Politics stoops low (again) with 'knives out' commentary

Some election commentators, as well as some Press reporting, make me feel sick. Now that Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg has made some progress in the first debate, knife stabbing metaphors are pouring out of the pores of political outlets.

And I'm sure it's not just me that feels sick about it - any victims, friends or relatives connected to stabbings will not feel at all comfortable that terms like 'knife sharpening' are being bandied about - whether in politics, the workplace or elsewhere. To suggest the violent career 'death' of a political opponent is not something to be savoured like some kind of favourite meal - in fact, it is immoral to will or wish the death of another by any violent means and should be abhorrent to those with a conscience.

The relish shown by the headline writers is truly appalling: "Knives out for Clegg"; "Knives out for LibDems". In fact, it's lazy journalism. Such 'knifing' talk needs to be questioned and challenged. Worse still are those (mainly older) commentators who are loving to talk about dark political manoeuvrings that might lead to achievement of some kind of Julius Caesar moment. Those that relish this language ought to stop, think, reflect and re-evaluate their style of language.

You can view the huge array of political knifing comments here. Once again, politics is managing to demonstrate an underlying flaw and failure of our society - that it must use knife analogies to achieve political and other 'ambitious' ends.

Well, it should stop. It is no example to set society at large, let alone any impressionable young people. If not, knife crime culture will remain embedded in the UK psyche. Take the knife metaphors out of the English language - now (please).

UK Election: Where's the crime policy pledges etc?

This is not good. I've been watching the UK election news since the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown called the general election for May 6... and not one word have I heard about crime, especially not knife or gun crime.

There's been Cameron and his twist on national service for young people (which can't really be criticised - unless young people don't want to participate, I thought). Then there's the economy being centre stage which all politicians have come to far too late. I just don't think they understand how to help the people they are supposed to serve. Labour seems to have helped a great deal avoid problems of the UB40 times from the 1980s - but it's not unlike trying to shut the stable door after the horse has bolted. Banking matters should have been tackled much sooner.

And why is this relevant to knife crime? Because young people need to have something to aspire to - and a corrupt, unmanageable financial / economic system is not something to aspire to. In fact, it's a man-made, moral disaster for the globe and encourages criminality, it seems (as well as causing famines, poverty etc).

Come on politicians, what are your ways to tackle the knife crime scourge affecting society - and other violent crime? Bring on the debate...

Quotes to keep knife crime campaigners motivated

Just a couple of knife / violent crime-related quotes I came across to keep us pushing onwards:

John Lennon: "You either get tired fighting for peace, or you die."

And Gandhi helps a little too, as we enter Easter and many people think about God and who he is: "... in the midst of death, life persists; in the midst of untruth, truth persists; in the midst of darkness, light persists. Hence I gather that God is life, truth, light. He is love. He is the supreme Good. But he is no God who merely satisfies the intellect, if he ever does."