Owen Jones: Hatred of those on benefits is dangerously out of control

[paulnolan]

Taking away support can only be achieved by demonising recipients as scroungers in mansions

What does it say about modern Britain when the pre-meditated massacre of six children is described as "an accident waiting to happen" on national television? In the early hours of last Friday, someone poured petrol through the letterbox of the Philpott

Comments

[ladypolitik]

Holy fucking shit -- local Canadian news showed video footage of that British presser with the parents barely able to stop crying long enough to complete their public statements; I was on the verge of tears myself, but at the time there were no insinuations that it was ARSON, wtaf.

And then for people to imply they brought it on themselves, for having government assistance? WOW. Wow.

[paulnolan]

Yeah, when the story first broke they weren't saying whether the fire was started deliberately or not (although it was my first thought when they mentioned the family had been on some demonising bullshit show Ann Widdecombe did about ~scrounger scum living in luxury~) - guessing your news got hold of it before that detail came out.

[sparkindarkness]

Widdecombe has blood on her hands for this

[phoenixblaze]

This whole thing makes me rage, but the thing that pisses me off the most is the comment that fibromyalgia is some newly invented disability.

As a sufferer of fibromyalgia, fuck you. I don't ever wish this torturous pain on anyone, not even my enemies, but I hope you sir have to endure it so you can see just how "fake" it is. Then you can know what it's like to be in so much pain you can't out of bed and have pain that just has to pass because there is no pill to take that instantly makes you feel better from a flare up. Fuck you.

[anjak_j]

+2

[spyral_path]

How can anyone say someone brought having six of their children burned alive on themselves? The outrage needs to be directed at the person who set that fire, not at the family.

[lonely_hour]

outrage at welfare...basically speaks to me that people think they are not yet selfish enough!

[tilmon]

Is there an ableism tag? Because that ought to be added, too.

I am always told that "no one hates the disabled," whenever I point out the cruelty of budget cuts and the various ways that people with disabilities are ostracized. I think it's pretty obvious that not only are the plenty of people who hate the disabled, there are plenty of people who hate the poor and who hate non-majority ethnicities and religions. It's so much easier to hate, to render the powerless as scapegoats, than to fight against the powerful whose wealth comes from disempowering everyone else. These willing helpers of the new baron class think they are part of the people who count. What a rough surprise awaits them!

[paulnolan]

Added.