The use of rubber bullets has now been authorized.

Irish solution?

Anti I reckon that's right wing tosh. It's good because it evens up the left wing tosh of Pelican and Poirot:-)

I think the violence in English society compared to elsewhere in Europe is a lot to do with drinking culture, and the silly idea of council estate tower blocks (You might have seen them on The Bill:-), which created vast ghettos of underpriveledged and encourage a culture of gangstars and intimidation and machismo in the yoof.

I reckon split the poor people up and spread em around so they envy the richer people and work harder rather than spend their time ducking and diving in a culture supportive of dependency and deliquency.

ASBO heaven for the chavs.

ASBOs being a way to criminalise behaviour that is lawful, and give police an option to act on suspicion and prejudice. I can understand an atagonism toward the authorities just for these thinly disguised laws against being a pikey.

But if you see the state of some of these council estates, man, it's a sight. Some are in prime real estate locations, and the tenant gets the right to eventially buy the pokey unit, and I went to view some nicely renovated ones to rent. While the unit was ok, the environment is a pissed/puked in stairwell with needles, loud domestic disputes, and gangs roaming the quad in the centre of the tower block. I said No thanks BTW.

There are other non-tower council houses. One I rented the tenant was sub-letting his council house to us while he lived somewhere cheaper to make a profit, and we had to pretend he lived there and collect his mail.

Chavs *worship* trainers BTW. I think it's unfair on those looters it must have been so tempting and I'm sure many more resisted the temptation.

pelican,

Pericles was right in that people will blame whatever suits their agenda with little real insight into the society they critique. He's got me pinned, and I reckon he's got the rest of you pinned too.

Neatly summarized, Houellebecq, thank you.

>>As to the riots... all with a barrow to push (pelicans anti capitalism included) will identify a cause that fits in neatly with their agenda. Ask formersnag and it's feminazis, ask others and it's muslims, ask other and it's secularism.<<

In other words:

>>An open invitation from Is Mise to parade your preconceptions and prejudices<<

Who said that? Oh, yes...

Possibly Houlley, but I stand by my belief that disparity is a strong contributor to unrest. I reacted to Pericles comment on my mention of the 'Cronulla riot' because I assumed (wrongly maybe) that it was a judgement on racism from the 'high moral ground' when it was merely an addition to the list of the growing incidence of riots around the world regardless of the impetus.

You summise I am anti-capitalism, I am not as I think it is probably the only system that works. However not without some constraints and an awareness of it's weaknesses as well as it's strengths with mechanisms in place to soften those harder edges.

With the swing to the Right and far Right in the modern political landscape, I find it necessary to balance the equation. Think of it as a social service. :P and :).

You got one thing wrong there Houelle, with your spread them around idea.

Yes it may make them envy the rich people more, but make them work harder, yer right.

The thing it might do is increase their efficiency in crime.

They'd be closer to their night's target, so with less traveling, may be able to rob a couple of houses in one night. It will certainly make casing the targets easier for them, as they'd have a reason to be in the area.

Then the cars they like to joy ride in, or steal, will be nice & handy. Isn't a car theft supposed to be the reason for this lot?

Houellie,

I agree with your latest - tower-block council estates were an exceedingly bad idea.