On a warm spring day, strolling in south London, I heard demanding voices behind me. A police van disgorged a posse of six or more, who waved me aside.
English riots 2011
People who love to scream about stern discipline are having a fantastic time in post-riot Britain.
My favourite was a man on a Radio 5 phone-in, who ended his rant by yelling: βI TELL you how little discipline there is. My son gets homework and heβs allowed to do it ON HIS COMPUTER.
βWe need to GET BACK to PENCIL and PAPER!β
And you felt that if you suggested βWhat about pen and paper?β, heβd shriek βNO! NOT PEN, YOU BLOODY LIBERAL. PENCIL! They have to SHARPEN pencils, it teaches them DISCIPLINE!β
βMob ruleβ. βWanton destructionβ. βMindless thuggeryβ. βSheer criminalityβ. Media, politicians and police always say the same thing about urban riots. Riots can spin out of control and engulf ordinary people. But that does not alter the fact that they are rooted in social oppression.
Dear Mr & Mrs Cameron, Why did you never take the time to teach your child basic morality?