“Lawlessness is lawlessness. Anarchy is anarchy is anarchy. Neither race nor color nor frustration is an excuse for either lawlessness or anarchy.”
There is never an excuse to go on a rampage, looting and pillaging, terrorising your community and destroying their homes, their businesses, the things that they have worked hard to achieve.
Yes, a man was shot by the police during arrest. Yes, people want answers, and yes, his family are grieving... but ransacking shops, stealing plasma screen TVs and torching family businesses is not going to help the so-called "Cause".
It is pure criminality. Plain and simple.
There are more intelligent ways to have your say, and if you have something worth saying you will find a way to say it that does not ruin the lives of others.
I think this Londoner says it all....
WARNING!!! THIS VIDEO CONTAINS GRAPHIC LANGUAGE!
Pictures source: The Telegraph
I totally agree with you and the man in the video. I remember the LA riots like it was yesterday and even then I didn't understand what stealing TV's had to do with the beating of Rodney King. Needless violence and theivery is what this is. I feel so bad for all the hardworking people in London who have lost business and have suffered at the hands of these bandits.
ReplyDeleteGandhi , I wonder if they've heard of him.
It makes my heart ache. I hope things settle down there soon.
ReplyDeleteIt is very disheartening and I hope that you and your family are safe. Amen to the man in the video.
ReplyDeleteIt's just horrific, isn't it? I can't believe this is happening!
ReplyDeleteTragic indeed. Nice photos but be careful out there.
ReplyDeleteIt's all a tragedy! It doesn't matter what country it's in. I'm not really a huge law and order person, but if somebody is gonna get shot, it should be a looter or an arsonist. I'd have no problem with that. I totally agree with what the person in the video was saying. All this destruction is done for nothing! People just looking for an excuse. Then the news starts broadcasting it and it draws more and more people into it.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you are having to deal with this.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree Nat, this is just so hard to understand. That is an incredible shot, but take care not to get too close Nat.
ReplyDeleteLets hope they listen to her
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post! I love that city and it is such a shame.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for your comments and concerns...I am keeping well away from the troubles and relying on the news sites for my pics :-)
ReplyDeleteMeant to ask. How are you doing there??? Do you feel safe?
ReplyDeleteWe've been reading about the riots in London and we can't really understand how it started. I mean in Libya, Syria and Egypt you could understand. They wanted a new government, but this ...?
Thanks for the concern, Sid. I am lucky to live in a quite rural place, close to London but still (hopefully) far enough away to not be affected. It seems to have died down now... perhaps the looters have got the message that the vast majority of people do not support their actions, that punishment is imminent and that communities are fighting back!
ReplyDeleteSome people are saying that these riots are a reaction to the police shooting a man in Tottenham last week – despite the fact that his family held a peaceful protest march and have condemned the riots. Others say it because some sectors of society have become marginalised and they are angry at government spending cuts (a response to the economic mess we are in).
It’s my opinion that these riots had nothing to do with cultural or racial tensions, or social or economic marginalisation of any sector of society but rather criminality, plain and simple. The looters are from all racial and socio-economic backgrounds, aged from 9 to 50 and some hold university degrees, many are employed or full-time students. To me, the riots are the consequence of a growing disrespect amongst some of the UK’s population for authority, community values and the lack of basic human decency.
Too much emphasis on the individual’s so-called freedom and “Human Rights” has bred a minority group of uncouth, feckless people that have no respect for authority or for their communities, who have no sense of proportion and have never known discipline or right from wrong, thinking it’s “well cool” to attack the police, vandalise property and take what is not theirs. They expect instant gratification and consider themselves hard done by if they don’t have the latest Nike trainers and a massive plasma TV.
Perhaps a year or two of living somewhere the people know extreme hardship (like Somalia) might open the looters eyes to the world and to how the majority of the earth’s population live in abject poverty and struggle to survive on a day to day basis! Maybe then they will realise how very privileged they are to live in the UK, to have food in their bellies, a warm home and access to free healthcare, cultural activities and education and job opportunities for those that can be bothered to make the most of them...