Scotland Knife Crime

Michelle Commiskey
Jan. 23, 2009
1:00pm

Scottish man, Damian Muir was violently stabbed eight times and was killed. His father, John Muir, has now taken it upon himself to speak out against all knife crimes. He commented on his son’s death at a summit in Holyrood’s main chamber and also took his time on the floor to discuss "the shameful violent statistics which have blighted the Scottish nation for decades". The fact that Damian’s death was not an isolated tragedy was what brought Mr. Muir to speak out. Muir’s argument consisted of stopping the carrying of knifes and other dangerous weapons. If the people who carry these weapons are not stopped, violence will continue to happen as well as having the “blood of our victims on our hands”. Community Safety Minister Fergus Ewing, congratulated Muir on his actions and agreed that the country had “collectively failed” to solve the problem at hand.
John Muir is a very brave man for speaking out against a problem that not only has affected Scotland, but also has plagued the whole world. It is time for someone to start openly looking for a solution for such mindless violence. Of course it is virtually impossible to prevent people from carrying such small weapons and knives, but by spreading awareness, perhaps a few hundred lives can be saved. Barry Gavin, the man responsible for Damian’s death, avoided jail time twice for carrying knives and then sentenced for only 15 years. If murderers, like Gavin, can be caught the first time for carrying dangerous weapons, Scotland’s problem of knife crimes could become less of a nightmare. The first step is always recognizing and assessing the problem.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7847613.stm