The London Riots

I was scared last night watching the television. OK maybe I'm getting older, but those were scenes from a war zone not from the capital city. all I could help thinking was, 'I live above a shop, that could be me' and since I live alone - it was difficult.

But what really annoys me is that the authorities seem to be ignoring the underlying factors behind the criminality. Don't get me wrong -I do NOT in any way agree with violence or the looting or anything else. But there must be conditions leading up to the riots. In the 80's it was poverty, unemployment, general dissillusionment with the government.......I'm not sure it's all so different now. When we eradicate the social problems from society,we may find these things don't happen. During the boom times, there weren't riots were there? Or am I wrong? (Open questions that - please educate me!)

As for the woman on the television telling people to rat out their neighbours and families - that's not going to work. In fact I can think of nothing worse to be suggesting - it goes to show that people in authority don't understand what life is like and what the consequences might be if the person informing were found out. Maybe there's a secret way, a confidential line, a non-tracked website......maybe. But doesn't that lead us further down the road of Orwell's 1984 or similar writings?

The time has come to take me and mine out of this country and go where I at least know the societal norms and can manage in times like this. Because - to a certain extent - I can sympathise with those feeling disaffected and angry. I can sympathise with those who want to do something but aren't sure what. I can sympathise with those who took part in a peaceful protest and who have seen that protest stolen from them and been forced down other avenues.

I want out. Is this the beginning of the end? Will London degenerate into chaos? Where's the Queen in all this? Surely she should be sending her people out to help? and by people I mean family - there's enough of them. And by help, I don't mean trying to quell the riots, I mean by listening to what people are saying. I can't be the only one in the country saying, yes this is deplorable, and completely out of order, but........what are the underlying factors leading to this?

No excuse? No, definitely not, but lack of education, lack of employment, lack of help dragging yourself out of the mire, expecially when you've grown up thinking you're 'entitled' to a living without any effort on your part........it all leads to a mess!