Photo: MayorWatch
“Mindless” implies an automatic, uncontrollable reaction to – or against – something but the havoc and disorder which engulfed many parts of London last night was planned, calculated and deliberate.
There was nothing “mindless” about it.
Whenever we use the phrase we diminish – albeit accidentally – the culpability of those responsible.
For those living close to any of the hot spots it was terrifying. For those burned or forced out of their businesses and homes it must have been soul destroying.
Yet too many people have sought to excuse the fear and damage wrought by the culprits by citing race or poverty or a ‘disconnect’ with the police.
None of those are acceptable reasons – and they can never be excuses – for destroying other people’s livelihoods and property.
Most of us have a list of disappointments, regrets, frustrations and unfulfilled dreams and ambitions. Few of us take to the streets to burn cars, smash windows and steal.
Whatever the perceived grievances of any section of society, they cannot justify actions which impoverish our town centres.
In the hours past, those who seek to set the actions of the mob “into context” have also blamed the scrapping of the Educational Maintenance Allowance and the cutting of funding for youth centres.
However loud the calls to spend money appeasing the looters, the first priority for any public money spent in response to this violence must be to ensure not a single displaced homeowner or business is left worse off.
Graham Brown says
This is not rioting it is recreational violance and theft. These people have no “cause” other than self gratification and self enrichment by stealing items the rest of us have to work for.
Who is to blame?
Past governments who have
* allowed discipline in schools to disintegrate to the point where in many inner city areas teachers are not allowed to have any control over children who grow up think they can do as they wish
* been scared to apply the laws of the UK to anyone who comes from a so called disadvantaged ethnic group allowing them to think the laws dont apply to them
*allowed people to choose whether to work or simply collect a weekly wage from the rest of the population’s taxes.
*allowed the judiciary to go soft on crimes against property and the person.
Amazing how respectable, law abiding people will travel from all over Europe to work in the hundreds of thousands of jobs which these very people (who use the excuse of “lack of opportunity” to go out and steal/destroy other peoples property) refuse to do.
chris dawson says
Well said Graham.
Why can’t someone of prominence have the sphericals to come out and say that there’s a section of society which contains a large group that don’t want to work, that want to live in an idealised world funded by taking and being given.
Posturing, posing and living in a cultivated realm promted by a genre of music, with no other ambition than to be the prime preening cock in the farmyard worshiped and feted by a few like minded souls.
We’re talking about a few 1000 of individuals in a pool of 60 million and we can’t sort this?
Will it really take the reluctant support of this nation towards an ultra right-wing, possibly neo-nazi, organisation before action is taken?
chris dawson says
So…as the court hearings progress we find that many of the accused are actually in employment/education.
Bang goes the ‘bored, nothing to do, cuts, unemployment, outside society, no future’ angles.
Next excuses please.