Distressing times - A worrying spiral of violence

IT HAS been a distressing few weeks for anyone who cares about how our society values itself and anyone who values human life and dignity.

We have seen two Polish men murdered in the most brutal and seemingly off-hand way. Teenagers are the focus of the investigation into these terrible murders.

We have seen a schoolgirl bound, gagged and assaulted in a schoolyard by a gang of her classmates.

We have seen two men jailed for trying to import rocket launchers and automatic weapons intended for use in Limerick’s drug war.

We have seen, possibly the most distressing of all of these tragedies, several school children commit suicide.

We have seen a leading cultural figure exposed in a dreadfully exploitative and tawdry sex scandal.

The sense that our society is becoming colder, more violent, and resorts to extreme violence more quickly than ever before, is confirmed by the statistics. Between 1999 and 2006 the number of “assaults causing harm” has increased more than five-fold from 737 to 3,971.

Add to these stark events the revelations at the Mahon Tribunal which, no matter how “qualified” you assess them, are having a corrosive affect on the belief system and trust that underpins our democracy.

Earlier this week Senator Ronan Mullen spoke of a “crisis of values”, and warned of a right-wing backlash.

It is easier to shrug off Mr Mullen’s warning than it is to come up with a convincing answer to his concerns. However, it is impossible to shrug off his suggestion that we need to reconsider the relationship between freedom and responsibility. Anyone who cares about our society will accept that, at the moment, we have too much of one and not enough of the other.

We are truly paying a high price for the absence of political, social or moral leadership and courage.