It's a marrda.

If you don't remember or have never seen Taggart (the proper, old show when miserable git Taggart was actually in it), the title says 'It's a murder'.

So it appears the definition of 'murder' has changed. It used to mean that you deliberately intended to kill someone. Now it means killing someone who's trying to kill you. We used to call that 'defence' in the old days.

The test of the Cameroid's bold pronouncement that we are at last to return to the days of being allowed to fight back is now upon us. Or specifically, upon him.

What appears to have happened is this. I say appears, because the full details are not yet known to us all. It might be that the masked men were known to the householders and that they did indeed lay in wait with the intention of killing Goon #1 but if so, why would they call the police?

Let us proceed for now on the assumption that this family did not expect to see the midnight masked raiders attack their home and that they were sore afraid, possibly to the point where a change of kecks might be called on and maybe even a mop and bucket and some deodorising bleach.

Now we come to the Cameroid's words. He's good at words. Actions, not so much, but he is good at words, we'll give him that.

"Reasonable force".

If you are a bewigged and dusty judge and your fortified residence is soiled by the presence of a ragged and uncouth tradesman at the human entrance, you might define 'reasonable force' as calling the hefty footman to give the rotter a sound kicking and send him on his way with his tail between his legs, what? You might even set the dogs on him if you still had some.

If you live in a grubby part of Manchester with scrubland behind your house and a masked gang turn up at midnight and try to batter their way in, they know you're in there and they have not come to collect donations to the local soup kitchen, and there is a woman in the house, well, let your imagination tick slowly into action and what would you be thinking?

You don't have a burly footman to call on. You know perfectly well that calling the police will mean they might turn up in a day or so and if you're lucky it'll be before your corpse is completely cold, you are not allowed to have a gun and the masked raiders know it, so what do you do?

Would you grab a kitchen knife, try to scare them, and if necessary stick it into one of the bastards before they stick it into your wife/daughter/girlfriend while you watch with a knife at your throat?

Masked men are breaking in at midnight. They know the house is occupied. They are not going to causally collect up the silverware (in Manchester?) and then leave with a cheery how-de-do. Under those circumstances, define 'reasonable force'.

I define it as 'forget the phone, kill them all'. Actually, the main message from the story is this. Do not call the police unless and until the attackers look like winning. If you call the police and you win the fight, you will be charged with obstructing a criminal in the course of his duties. Or, that worst crime of all, killing a criminal who probably had a Council license to loot, pillage and rape.

Really, that message is very clear here. The reporting casts the dead criminal as the victim in this scenario. Leave that phone alone. Head for the knife rack and do it now. Practice throwing them. Get them all and learn how to dispose of the corpses. If you kill them Halal, the local supermarket will take the meat.

I'm sure the police will claim that's not the message they want to give but it's the one that comes over loud and clear. Call the police while fighting off attackers and you will be arrested and charged with fighting off attackers. This is mere days after Cameroid's proud and empty boast. Dammit, Cameroid, can't you get anything right?

Snowolf, Quiet Man, and Trooper Thompson voice similar opinions. A few days ago, so did U-turn Dave but I suspect his opinion will once more change to 'ah, well, um' now. The only one who doesn't agree is Miss Criminal Hero 2011, Shiny Chuckabatorthree.

She believes that if we are allowed to defend ourselves in our homes, we will then roam the streets to defend ourselves in our homes and will also kill Grandad when he gets home from the pub. Because we are not capable of spotting the difference between Grandad muttering and scraping while he tries to get his rubber key into a moving keyhole (been there), and a bunch of balaclava-clad thugs trying to beat the door in.

Instead, presumably, she endorses the police message. Don't bother them or they'll arrest you for being a noisy, complaining irritant and for spoiling a thug's evening.

Sure, Manchester police will say 'This is certainly not the sort of message we want to give' but it is precisely the message you have very clearly given. There is no other interpretation of the facts as known to us at the moment. Defending yourself in your home is illegal and will be punished.

As for Shiny's vigilante groups, I would be astounded if they are not already well formed in many places, and amazed if they are not already active in quite a few. The law has left people with no other option.

One day, we will have a government who will get at least one thing right. Half the population will die of shock.