The International
Day of Peace. The International Day of
Happiness, of Malaria, of the Full Moon.
Even World Statistics Day. But as far as I know, there is still no
International Day of the Delinquent.
This may
sound flippant, but it falls into line with the American National Gun
Association and its claim that the weapons industry employs thousands of
workers. Or that the tobacco firms also help sustain not only jobs, but State Finances
through the amount of taxes paid.
Thieves,
murderers, embezzlers, fraudsters and infringers of the law in general give
employment to thousands upon thousands of workers. The Police Force is the
first to spring to mind, but we should not forget the prison system and its
service industries. Nor the lawyers and judges and social workers needed to redirect
these dysfunctional criminals.
Wrongdoers
are indeed an essential part of the fabric of any prosperous nation. Without
the corrupt there would be no need for investigative journalists. Without financial
engineering endless hours of judicial scrutiny would become unnecessary.
Without international skullduggery the innumerable and well paid watchdog committees
would soon be twiddling their thumbs.
So an
International day for Miscreants, Felons and Malefactors is something worth
campaigning for. After all, it is in the government’s interest, isn’t it?
