Wednesday 10 August 2011

My take on the riots

I wasn't going to get involved in writing about the riots but as every one else seems to have an opinion I thought I would share mine with you.
Please remember this is just my opinion and mine alone.
I have watched all the different arguments being bandied about, disenchanted youth, the cuts to youth services, benefit scroungers with nothing better to do, gangs of youths from rough areas, retaliation for the shooting of Mark Duggan etc etc...
However, as more information becomes available some of these are being disproved. The first protest on the Sunday may well have been a peaceful group of people connected to the Mark Duggan incident wanting some answers, the police have admitted there were some failings in their handling of this situation but that is far removed from the actuality of the riots that followed.
Those that were quick to jump on benefit claimants as being responsible, for the very varied reasons I have heard quoted, from 'nothing better to do' to ' all being scum and thinking it is their right to have what they want' may now wish to rethink their accusations as it has been reported that the first person charged with looting was a 31 year old teacher. I suspect many more will turn out to be employed as well as this isn't a 'sickness' confined to a certain group of people, it is a 'sickness' in our society that has been coming for some time.
It is a problem with the culture today, the attitude that society has that you can have, indeed are entitled to have what you want, when you want it and by any means you have to use to get it.
And we are ALL to blame for that, subsequent Governments that told us we could have our own homes, we could have an easier life, and then never gave us the means to have the very things they were promising. They led by example when unable to have things by legal means they they cheated their expenses to have them, what message do you think this sends our younger generation? similarly the way the banks etc have caused so much hardship and yet have no consequences to their actions, are these messages of responsibility and cause and effect that people see and understand?
I watch the reality programmes on the television, the police have seen their powers stripped, our justice system is laughable, our teachers and to some extent parents hands are tied. There is NO respect for anyone else or anything else.
There is no authority, who do our young people look up to? Who are their role models? We have a selfish, out of control generation and another on the way up, this is the future of this country?
Where are the parents of the youngsters I have seen on the streets at all hours of the night? If you don't teach your child right from wrong and respect of people and property then YOU are responsible for their actions and should be charged too.
I was brought up to believe that if you wanted something and you couldn't afford it then you worked and saved for it or you went without, what a shame that message is no longer part of today's society .


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad


6 comments:

dougie brimson said...

I could not have put it better myself. More colourfully perhaps.....

I was actually going to mention reality TV shows in my own blog this morning but went off on a different tack. It is a very good point and if recent events have not shown the need to adopt the zero-tolerence approach employed in New York then I don't know what will.

ronniemcdiarmid said...

I totally agree with what you have said Penny, it is certainly a very scary thought, but you are "bang on" with what you you are saying x

JustASpur said...

I have read and heard many opinions as to what is the root cause and I can safely say, without bias, that yours is the most succinct and insightful one of the lot. And why am I not surprised that's the case? ;o) xxx

Pandora said...

Perfectly put, Penny. I agree with everything you've written here; you expressed the same stuff I was aiming for in my own rant with much more eloquence and much less swearing :)

Take care

Pan x

John said...

Good post. Well said, Penny.

Ron Graves said...

Hi Penny, here's my take on the same subject, from a different perspective.

http://ronsrants.wordpress.com/2008/12/08/why-are-old-people-grumpy/