My amazing city lies in ruins..

[joe_dirt976]

It started as rioting. But right from the beginning you knew this was different. Because it was happening in small villages, market towns. And then it wasn't on the TV any more. It was in the street outside. It was coming in through your windows. It was a virus. An infection. You didn't need a doctor to tell you that. It was the blood. It was something in the blood. By the time they tried to evacuate the cities it was already too late. Army blockades were overrun. And that's when the exodus started. Before the TV and radio stopped broadcasting there were reports of infection in Paris and New York. We didn't hear anything more after that.

Just sayin, that is where it took place.

[Armageddon]

I don't know much about UK law but isn't it illegal for people to own guns in the UK? You'd think that some of those small businesses could have defended themselves... I mean a lot of shops here you can spot a shotgun in the corner or something, even at ever gas station the employees carry handguns. I'm not saying kill them, most people run at the sight of looking down a barrel.

[Ark11]

I praise Taruq Johad. He's possibly the only person who is publically denouncing the riots.

[Saxon]

I don't know much about UK law but isn't it illegal for people to own guns in the UK? You'd think that some of those small businesses could have defended themselves... I mean a lot of shops here you can spot a shotgun in the corner or something, even at ever gas station the employees carry handguns. I'm not saying kill them, most people run at the sight of looking down a barrel.

Bolt Action or Straightpull Rifles and Shotguns are legal in the UK. You just need to have a good reason for owning one (eg hunting or shooting vermin); air rifles however are largely unregulated.

Weedy though airsoft is, it actually would make a lot of sense to be used by both Police and Homeowners to keep yobbos at bay.

I praise Taruq Johad. He's possibly the only person who is publically denouncing the riots.

Was that the guy who held his dying son in his arms? That was really tragic. It's sad that it takes the death of a child to make people stop and think about what they're doing.

[ad_hominem]

I praise Taruq Johad. He's possibly the only person who is publically denouncing the riots.

What? Hardly. Everyone is denouncing the riots.

[wood250]

Yeah lets beat these youth to pulp, and arm everyone with shotguns that'll solve the problem.
Lets get some facts straight first:

England has the Highest levels of drug abuse in Europe.
We have one of the highest levels of child poverty in Europe.
One of the highest levels of debt in Europe.
One of the highest levels of knife crime in Europe.
One of the highest levels of youth unemployment in Europe.
One of the highest levels of taxes on fuel in Europe.
The gap between the rich and the poor has never been so high in England.
We have a transport network which is 30 years out of date, motorways and train services which struggle to cope.
We have a national health service which is again out of date and inadequate to cope.
And to rub salt into the wound the Government is slashing the education budget.

Its about bloody time these MP's got a taste of what life is really like for the lower class in England.
People need to realize that England isn't all fairy tales, Royal weddings, and the Olympic dream.

Lets bring our troops back from Iraq and Afghanistan and stop the massive expense its puts on our economy to run these operations.

Lets stop donating money to every Tom, Dick and Harry as well whilst we at it, and plough it back into our society.

And whilst we are on about criminality and crimes on people, lets not forget that we helped bomb the shit out of innocent people and businesses in Iraq because they had weapons of Mass destruction. They were so Mass we still haven't found them yet.

Now tell me there isnt an underlying problem with the youth in England.

[ad_hominem]

Now tell me there isnt an underlying problem with the youth in England.

Nobody's saying that, I don't think. If there wasn't a problem, there wouldn't be riots. Condoning these riots, though, is frankly insane.

[MayheM]

Wood250... Though I do not live in the UK, I have been keeping up with the troubles in Europe since a lot of that effects us in the US as well. A lot of the problems and major cuts going on are because governments have overextended themselves. Over-promised and under delivered. I saw some interviews with people who are taking part in the riots and they have been saying things like, "I am taking my taxes back" and "We want guaranteed housing", etc... This is honestly why I fear the ever growing government in the US. As they take on more and more power and "give" more and more to the people the worse things will be when they can no longer afford to give these things. I really feel these riots are going to come to the US when the cuts that need to be made to save our country are made.

