'Christmas At Half Mast'

A 'Half Mast' Christmas Tree

One of the saddest things which best demonstrates what a disconnected society we are living in today is the modern phenomenon  of the 'Half Mast Christmas Tree'. When we as people cannot even put up a Christmas trees in our streets, town centres and community gathering places without having to take the measure of putting all of the lights on the tree high up out of reach for fear of vandals you really have to wonder at what we have all become...

I took this picture last night in Kings Rd, St Leonards but the tree in Hastings Town Centre is similarly 'dressed' this year. Not only are the sight of such trees depressing they say a lot also about the 'School Teacher Mentality' which seems to perpetually exist within the minds of Councillors, Politicians and Government officials everywhere these days. In the old days if a tree like this was vandalised everything would be done to bring the individual or individuals to justice in order that they be punished for their crime and made to see the error of their ways. Nowadays, seemingly unable (or unwilling?) to dedicate the resources to catching criminals the 'easier option' of punishing everyone - as a School Teacher keeps in the whole class when no-one will own up to flicking a rubber at him or her) is put into action. Thus, for the sake of a few miserable, anti-social individuals who should know better the rest of society is punished and we all have to suffer the consequences...

Not only isn't this fair it ENCOURAGES anti-social behavior because those doing the vandalism know that there is little to no chance of them ever being caught. If we as a society are weak and 'give in' like this we can hardly complain about the way things are going - can we? Punishment should not just be about handing out penalties though it should be about making things better for all effected and I am sure that at least some of those who mindlessly wreck things could be made to see the error of their ways if dealt with by the relatively new restorative justice system. Of course, some of you are going to accuse me of being 'idealistic' for that last statement. Well, perhaps I am being rather optimistic but as the new breed of 'Half Mast' Christmas Trees ably demonstrate, the current way of running our society is NOT working so some kind of different approach HAS to be found.

Lets not let the few ruin things for the masses. Do away with 'Half Mast' Christmas trees, re-instate traditional law & order and let Christmas once again be the celebration of the good within us all it used to be...