each culture kept adding logs to it’s fire, growing it’s resentment for the other. The riots were a physical manifestation of these bonfires growing in size and strength. It was neglect in putting out these fires, these baseless passions at a social level that produced the physical display. Treating the riots at this physical level not only leaves the tension in the society, it adds another log to the fire.
Police are stopping the healing process of local society. The more a physical wound is played with, the slower it heals. By playing with this issue physically, they are not allowing the wound in society to heal. For society to move forwards it needs to come to some form of acceptance that there is an issue to resolve. The destruction of the Berlin wall was a form of acceptance, the first signs of healing.
The constant reminder of an issue displayed by the presence of Police, with the added constant reporting by the Media on ‘the issue’ creates the issue. Society needs to settle, know that things are coming back to normal again, so it can start to deal with the issues created. The constant barrage of Police and Media generate fear, tension and anxiety. These emotions are not emotions that allow things like peace, calm and logic to develop. It is only when peace, calm and logic are allowed to return that underlying social issues can be resolved.
The Police seem to be involved in a game with the Media. The Media reports on some angle of the riots, a day later the Police will have a rebuttal to cover off against the Media. The Media love this game, as they then get to report again about the riots, which will sell them another day’s papers. The Media has an intention to play this game, it is not an accident. They expose “scandals” with the only intent of making money. The resolution of an issue is the last thing the Media wants; they would then have to find something else to report on. Constant provoking of issues is a far more effective method. The Police continue to fix the scandals, as they know the public believes the Media and they must be seen to be in control of society. Thus anything reported by the Media must be true. It is unfortunate that Truth and Media have very little in common.
Over the last week I have personally seen more then 50 Police. They are everywhere. On the roads, in both marked and unmarked cars. They have signs in and around the shire reminding you of their campaigns, which are of course, to do with speed and seatbelts. They could not be riot related, that would be too obvious. They are performing RBT’s in choke points actually raising the danger on the road. They are on horses and buggies and bikes going up and back along the beach like a demon’s possession. This is not the way. I am for the first time in my life ashamed on coming from the shire. What frustrates me, what makes me ashamed to be from here, is not the shire itself, but the treatment of the shire by the Police and Media.
I hope one day soon things return to normal; Freedom and Peace.