What outraged many people around the world, especially Brazilians, have been the shocking callous attitude of the British Home Secretary Charles Clarke.
In the face of public and international shock, disbelief and outrage at the deplorable slaying of an innocent man he has the gall to 'congratulate' police in their work.
Has he lost his bloody mind, praising police for excessive use of force in the multiple shooting of an electrician by a plain clothes policeman? No wonder the headline in O Estado de Sao Paulo read: "British government's attitude irritates Brazil" while Jornal do Brasil wrote: "Instead of apologising, the English authorities came out in defence of those responsible for this disastrous [police] action."
How can one 'congratulate' the police for killing an innocent man?
An expression of regret, certainly. An admission of mistake made in the heat of action, OK. A tragic case of split-decision making with regrettable results, understandable. A cautious "We are still investigating", best answer. Even a shrug of the shoulder with a "Shit happens", hardly palatable but just still barely tolerable.
But 'congratulations'? Congratulations? It's disgusting.
One congratulates someone for praiseworthy and commendable performance. When someone kills an innocent man, where's the commendable act? Someone, namely the policeman, has f***ed up real good, and that's a fact. OK, sh*t happened, and there may be mitigative circumstances but congratulations? What utter callous drivel.
The unfortunate nonsense seems to be that Britain has not only joined the USA in its oppressive adventure in Iraq, it has also adopted its transatlantic cousin's devious art of sinister euphemism, with the unfortunate added element of British stiff upper lip.
I am just waiting for Charles Clarke to say "Nasty job, that Dago business. It's those confounded Pakis. Damn those cads. But generally, our boys in blue did a jolly good show. Absolutely rippling, old boy."
No comments:
Post a Comment