Ouch, now that's what I call a headache...
A few months back I posted about the knife crime in London being on the rise, particularly in my area. Now, as I browse this morning's news as I sip a (rather tar-like and unpleasantly strong I have to add) cup of coffee, I come across this article about a 16 year old who was stabbed in the head with a 5 inch long knife in the Old Kent Road Tescos round the corner. Miraculously, the kid survived.
Ok, I acknowledge the fact that most of these stabbings are between kids, and the likelihood of the average joe getting attacked is slim in comparison to those under a certain age, but the frequency of incidents is worrying for the age group and I still don't fancy walking around Deptford and Old Kent Road at night! At the risk of sounding way beyond my years and a total old fart, this was never a problem when I was younger, and my school wasn't exactly the poshest in the area. Yes kids carried chains, but hell, they never actually had the guts to USE them! Real weapons just weren't an issue, and if you got into a fight, you used your hands (or nails if you were a girl.... girls are waaaaay more vicious than guys!).
Don't ask me what the solution is, because I don't think there is a simple one. Fact is, the generation that weren't disciplined as kids, the generation who's parents were afraid to control, are now parents themselves. I can't comment on the rest of the world, but from what I see in this country, I don't want to be bringing children up in London. No matter how good a parent you are, you can't control who your kids socialise with and peer pressure is a very strong force to contend with. I know my parents instilled a very strong sense of morals in me growing up which prevented me from doing anything universally idiotic, but the opportunity was always there to join in. Not everyone is as strong willed.
Perhaps I shall move to the moon. It seems nice there. If a bit cold. Nice view though.
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