Riots, Sweeping Statements & Idiots
I am getting really sick of people who think that the riots have to polarise you as being pro- or anti-authority. You can believe that our society has problems with the distribution of wealth and resources and yet also believe that looting, destruction of property and mindless violence are inherently wrong.
Supporting the police and condemning the rioters does not make you right-wing or classist. However, claiming that new and innovative forms of punishment are required for them is both bizarre and utterly illogical. This is nothing new, and our current legal system has measures to deal with it.
Supporting the rioters and trying to justify their actions does not make you liberal, socialist or anarchist. It just makes you a reactionary idiot.
Dividing ourselves into camps is what got us into this mess in the first place. There are fundamental issues in the UK that need serious long-term work to balance out the inequalities that currently exist, but that does not make it ok to commit arson, theft and murder for the sake of luxury items. If you have adopted either the viewpoint that actions during the riots have been justified, or that they all need to be put to death and/or barred from the benefits system for life - you might want to take a good long look at your political views and decide whether you have just adopted an Us vs. Them position because it is the path of least resistance.
Think for yourselves, and do so before speaking out.
Supporting the police and condemning the rioters does not make you right-wing or classist. However, claiming that new and innovative forms of punishment are required for them is both bizarre and utterly illogical. This is nothing new, and our current legal system has measures to deal with it.
Supporting the rioters and trying to justify their actions does not make you liberal, socialist or anarchist. It just makes you a reactionary idiot.
Dividing ourselves into camps is what got us into this mess in the first place. There are fundamental issues in the UK that need serious long-term work to balance out the inequalities that currently exist, but that does not make it ok to commit arson, theft and murder for the sake of luxury items. If you have adopted either the viewpoint that actions during the riots have been justified, or that they all need to be put to death and/or barred from the benefits system for life - you might want to take a good long look at your political views and decide whether you have just adopted an Us vs. Them position because it is the path of least resistance.
Think for yourselves, and do so before speaking out.