So, you don't believe any of the rioters are poor or working class? You have a job, you work for a living ... great! You're not rioting ... congrats! You feel yourself to be a functioning member of a functioning society. It's working for you. But ... are these all middle-class rioters?
So you're saying they should attack the innocent, wreck havoc across London, destroy property, and steal whatever they want until Parliament fixes the social ills?
Nope, they are an extra sub underclass below working class. Just because someone is poor or from a council estate or unemployed, doesn't give them an excuse to go and riot, and not all people in this situation are. Just the criminal scum amongst them.
While colonialism doesn't have a direct relationship to these riots there is an indirect relationship to them just as slavery had an indirect relationship to the Rodney King Riots. In both cases the persistence of poverty and an alienated group of people contributed to a sense of a lawlessness. So yes the rioters are opportunist but this isn't some aberration but is a symptom of the lack of integration and economic opportunity. As far as what to do about it I agree the police need to take control of this situation but just cracking down is putting a band aid on a major injury.
Probably the best way to prevent a "sub underclass below working class" from partaking in angry riots is to not have a "sub underclass below working class".
While the US incarcerate more people per capita and in general is harsher on crime than the UK there still is rioting in the US.
I agree, what would you recommend as the best way to exterminate them? Should be easier now they are all showing themselves in the street in one go.
And how do we accomplish that? Throw more money at them? I bet that will teach them the value of working hard.
That is part of the problem, the UK has a massive amount of people living off of the government's programs. It creates a sub culture, IMO. DD
What? Am I supposed to feel sorry for the poor dears? People are being killed ffs, decent law abiding people. I'd rather have every one of the criminals involved gassed to death than have one more innocent person die or be made homeless
You believe it is understandable that these people are rioting and looting. Is it so hard to believe their victims want retribution?
Maybe you and DaDakota can start a war to "cull the herd". In the meantime, those of us with a conscience and the ability to grasp the concept of cause-and-effect will continue to advocate for solutions more ethical and rational than the simplistic propagandized monotony of "blaming the poor for being poor".
yes, that's precisely what I'm saying .... Seriously, are you intentionally misreading the stuff I write? I didn't have a single "should" in there. This isn't a true or false question.
The rioters and the common people who want "retribution against the rioters" are both aiming at the wrong target.
From someone in the UK: ------------------------------------- These scumbags are an absolute disgrace. In Ireland and in England, these people are given a sizeable amount of money every week to sit and home and do nothing. Even before the recession, there was a culture of young people leaving school and going straight on the dole/ welfare. These are able bodied young people who contribute nothing to society and are constantly causing trouble. I live in Dublin and I went into the city a couple of days ago and while walking around I was approached by 3 people for money and all of these people had nice clothes on them me (Nike tracksuit and sneakers which cost a pretty penny) and were smoking (A pack of cigarettes are E8). I was absolutely disgusted as they probably have more money than me when you take into consideration my college loans. Welfare apparently gives people E16,000 a year for doing nothing and a friend of mine just got a job out of college working for a bank and she's only getting E20,000 a year and would have to pay for work clothes and the bus. These people are getting far too much money but then have the cheek to ask people for more on the streets. Tourists don't know how much they get and they give them more! The people rioting are purely doing this for fun and to get free stuff. There is no political movement behind this. The article says there are doing this over the budget cuts but everyone is going to be effected by the cuts. For example students who are trying to better themselves and contribute to society will be hurt this year by increased costs for college. I think anyone found convicted in these riots should be cut off from welfare and this will make them get a job! --------------------------------------- The "Dole" is part of the issue here. DD
Punish the criminals, by all means. But recognize the underlying issues and fix them. Punish those who created them, too. I'm not in favor of rioting. I would prefer something more peaceful (irony - for once we can look to the middle east as an example of reasonably peaceful political upheaval). I just think it's totally wrong to assign all the blame on the disenfranchised, instead of looking also at those doing the disenfranchising. I categorically refute the idea that one sector of the socioeconomic sphere is any more greedy, corrupt, lazy, or violent than another. Believe it or not, but most folks have very little control over there situations in life.
WTF Ever, first you have to get things under control, then you can look at the bigger issues. But, I wait with baited breathe to hear your solution...ready...go.... DD
