Comments | dj_alexander: A riotous affair

dj_alexander

A riotous affair

Aug 12, 2011 19:45

I didn't bother posting about the riots because there didn't seem to be much point. It was pretty much regarded all round as a "bad thing", and there seemed to be more than enough analysis as to why it was happening. I didn't think that there were any simple answers and I came to the conclusion that it was more likely that for any justification ( Read more... )

Comments 9

dj_alexander August 12 2011, 18:54:02 UTC

It seems some people can't even be bothered to debate the issue. Feel free to remove me from your friends list if my words are too offensive!

(The comment has been removed)

dj_alexander August 13 2011, 12:00:37 UTC

Indeed. One of the things I disagreed with is the rioters and looters that claimed that what they were doing is ok because we live in a country when the bankers get paid for failure and the politicians spend public money on duck houses and moats. Hence the bit about opting in - we all know that stealing is wrong but just because everyone's doing it, doesn't make it right. We have to at least move towards the idea of an ideal society even though we may never reach it. I find it hard to respect the position of the rioters and looters if the majority of them can't even admit that what they've done is wrong.

spangle_kitten August 15 2011, 12:00:03 UTC

What a lot of people don't seem to get is the difference between what is understandable and what is acceptable, particularly that what is understandable isn't always right.

The example I used to some pious git who told me that because I'm from Westbury on Trym I couldn't possibly understand life on da street (and he probably comes from a good family, but reads Socialist Worker so feels some affinity or something...) is that if you come home to find your partner in bed with your best friend it is understandable to feel upset, angry, and betrayed. It's understandable for some people to want to smack him one, or cut off his bollocks with a rusty hacksaw. Understandable but never right or acceptable ( ... )

zenithed August 13 2011, 14:43:29 UTC

I think it's a bad idea to make the law apply differently for extreme circumstances. It's a slippery slope.

If people want to argue that anyone who commits a crime should lose their council housing (and housing benefit?) then we should talk about that, but doing it straight after a complete shitstorm seems like the worst time to start debating policy.

dj_alexander August 13 2011, 15:04:59 UTC

Yeah, a lot of the calls for stripping rioters/looters of their council housing/benefits are coming from those that are still angry and upset over what happened.

Although saying that I don't think there's any wrong time to start talking about an issue, as long as you don't make knee-jerk decisions whilst tempers are still flaring.

satsumagirl August 13 2011, 22:02:49 UTC

I agree which is why it is so important we have a supposedly impartial judiciary, so we get parity in sentencing. Hearing about the bloke who got 6 months for stealing a bottle of water, that doesn't seem to be happening at the moment. I don't agree with the eviction of the family in Wandsworth because the son rioted, so his whole family has to suffer. I can see the European Court of Human Rights being clogged up with a lot of post-riot issues.

robot_mel August 13 2011, 15:42:11 UTC

I agree it's fucked up that they get to live in council houses while destroying other things. In the worst case it would be ideal for those that rioted and destroyed other people's home to be evicted and their houses given to those who lost theirs.

But at the same time, they're not just kicking out the rioters, but their families as well. Which seems harsh. That and making people homeless doesn't solve any problems. Particularly not the problem of poverty.

As you said it's a mess all round!

spangle_kitten August 15 2011, 10:26:39 UTC

I really enjoyed this post! It's so much more refreshing than all the this is why it happened and MY opinion on what to be done about it is THE ONLY RIGHT ONEBecause in reality the factors surrounding it are numerous, and different factors have applied to different people ( ... )