Riots

[buddleia]

Riots. Them things. The closest we got at home was a bloody helicopter going round and round overhead in the small hours and a lot of sirens, probably due to Ealing Broadway shopping centre being set on fire. Mostly I am grateful that this is happening in a country that does not have a million guns and so there is not, as yet, a body count.

Comments

[gonzo21]

Weirdest comment I've seen on the riots so far came from an American who said this whole riot started over a gun control issue, and it was obvious that brits were wishing they had guns now, because when they had riots in the states, those businesses that weren't looted were the ones where the owners went up onto the roofs with rifles, and the rioters and looters magically stayed away.

... I didn't even bother replying to it. But. Yes. Fucking grateful we live in a country that doesn't have guns everywhere.

[buddleia]

Wow. Yeah, mate, we REALLY WISH WE HAD LOTS OF GUNS HERE NOW. FFS.

[gonzo21]

GUNS WOULD MAKE THIS SO MUCH BETTER! IMAGINE THE AWESOME FOOTAGE THE NEWS CHANNELS WOULD HAVE!

I despair. This myth that an armed society is a polite society. I'd wager the average american feels a whole lot more fear in their everyday life because of guns.

[buddleia]

To be fair, if that were normal for you, you'd want to be one of the ones with guns. And I think a lot of USians are freaking out about the UK riots because they can't imagine such a lot of action without it being a bloodbath.

Having said that: the shooting in Croydon and the three young guys run over in Birmingham - I wouldn't say that to their families.

[mirabile_dictu]

After reading the Guardian all last night, I find your post very cheering. So glad you're okay!

[buddleia]

I'm glad to be cheering! \0/

[motodraconis]

BF's sister texted from Bahrain to check we're ok.

Amused!

[buddleia]

It is amusing!

[buddleia]

*wince* Yeah, there's a lot of that going round.