a riot - why?

Unfortunately, pumpkin, it just goes to show that there's daft buggers in every race and ethnic grouping. All it takes is some evil shit to push the right buttons to set them off.

i don't blame any particular group

it seems to me that groups of people or youths .... have been smouldering away in little corners for a while now - and they initially used violence amongst themselves - the shootings - revenge sort of stuff - and the police was the common enemy as well

but then the rivalry gets more complicated and race becomes a factor rather than a gang name - and so these criminals use any excuse to wreak revenge, hatred, suffering to anyone and everyone

very simplistic way of looking at this - but in the end i feel these unemployed, uneducated men and some women should be carted off into the military - not guantanamo - but yes some sort of mountain or desert where they must learn to live again through struggle

y'know that is what jihad is! the emotional physical struggle to deal with life - be a decent person

boredom and poverty is no excuse nor is racism - but

ignoring these people is no answer

empowering them to make their lives better is

how do we do it as a society?

but then again living in london or any other city can be a major struggle if u were born penniless

i guess i mean the desert will create camaraderie, give fresh air and perspective on life

oh dear im finding this amusing now - im going to make my children something to eat - plus have to go to the supermarket - which one is better - tesco asda or morrissons - sainsbury is too small (the one nearest to me) ........

in east london it is difficult to find fresh produce i have noted from some article somewhere on bbc - i'm not sure but if the north and west and south londoners eat better - i'm not happy - we deserve good food too! im going - this is not so good writing

peace

hey where did thsi take place. i read tod in de papers another incident in USA wherein a gang of 19 asian men were accused of raping a jamaican girl.

but it seems that the charge is false & hs been planted since the businessmen in question are very succesful & a threat to the local busines community.

and soon there ws a mob & violence & stuff.

I've enjoyed your passionate writing Pumpkin.

I presume you are referring to the incident last Saturday when a gang of about 100 youths, most of them black went on the rampage in Birmingham. One man was killed, 20 put in hospital, including three with stab wounds, and a dozen homes and businesses were ransacked.

I like your idea of a mountain or desert 'retreat' for these young hoodlums to learn to live in harmony again. Some religious indoctrination wouldn't hurt either.

Dawn

oh my god lolololololololololol

thks dawn

but i am sort of serious! i just cant understand why poverty can be used as an excuse to carry knives or rampaging - battering - what is happening?

This is not a good news but communal violence is increasing. I can see it growing more than the efforts of those who are really concerned about peace.
We need a miracle to end this otherwise those power hungary people will continue using religious sentiments to decimate human race.

It's all so disheartening.

I watch the news coverage of disasters in different parts of the world and the looting and rampaging occur everywhere.

No country or society seems immune. Is this truly the basis of human nature? Can we truly be reduced to animals in an instant?

If so...there is no hope for our survival.

there is no hope - i feel that way sometimes

i truly do feel that - it is the worst feeling - it makes you sigh painfully and yet you dont fully sigh - it hurts too much .... i detest that feeling and when it comes around i try to escape it - its like a shroud - overbearing - y'know chuck i read somewhere on your site that you wanted to go into exile - i feel that way at times - i felt it during the iraq war - it was awful knowing that we the average lot on the streets could not change the course of history - no matter how many of us marched-

when i feel really fed up - i try to think of all the good folk who smile as you pass in the sreet - i used to moan with my new zealand friend that londoners are not friendly to strangers - but since 9/11 i have been proven wrong again and again -

i just think of the good people who are working hard at the grass roots level - to help ease tensions, poverty, pain

they give me hope - and i must say my little girl wakes me up out of the mood when she smiles her cheeky grin - its wonderful

in my area in london i think its true to say that people have forgotten that humans have to work hard to achieve - anything - in life - i just feel there seems to be a desire or belief that manna should fall from the sky kind of attitude towards life - i might be wrong - but a huge strand amongst us doesnt respect life as it should........i'm stopping now as im rambling on and not checking if this makes sense anymore! i ve been wearing contacts for the first time and my eyes are killing me as i left them in for a bit too long - see ya - peace


thanks adeel for your comment - i'd be interested in more info though - especially about communal tensions

and nehaa have a good rest - exams are awful!

Those of us who marched during the Vietnam War did force the government to change and therefore change history in our small way.
I guess my point is that, and this is a generalization...the young people of today are totally apathetic for the most part and do not see the need to protest against those in power when they abuse other countries and attempt to reduce our rights at home.

That is the hardest part to acknowledge. Even harder than to realize how much damage is being done by the neocons and their attempt to rule the world through intimidation and war.

But there always has to be hope, for in the absence of hope, I think you can only live with despair. I know from my personal experience, that at least in my case, I could not live that way forever. It was either stop living or grasp on to the hope and move on.

While my heart is now broken from my case of unrequited love, as you can tell, I am still here ))

Peace...

I have no idea how I managed to put that icon in my comment....

thks for your comment chuck - peace to you also