Ciaran’s Peculier [sic] Blog

The fires that have wrought such havoc in Victoria are truly horrific. History has been peppered by such blazes, such as the Great Fire of London of 1666. It seems incredible that with all our sophistication and technical wizardry humans can still be consumed by a force of nature.

But perhaps the most galling aspect is the knowledge that in Australia, that most destructive of media, fire, did not burst out by itself. Bush fires have been a phenomenon in Australia for thousands of years – from before the continent was inhabited. They erupted spontaneously, often spurred by a chance bolt of lightning. They had a role in the regeneration of forestry. Man understands the positive role that controlled fires have in ecology. When they are caused maliciously their impact can only be destructive, as witnessed by the devastation in Victoria. We do have to ask what type of people would do such a thing?

As we see in Australia arson is one of the most frightfully murderous of activities. The numbers who are killed and maimed can be enormous. It would be hard for someone to carry out such mass murder with conventional fire-arms. Apart from the difficulties occasioned by re-loading they might have to hear the screams and wails of their victims. The arsonist is more like the person who plants a bomb, but then that’s a risky business. It may go off in your hands. Some arsonists like to fool themselves that they are not insidious lunatics and claim that their pyrotechnics are motivated by a cause. They say that their objects are inanimate objects like buildings, but they cannot wash their hands of responsibility, as fire can spread, and then what about fire-crews who risk their lives in extinguishing fires?

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd had equated arsonists with mass murderers, and anyone who deliberately sets anything alight shows no regard for human life. They may often have deeper-seated psychological issues and so they need psychiatric intervention. However, if there is such a thing as society, they should be shunned by it, or at least made to feel in no uncertain terms that society wishes to respond in the most negative terms to their actions. They should not be brought to society’s (even local society’s) bosom; they ought not be given titles which may further exacerbate their sense of self-importance; they shouldn’t be allowed to ingratiate themselves with local elites who in any case should be able to see through the base flattery they use towards this end; and what is more, no right-thinking person should give any heed to anything they say, especially when it involves character assassination of blameless people.