England Struggles To Understand Causes Of Riots|SPOTLIGHT

BY GEORGE E. CURRY
England’s attempt to fully understand rioting touched off by a policeman’s fatal shooting of Mark Duggan, a 29-year-old Black man, in many ways mirrors the debate that followed the urban unrest that the United States underwent in the wake of Dr. Martin Luther King’s assassination in 1968.

The BBC and other news organizations have cited the competing arguments on the underlying causes of the outbursts.

Here are some of the most commonly cited causes:

RACISM

Christina Patterson, writing in the Independent newspaper, said: “Race didn’t cause these riots, but it played a part… Too many black men have been killed by police. Too many black men and women have been treated like criminals when they’re not. This is not the cause of these riots, but it’s there in the mix, a mix where the key ingredient is feeling powerless. Cuts won’t help. Growing unemployment won’t help. Some investment in youth services, and better schools, and mentoring schemes might, but money alone isn’t the answer.”

GANGSTA RAP AND CULTURE

On Aug. 8, the Daily Mirror carried the headline, “London riots: Is rap music to blame for encouraging this culture of violence?” To Paul Routledge, the author of the story, the answer is definitely yes.  He wrote, “The mayhem erupted overnight, but it has been building for years. And putting more police on the streets – while vital to end the threat to life and property – will not solve the crisis.

“I blame the pernicious culture of hatred around rap music which glorifies violence and loathing of authority (especially the police but including parents), exalts trashy materialism and raves about drugs. The important things in life are the latest smart phones, fashionable trainers and jeans and idiot computer games. No wonder stores selling them were priority looting targets. Stir into this lethal mixture the fostering of irrational anger against the world and disrespect for others and the end result is self-absorbed young people living at boiling point.”

ABSENT FATHERS

Christina Odone of the Daily Telegraph wrote: “Here are three numbers to bear in mind when talking about the riots: 8 billion (pounds spent by social services each year on children and young people); 3.5 million (children from a broken home); and one fifth (school leavers who are illiterate.”  The writer suggests looking at some other numbers as well. She said, “A large number of youngsters are brought up without dads. The majority of rioters are gang members whose only loyalty is to the gang and whose only authority figure is the toughest of the bunch. Like the overwhelming majority of offenders behind bars, these gang members have one thing

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