A man lost his eye in a road rage incident. A number of families reported missing bronze items from the tombstones of their loved ones at the Addolorata cemetery as the wave of thefts and vandalism in Malta’s biggest burial ground and other cemeteries continued. A dog was shot in the head and buried alive. As the largest flock of white storks ever recorded flew over the island, reports of illegal shooting incidents kept pouring in. A senior citizen was the victim of a late-night paint attack on his home while he was asleep. Electrical fittings and plastic chairs in a public garden were damaged by vandals.
All these ugly incidents happened in this tiny country over the past few weeks. They form part of a long list of uncivil behaviour that left many people shocked and angry too.
The immediate reaction in the face of such appalling realities many a time is to encourage the authorities concerned to do everything in their power to find the perpetrators and bring them to justice. Sometimes, such calls are also accompanied by questions on whether the penalties for such misbehaviour or crimes are sufficient enough to truly serve as a deterrent.
This is all understandable because striving for stronger and more effective measures to punish bad behaviour in an appropriate, proportionate and timely manner is essential. However, society cannot stop there. Such horrible experiences also raise other questions.
What is happening in this society? How could it be that this country continues to witness such horrible instances? How is it that such things still occur in spite of the social values this small community is supposed to cherish and uphold? What is it that triggers such deplorable and awful behaviour in human beings? What is going wrong? Why?
These are questions that also apply to other anti-social attitudes such as irresponsible and dangerous driving, especially in residential areas, noisy behaviour in otherwise quiet neighbourhoods, littering and fly-tipping rubbish.
It is a situation that points to a particular challenge in the place and time in which we live. It is a challenge that cannot and should not be underestimated or avoided, also because standards of behaviour are often passed on from one generation to the next.
A person is, above all, defined by his/her responsible behaviour towards others and, one may add, towards creation, primarily animals. Therefore, there appears to be the need for a well-planned new initiative to promote positive behaviour. Children and young people, first and foremost, must be diligently educated in the ways of beauty and goodness. Such education has to materialise at home, at school and in the social environment, with the help of the media that can do a lot to promote fundamental human dignity and proper behaviour.
The time is ripe for the state, political parties, the Church and NGOs to put their heads together to research the problem, identify the causes and find ways how to address them, plan new remedies towards controlling or, at least, reducing the likelihood that certain individuals involve themselves in anti-social behaviour. They can then move on to their implementation through integrated services.
A coordinated careful study on a national anti-social behaviour policy towards a better appreciation and use of the precious tools of education, communication and prevention will surely be a good step forward. It would amount to a very valid investment in responsible social behaviour to the benefit of one and all.