London Riots

[Dandontdare]

Oh and a Dredd reworking for topical impact:

http://www.thepoke.co.uk/2011/08/11/judge-dredd-ultimate-riot-policeman/

Thanks to ECBT2000AD for finding that.

Heh that's good.

[JayzusB.Christ]

But there is a big difference between trying to understand what caused the riots and condoning them.

Yeah, I see what you mean. And I do realise that you weren't trying to say that the rioters shouldn't be prosecuted. 

I suppose I'm just wary of the idea of people, especially the rioters themselves, believing that the responsibility for their actions somehow lies with someone else, and that it's the authorities that have forced them to eschew moral judgements and respect for their own communities. 

For example, I read a letter in the free commuter's paper (always a bastion of well-thought out and rational opinions, I know) slating the Tory government and adding that 'the young people were right to riot'.  Very easy to say when you're sitting on the other side of the pond watching it all on the telly. Tell the man whose two sons were murdered that the rioters were right.

I realise that's not what you're saying at all, Emp, and I completely agree that reasons for the situation must be understood.  I'm just trying to say that the rioters (not to mention naive and ignorant letter-writers) need to understand that outside influences for crimes does not equal non-responsibilty.

[Emperor]

I suppose I'm just wary of the idea of people, especially the rioters themselves, believing that the responsibility for their actions somehow lies with someone else, and that it's the authorities that have forced them to eschew moral judgements and respect for their own communities.

Indeed. In the blizzard of commentary I stumbled across one that used a clever analogy (which currently escapes me but it'll probably come back at some inconvenient point later) but it boiled down to the fact that there can be any number of complex and interlinked causes that resulted in the tensions which exploded into rioting and looting, but at the end of the day each of those people had a choice and they chose to break the law, so should be punished for it.

There can, of course, be mitigating factors, like breaking the law to prevent a larger crime (weren't the protesters who wrecked some planes acquitted on those grounds?), however, the really sad thing about these riots is they never even tried to take the moral high ground. I can't think of many people who'd sympathise with someone robbing trainers and electrical goods from local shops.

[The Legendary Shark]

I can't think of many people who'd sympathise with someone robbing trainers and electrical goods from local shops.

Insurance salesmen?
Trainer manufacturers?
Electrical goods manufacturers?
Car boot sale enthusiasts?
Glaziers?
Shop fitters?
Satan?