Savages

A couple of things have happened recently that I really feel I ought to talk about. An uncle of mine was mugged last week. He was literally four doors away from his home on his way back from buying ‘nasi lemak’ at the local hawker. The thieves not only took his money, they also hit him on the head with their motorcycle helmets. I don’t understand that. I get that desperation drives people to do desperate things. My uncle is a frail old man. He’s a diabetic who self-medicates and sometimes over medicates and has fainting fits ever so often. He is the most unassuming person and obviously posed no threat to these thieves. The fact that they hit him is merely an indication that these thugs do this for the violence. If the object of the robbery was the money, then it was unnecessary to hit him. In fact they hit him so hard that he has developed a clot in the brain which the doctors are hoping to dissolve with medication.
As the family was reeling from this attack, another occurred. My aunt’s home was invaded in broad daylight by four men armed with ‘parangs’. By the grace of God no one was injured, as the men did not have much time inside the house. Luckily my aunt is well liked by most of her neighbours and one of her neighbours noticed something awry. The lookout men in the getaway car noticed that the neighbour was about to call the police and so called his accomplices back and the ‘gang’ made their escape.
I can hardly believe that the same family would experience so much tragedy within such a short space of time. I also find it almost impossible to believe the depths that humans can sink to. It is true that with the current state of the economy things are difficult for everyone. I refuse to accept however, that these difficulties warrant the violent crimes that are being committed. My grandmother would say that this is animal like behaviour. I however, believe that to classify it as animal like behaviour would be an insult to animals. Animals do not attack without provocation or reason. No animal would attack for the sheer pleasure of the kill. Only human beings do that. Human beings are the only living things that take pleasure in the destruction. Animals are more interested in their own survival to develop such peculiar tastes. The best I can say about these savages, who commit these crimes, is that someday, they will learn to behave as animals.