Unfortunately, for me, the statement:

"We have had race riots here in the US.... IIRC from the 60's we had the LA riots, Watts riots, Cleaveland, Philidelphia, Greensboro, Chicago..... and more recently the Rodney King riots in LA.

But once the "ball gets rolling" the original reason for the unrest gets lost in the "fun and excitement" of "stickin it to the man" and everybody joins in for the entertainment value and the free merchandise."

furthers misunderstandings about the actual race riots mentioned here.

No one at Watts etc. forgot why the riot was started. Everyone knew what those riots were about regardless of how self destructive or senseless the incidents seemed to be.

They were actual race riots. I remember why and how they happened.


Furthermore, we have riots over here that don't focus on race.


The end analysis may be spot on for the riots this week in England... but the use of a misquote and the use of the term "race" riot (that we all seem to agree doesn't really apply to this incident) doesn't really seem to further a greater understanding of why the rioters feel at liberty to be so dumb. It seems like extraneous data that must be pushed aside if any clarity is to be realized.


When I first heard of the riots, they were being reported of as it seems to be. I learned that a bunch of middle class kids were having a romp and demonstrating that they have not been imbued with empathetic values and seemingly using violence as entertainment.

I believe this has more to do with our casual acceptance of violence as entertainment. I feel that a complete desensitization of violence while it is consumed as entertainment is the cause. These kids were simply entertaining themselves and enjoying the novelty of actual real life violence. It probably felt like a small buzz... the kind they no longer get while simply watching make believe violence.


best regards,
mike

This current state of affairs is an unmissable opportunity for waving the big stick - not only to act as a meaningful deterrent but to engender some much needed confindence in the 'system' in the country at large.

Agreed. But many of those who are wanting to wave that big stick have themselves displayed complete disregard for decent and moral behavior.

David Cameron - ex-member of Bullingdon Club* at Oxford University, one of their main pastimes is
smashing up restaurants.

Nick Clegg (Deputy Prime Minister) - criminal conviction for arson, narrowly escaped prison.

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London - also member of ex-Bullingdon Club.

Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education - fiddled £7,000 of taxpayers money on expenses.
In fact, the whole expenses scandal, too many MP's to mention here. But how many MP's and Lords
have gone to prison over this?

The whole Metropolitan Police's (London police force) reputation is completely in the gutter over the recent
telephone hacking affair, two senior officers have resigned.


I do not trust people who themselves have displayed a complete disregard for the law to comment on others.
In fact, I see many parallels in their attitude, especially in the "I can do what I want, and get away with it"
mentality.


*Bullingdon Club

mike_mccue


Unfortunately, for me, the statement:

"We have had race riots here in the US.... IIRC from the 60's we had the LA riots, Watts riots, Cleaveland, Philidelphia, Greensboro, Chicago..... and more recently the Rodney King riots in LA.

But once the "ball gets rolling" the original reason for the unrest gets lost in the "fun and excitement" of "stickin it to the man" and everybody joins in for the entertainment value and the free merchandise."

furthers misunderstandings about the actual race riots mentioned here.

No one at Watts etc. forgot why the riot was started... regardless of how self destructive or senseless the incidents seemed to be.

They were actual race riots. I remember why and how they happened.


Furthermore, we have riots over here that don't focus on race.


The end analysis may be spot on for the riots this week in England... but the use of a misquote and the use of the term "race" riot (that we all seem to agree doesn't really apply to this incident) doesn't really seem to further any greater understanding of why the rioters feel at liberty to be so dumb. It seems like extraneous data that must be pushed aside if any clarity is to be realized.


When I first heard of the riots it was being reported of as it seems to be. I learned that a bunch of middle class kids were having a romp and demonstrating that they have not been imbued with empathetic values and seemingly using violence as entertainment.

I believe this has more to do with our casual acceptance of violence as entertainment. The complete desensitization of violence as it is consumed as entertainment is the cause. These kids were simply entertaining themselves and enjoying the novelty of actual real life violence. It probably felt like a small buzz... the kind they no longer get while simply watching make believe violence.


best regards,
mike

Thank you Mike.

I don't think this is about race or economics either.  It is about a sub culture that has emerged over several years that feels by whatever sense of entitlement and grievance it uses to excuse its behaviour is above and beyond the law because of it's gang lore mentality.  Given the areas that these events took place in the ratios of the races involved in the criminality were proportional.

I don't see how demonizing people that have need for benefits or sheltered housing, by even some of those in reciept of such state aid buying into that kind of populist BS helps either.  Many of these kinds of hoodlums live off the proceeds of dealing drugs and profit from theft anyway.

It's also been unsightly some of the 'political looting' that's been going on especially between the current Mayor and the previous one, parliiament refreshingly seemed largely unified today though.  The government has also virtually guaranteed compensation to those affected materially I hope too the sense of responsibility is carried over into those making insurance claims, who are certainly deserving of full recompense for the damage and distress caused.

If we talk about responsibilty though, it should apply to everyone, especially cautious should be those that feel justified by some feeling of superiority in an attempt at imposing responsibilty on others.

And to Herb, no I don't believe any of this has anything to do with and underlying sinister plot and I think thoughts of setting up any McArthy type theatre here is hopefully as likely as a shuttle mission to Mars.

But maybe I'm just saying that because I'm some brainwashed commie pinko.  How could I tell if I was or wasn't?  Oh man, I'm sunk.

Anyone read Anthony Burgess?

space_cowboy


Jonbouy

St Emilion is a very peaceful and decadent (food and wine-wise) place.  Good for her.  You should take the Eurostar and the TGV and join her.  You could be there in 3 hours.  

Probably less than that as I live very near Ashford International station which makes it a short hop across the channel. 

The only problem with that is that she is with my ex-inlaws which would make some of the less salubrious parts of London just now still a little more appealing...

I am not at all amazed at some of the things I have heard about the kids involved in this riot. There seems to be this sense of entitlement amongst the younger generations. Even here. I'm glad to hear that you and yours are ok Jon as well as others here on the board where there cities have been touched by the violence.