But like ad_hominem said, condoning or justifying these riots is insane. The people taking part in them likely will and frankly deserve a good old fashion beating...

[Dionysos]

It's not like you promise everyone a featherbed and ice cream everyday, then to take it away. It's basic social services that make a country work and create prosperity. No wonder those things "might come to the US" when you cut funding to a public education system which is already of questionable quality, for instance.

[wood250]

I am not condoning or justifying these riots, I am simply putting forward my views as to why this took place.
In-fact I was one of the volunteers sweeping up the streets after the event.

What I am trying to point out is the fact these youths have nothing in the first place, quotes like "I am taking my taxes back" and "We want guaranteed housing" shows the lack of education and prospects they have.

I keep hearing people say why haven't these 16-18 year old got jobs, well the simple truth of the matter is there is no jobs. For every job advertised at the moment there is something like 70 applicants on average in the UK.

The influx of EU citizens into the UK means that companies and businesses can get away with paying the lowest possible wage no matter what people say, and this has countless other effects on our society.

The lower classes in England are also ignored and are seen as "chavs" in our society, and the image put over by the media doesn't reflect true England IMO.
There are areas 1 mile from the center of London where you simply don't go no matter what time of day it is.
Muggings, knife crime, poverty are rampant in these areas, but folk don't get to see this in the media, they would rather show you things that wont upset you or turn away tourists.

As I have said before these youths are nothing more than a product of our society that we have created, its been a pressure cooker which has been waiting to explode now for a long time.

[MayheM]

Dionysos, Bush Spent more money on education than any other president in history, yet it did nothing to help education. It is not a matter of money. There are kids who go to crappy school and are still successful later in life because they worked hard and made it happen. Throwing money at a problem is not the answer.

Giving people things no matter how basic those things are, do not lead to prosperity. Hard work leads to prosperity. It is the mind set that government can stimulate growth by spending money that has lead to the problems the world faces today. The government needs to create an environment that will allow businesses to be successful. Right now their answer is to spend more or regulate more. It is not working...

The simple fact is if the government spends its way into debt and gives everything to it's people the first thing to happen is the government will run our of money. The second thing to happen is people complain because they are either unable or unwilling to do things for themselves. That is what is so great about personal responsibility. Those problems do not exist when you learn to take care of yourself. A government job is to protect it's people not to provide everything for them. There is no doubt that these riots stem from people feeling entitled to certain things. Attacking the rich because the have-nots are jealous of the haves. I have issues with that mindset. One things I would like to know is how many of the people taking part in the riots are conservative. I could be way off on this and please correct me if i am, but I have a strong feeling these are all very liberal people out there.

[bitPanther]

destroyed city study, get out there and take pics!

[Ashfall_2008]

With regard to gun control in the UK.

Its true that citizens, with the exception of farmers and other land owners, are not allowed to keep firearms at home. After the Dunblane massacre (please wikipedia it...), we decided as a nation that gun ownership at home was a bad thing. The deaths of so many primary school children will do that to you...

Consider this, in my opinion, what happened in the UK was comparable to the LA riots. What started as a riot became widespread lawlessness and looting.

Number of people killed in LA riots...53

Number of people killed UK riots...4

Think I'll keep my gun free nation thanks!

Oh and the fact that many of the population were armed didn't stop the LA riots from happening...

[Saxon]

destroyed city study, get out there and take pics!

For an added challenge try making it home with your camera

these youths have nothing in the first place

I don't know, shockingly some of them are from good backgrounds - for instance a girl from a Grammar School whose parents own an estate, or a Chef from a fancy restaurant who smashed up a fast food place. Morality is a strangely fluid thing, it's surprising how quickly it can change.
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/brend ... tile-rage/

The influx of EU citizens into the UK means that companies and businesses can get away with paying the lowest possible wage no matter what people say, and this has countless other effects on our society.

Sadly this is a product of companies trying to squeeze down costs to an absolute minimum. Considering how people on benefits are basically subsidized anyway from a macro economic perspective it's probably costlier to hire foreign labourers for less.

[Ashfall_2008]

Dey took oir jobs!!!!!!

Dek tuk oor jbbs!