I have, like many others, been horrified to see my country represented by a minority of petty minded vandals seemingly bent on wanton destruction of private property. This, in itself is disturbing, but I also find myself concerned by the response from many others who also purport to represent this country. These are the people who appear on Internet comments declaring war, declaring deportation, declaring violence and more against the perpetrators of the rioting and looting.
Clearly there is something inherently wrong with certain aspects of our society for both sides of this morbid dance to exist. One, apparently youthful and disenfranchised, lacking control and direction, the other faceless and insidious, spitting venomous vitriol against people they do not know.
The true reasons for this violence is genuinely unknown to me. I read the news and know there were events that have been linked. I know there is talk of the socially deprived areas rising up in anger against the cuts in benefits and the current financial climate causing further job losses, with no clear end. But how this leads to senseless arson and looting, is a connection lost to me. These actions offer no redemptive outcome, only suffering and loss for innocent residents and traders with the misfortune to be within the grasp of these, what I suspect, are opportunistic thugs.
It is certainly shocking to see the pictures, showing London looking for all the world like a dystopian film set, with burnt out carcasses of buses and cars, waste strewn, shops smashed and buildings razed to the ground. For sure this sends a message to the politicians, but what that message is, I don't understand. What do these rioters want? What do they expect? What can we do?
There are many who utterly dismiss the thought of asking why this is happening. They call these rioters thugs (and I agree), who ought to be shot on sight (I completely disagree). I've seen that very comment in various blunt ways on several sites holding the photos of the devastation. But to summarily dismiss the why, is to miss the chance to reach those who can either stop it, or prevent it from ever happening again. Prevention is always better than treatment. And what treatment would these wise sages have us mete out to the criminals rampaging? Shoot them on sight? To what end? You start with a crowd of 300, shoot at them and you end up with a crowd of 3000. Shoot at them and you have 30000. For all their wrong doings, for all their evils, these people are sons and daughters, probably fathers and mothers too and they are families. No, I don't condone, I don't excuse and I don't want them to escape justice. But I cannot live in a country that would ever resort to extreme violence to bring down even the most unruly of rioters. And I find it genuinely uncomfortable to find I live in a country where others genuinely seem to feel that is appropriate.
These are the same people who bring out the race card. They state it's immigration gone mad, send these @*&*%@ back to where they came from. Again and again, this same old argument rears it's ugly head, and adds fuel to the BNP fire. I'm sorry, but I've seen the pictures of the rioters and they clearly verify this is no race issue. It may be a poverty issue, but that is not exclusively a race issue and that is a petty card to play. Let's face it, we gave up the right to moan about other people destroying our way of life when we conquered half the globe. Besides, our very history is littered with immigrants, our very own heritage being a real hodge-podge of cultures and races. So, leave the race card on the table, face down and step away. It's not the cause of this and it won't cure this, so just forget it.
There must be solutions that we can offer in this day and age to deal with out-of-control situations.
Violence, truly does beget violence, history has surely taught that, if nothing else. But clearly standing by and watching lives and property being decimated is not an option. Why can we not, as many on Twitter have suggested, effectively 'tag' those participating in the rioting with indelible paint? If this is fired onto those taking part and will remain on them for a week or so, it will identify them to those around them as a criminal. If this technology does not yet exist, maybe it should.
Twitter has also pioneered instant naming and shaming; I've seen number plates and pictures being retweeted and requests for anyone boasting about taking part to be named.
If continuing violence is an issue, surely a temporary curfew would be an small price to pay to ensure no large groups could form after a certain time. Maybe even banning groups over a certain size from entering certain urban areas would soon control the issue. Is a curfew not easier to enforce, than having to dispatch forces from across the country, potentially leaving their own districts open to further opportunistic attacks?
I could be wrong. I could be talking utter crap and it was never my intention to host a political forum. Writing this is my small contribution to the debate because it makes me sad for my country and fearful for it's future. To even be writing that we may need curfews makes me shudder. Should that be needed in a modern 21st Century society? No, of course not. But neither should that society be experiencing rioting and idiotic looting of Foot Locker and Currys. We live in a free and democratic country where there should be no need to do anything so desperate and so outrageous because if you have a grievance you are allowed to voice it. I hope when the dust settles and lives start to be rebuilt, those responsible are caught and punished and truly understand what harm they have caused. That may be wishful thinking, in fact, I know it is, but that's me, I'm ultimately optimistic about things. For better or for worse.
And here is one reason why that optimism in the human race is still justified:
BBC News - England riots: Twitter and Facebook users plan clean-up :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-14456857
(Twitter hashtags - #riotcleanup & #OperationCupofTea)
Community - Make It Count
Something that started with 1, turned into something with 10 and then became hundreds and by now possibly thousands.
These people outnumber the rioters. These people care. These people don't think people need to be shot or deported. They just love their city and they love their neighbourhood and that is stronger and more powerful than any negativity, any destruction and any ignorance.
The mob mentality may rule the moment, but community spirit binds forever.
Well said Mike.
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