This Dads Blog

We all know what happened. We all know where it happened. These are just my thoughts on the UK riots.

The Government
Why oh why are people complaining about the government not doing enough? Yes it is crap that they made all the cuts that led to some of the problems but, at the end of the day there's nothing the government could have done in the last few days to stop the troubles.
Why were people booing Boris Johnson and Nick Clegg? It's not their fault.
Let them do what they do best, go discuss the problems, blame each other then make some crazy law.

As much as I hate the government I do not blame them.

The Police
I think the police have done an outstanding job throughout. They have had a difficult task these last few days. Back in the winter they came under fire for being too heavy handed with the student protests and the violence that erupted there (more on that in a bit), which I believe they were - there was no need to have a full on cavalry charge for example.
If they had gone in hard in the riots then they would've got themselves in trouble as they were overstretched and outnumbered, and they knew it.

The Army
Yes, I know they were not brought in and were not needed, but it is my opinion that all new army recruits should do a month or two with the police, in police uniform working on 'the beat', to get training in how to deal with the public. This would also swell the numbers of police on the street and not affect the police budgets. Then, if something like these riots happen again there are the numbers there to deal with it straight away.

The Rioters
Scum. No other way of looking at it. I've heard people go on about how the government cuts have taken away their communities but it was those communities they were smashing up.
I could go on for a long long time about how disgusted I am about all the things that have happened but there is no need.
As I said, more on the student protests in the winter. It is my very strong belief that those that incited the violence at the student protests were behind and involved in the recent riots in London and across England.


The News
I am getting tired of the selective reporting that goes on in the news. There were things that got shown only once and were not repeated (such as the woman running out of her flat above a burning shop then 3 yobs running in the door behind her to rob the place. I watched this live, no one commented on it and the only replay was the yobs trying to force open a window) and there were other things that got repeated for 3 days whilst there were other, more important, things that needed reporting.
I can understand why some things don't get reported, it could lead to more problems. But please news people, be honest with your reporting.


The Bystanders
What on earth did these people think they were doing? Standing around watching a riot and looting? Do they think that is normal behaviour? These people should of gone home, they were in the way and stopped the police from doing anything useful.

http://riotcleanup.co.uk/
These guys, both the organisers and the people that turned up and helped out, are heros. They are the real community and need to be thanked by everyone. There is a list of causes on their website, please please go and have a look and if you can donate to one of these causes if you can.

What worries me more than anything is that my wife and I will be bringing up the munchkin in this country. We have to consider carefully how, and where, she will get her education and where we will end up living and bringing her up.

Lots of things to consider.