England riots: Government mulls social media controls

But I heard that there wasn't much room left in the UK prisons?

How about sending them to Afghanistan ? I think it is just like sending someone to jail.

On a more serious note, I would never support letting these people go without any punishment. But you are right, media usually have very short attention span, and once they find something new/more 'tabloidish' they simply forget about older stories.

Do you think that Mark Duggan was killed because he was black?

I was reading this article earlier on, I think the author did raised some valid points.

Sadly, it's in all of us. Look at some of the violent thoughts of retribution littered throughout this very thread. Sure, there is a difference between thinking something and acting on it, but violence starts with a simple thought that someone takes too far. We can't sit in judgment of those folks.


This is the problem with human society as a whole. We will never have enough, and, we will never stop. It's humiliating to be a part of a society that claims to be civilized, yet can act so ugly towards each other.

Personally, I find the "black" thing absolute rubbish. It always comes up when a black or asian person comes in contact with the police in some way where people feel there was "special circumstances". According to the IPCC (independent police complaints commission), he had a loaded gun...which obviously isn't good if you're standing in front of armed police.

There are plenty of white examples in the past: Leeky might remember a guy a good few years back in his 50s walking home with a chair leg in a carrier bag under his arm...They shot him, and no one played a racial card there (no riots followed either)

The London police initially reported that Duggan had fired on them, but subsequent reports by the Independent Police Complaints Commission have revealed that a bullet lodged in a police radio was in fact issued by the Metropolitan Police Service. (3rd Para)

Anyway, what I am trying to understand is various dimensions of this crisis, including social side of the issue.

....and he had a loaded gun on him, so it's not like this guy was innocent.

He was obviously a danger. Nobody can blame the police for what they do.

I certainly don't.

I wouldn't either, and leave the right people to investigate the issue and come up with findings.

That's so 3rd century AD Rome....:rolleyes:

(Just for reference, that was even before the Pentium 2).

P2? You made me feel so old captain.

+1

This is one place where i find America to be doing the right thing, and i wish we could take a little notice of it. It seems that the only time we feel patriotic in this country is when the world cup is on the TV. Trying to make Britain a "Country for everyone" doesn't bode well in underlying moral terms. In the UK, people should be encouraged (and sometimes forced) into adapting the culture of the UK, not the opposite, like what's happening now.

There's always that feel good factor when the world cup is on, like we're all in sync.....then England get knocked out in the quarter-final and we all go back to "normal" :rolleyes:

Just a side note from me: This is why i'm opposed to the EU; the "open boarders" strategy has been a disaster for the UK. Yeah, Poles might do good cheap labour...but they're alright because they're all crammed 15 to a flat with cheap rent, while the real Brits can't take these jobs because they have proper houses to maintain.

And now of course, all a pole or serbian couple who don't feel like working have to do is: Have some sex, walk into the UK, have the baby, then bingo! Free house with benefits right here (or in other words: The Jackpot.)...This will have happened so many times. It's sickening.

I think 'un-controlled/un-checked' immigration is one foolish policy to have. It not only creates problems in the local communities, but also, the cultural differences are usually hard to overcome IMO. Then there are issues of employment, and whether these newcomers do pay their due share of taxes etc. or what contribution they really make to the well being of the society.

Kind of a slippery slope argument, don't you think? Anyway, that is why I typed this earlier:

I think speaking about the way we feel is part of the therapy. We all think about bad things, and discussing it in the open in honesty is a step in the right direction as long as we are sure to remember our civic roots. I mean, obviously I am not going to really suggest hanging him by his balls and striking him with moist bamboo. Nay would I apply the vice grips to him in a court of the Tang Dynasty. Seriously, come on. We have a right to be upset over his ACTIONS, by expressing our frustration in WORDS.

Have you seen the immigration laws employed by the U.S. and the U.K.? They are tough. I wonder how so many foreigners actually get into these countries to begin with. I know one may visit for six months but not gain employment legally, but then they have to leave for six months or so before returning for another VISIT without employment. Are they all illegally working? What gives?

The UK laws on immigration might very well be tough outside the EU, but the only reason for that is because inside the EU the UK can't do anything. Any EU country like: The UK, France, Germany, Spain, Finland, Denmark, Poland, Bulgaria or Greece, don't have any right (under an EU treaty signed long ago) to refuse entry to any person from another EU country (that signed that treaty...which is almost all of them). Naturally, when the poorer countries came into this bracket (like Poland and Bulgaria), It gave their people the immediate right to seek work in any other EU country, and because the UK is one of the most generous (NHS, workers rights ect...) and highly paid countries in the EU, the UK got swamped basically.

The whole thing's been a farce for our pride and national identity. I'm surprised there haven't been any big riots in the past about it; mind, we're all scared of being branded "racists".

Trust me, me whole lot of people in the world ready to capitalize on that fear, and make it work on their behalf. It just seems to justify any sort of behaviour. "I pulled a gun on the cop, and he shot me, so that makes the cop a racist, because everybody knows my ethnic group has to carry guns to protect us from one another. And you won't give us guns because you're prejudiced. It's not the 5 felony convictions that are holding me back from owning a gun, you're a racist.

Over here advocacy groups can even read minds about it. "He said such and such, so that means he was thinking such and such, and that makes him a racist"! I've heard all this crap with my own ears.

My personal bugbear is when Muslims in the UK complain of prejudiced Police behaviour after terrorist attacks committed by Muslims have occurred. Personally if Scottish people were committing terrorism in the UK I'd expect to be treated with suspicion and distrust by the law. Sure it wouldn't be something I would be part off and would be an unpleasant experience but I'd rather be stopped and searched/questioned by Police than have terrorism run free, unabated.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/prejudice

knowledge - The people committing the acts are of that skin colour/religion/ethnic group etc.
reason - helping prevent acts of terrorism being carried out.

Don't think it's unreasonable. If I was constantly attacked by Seagulls I'd have reasonably negative attitudes regarding them.

Sorry for the slightly off topic mini rant.
As for the riots. Criminal elements taking opportunity to commit crime. I think a very small part of what went on was in protest to the original catalyst.