For decades, Germany operated its rail system on an honour model. There were no turnstiles, no barriers. Passengers bought tickets, boarded trains, and conductors performed random spot checks to make sure everyone had paid. It was a system built on trust— and for a long time, it worked, because Germany was a fundamentally law-abiding society. That system has been fraying over the last several years as Germany aggressively imported millions of migrants who don’t respect the law. The most egregious example took place earlier this month, when a train conductor asked a passenger— a 26-year-old migrant— for his ticket. Not only did the passenger not have a ticket, but he beat the conductor so severely that the man died of his injuries the next morning. The government’s response is extraordinary. Rather than establish law and order and rain holy hell upon the criminals, Deutsche Bahn— which is owned by the German government— has told conductors to NOT approach passengers who present a “high risk of escalation.” In short, the new policy is— if someone looks dangerous, don’t bother checking their ticket. Meanwhile, ordinary passengers— the ones who actually follow the rules— will continue to be checked (and punished) if they’re caught […]