Over the past couple of years, even casual attention to social conversations leaves us with the impression that crime and lawless behaviour is on the rise. To pick up the daily newspapers is to have that impression reinforced. Just this week, for example, I read about nine persons being detained in connection with the murder of Marvin Bridgeman who was shot dead on Tuesday at his home. “Several individuals, said to be known to the police, were arrested and up to press time were being questioned in relation to the shooting and other matters,” said the report. “Bridgeman was shot six times while sitting in the garage of his home on Tuesday evening.”
In another newspaper, there was a strong letter from Ley-An Sui complaining about the wanton use of fireworks in various celebrations. “What is intolerable,” she said, “is the use of fireworks directly over my house coming at me from all sides like an attack of machine-gun fire, extremely loud bangs and other piercing sounds.
