An amoral maze

AS THINGS STAND AT THE MOMENT 30,000 people have used the social networking website Facebook to declare their undying admiration for Raoul Moat, the murderer who killed himself at the weekend.

At Prime Minister’s Question Time yesterday, the prime minister was asked to intervene to have this eulogising of Moat removed from Facebook. I hope the prime minister ignores this request, because the views of these people represent a social document that exemplifies the nature of a large part of modern Britain and is worthy of academic study by one of our all too numerous social science departments.

The man was described as a paranoid narcissist who recorded many hours of tape for posterity. He was undoubtedly in some way deranged, and if he had lived would have proved a useful subject for criminal psychologists to investigate…so whether dead or alive, science, in one form or another, was bound to benefit.

My own layman’s view of the people who felt the need to share on Facebook, is that many of them were ex-cons, drivers of un-insured vehicles, men or women betrayed by partners, and the usual social liberals who are the constant overseers of all kinds of conspiracy, who think that Moat’s death was provoked by the police themselves. The theory being that the tasers caused a muscular spasm that in turn caused Moat’s finger to squeeze the trigger of his sawed off shotgun.

But this is me – what do I know? Well I have not read the messages to Moat on Facebook, only examples culled by today’s Daily Mail: Jamie Sullivan wrote:

“He got pushed to the edge by a lying scummy girlfriend who told him she was shagging a copper: she tried to wind him up and it worked quite well

“He only done what every guy in jail says he would do if his partner cheated while inside – difference is he wasn’t all mouth!”

Another of Mr Moat’s devotees, one Matthew Sharma wrote: “If my Mrs ever does to me what she did to Raoul I hope I’m brave enough to do a Moaty.” It appears a new verb has now entered the English language on the back of Moat’s violence?

I have to mention a Terrianne ‘Courtney’ Robinson, if only to show that women are as equally enamoured of our anti-hero as the men. She wrote: “He’s a fucking LEGEND for attempting to kill the police – should have taken a lot more down with him! R.I.P. Big Man.”

But I leave the best to last; for Neil Robinson seems to fit my category of the conspiracy theorist who, like poor old ‘Moaty’ believe themselves to be the victims of the system they convinced themselves was corrupt. Mr Robinson, to me, seems to fit the profile of a true Guardianista from his contribution : “Cameron should be more concerned about the way his Plod’s handled the whole thing. People that are leaving flowers are showing their respect for a man who was wronged badly by the system.”

THE SYSTEM; YES IT IS always the system to blame; and if it is the capitalist one, then even better. But whatever the system, systems are secondary to the anchor of morality. What those who have written on Facebook in support of Raoul Moat seem to lack is any kind of civilised morality, including those educated liberals who blame the system.

I feel that those who have written in support of Moat on Facebook, have to stand back and examine themselves. Are their views of Raoul Moat in some way coloured by their own experiences instead of any rational thinking?

I believe that some 90 per cent of those 30,000 contributions to Facebook on Moat’s behalf fit into this category. They are transferring their own experiences on to their judgment of Raoul Moat.

Rather than trying to close down this Facebook sight, it should be left to run its course. For it serves as an example of the muddled moral thinking that grips so many people in this country today.

Raoul Moat was a killer. His psychological mapping may have been of great use to the scientific community, but his behaviour should have negated all public sympathy. All, that is, apart from his 30,000 supporters on Facebook. But we are population of some 60 million people.

Raoul Moat died because he brought it on himself. He was no Robin Hood who deserves his place in folklore, as will in all probability be assigned to him by future generations in Newcastle.

THIS RUTHESS MAN mapped out his own destiny. He navigated, through his tapes, his final journey. He steered himself onto the rocks and died confronting the waves set against him by his own behaviour. What else could be done to rescue him than what was already done?

The police acted as they were required to do. They tried to disarm Moat for some six hours by pleading with him. There were no grudge’s bared by Moat’s blinding of a policeman. All the police wanted was Moat captured alive to face trial for the murder and physical assaults he undoubtedly caused. So why should the police wish him dead as parts of the Media are implying by their coverage of the final minutes?

The answer is to keep the story alive and retain public interest. Raoul Moat was responsible for his own death. The police did everything in their power to keep him alive, and no matter what any enquiry comes up with, the police had no more interest in Moat’s death than those who have bizarrely supported him.

Raoul Moat did what he did and it was unforgivable. No excuse is acceptable, whether from the ranting and ravings of Facebook’s contributors, or the sympathies from parts of the liberal media.

This man got what he deserved from his own actions and his family and Facebook subscribers should accept the consequences of those actions.

Raoul Moat met the end he lustred after from the time he meant to go public; and to go public meant killing someone.

He deserved his fate. He was not the an anti-hero that many on Facebook now see him as, but merely a brutal man enriched by steroids.