The riots in the UK at the beginning of this month were shocking to see on our TV screens – particularly the fact that people were killed for protecting their own property and communities. But what was also sickening was the way that the politicians, social workers and other bleeding hearts laid the blame on cutbacks in services and community schemes as the excuse for people going onto the streets and creating anarchy.
What a load of crap and codswallop!
The people living today have it so much better and cosier that previous generations. We live in an age where we’ve been taught (and taught our kids) that if we want something we can just have it right now. No need to wait or work for it. No, it’s about instant gratification. And if you can’t afford to buy it then just shoplift it, steal it from someone else or pick someone’s pockets or handbag and get the money that way. There’s no accountability, no consequences, no nothing.
And so it’s no wonder that we saw such shocking and disgusting scenes taking place throughout the country – and it has nothing, I repeat NOTHING to do with cutbacks in services or lack of money.
My mother’s generation were brought up in the 1930’s and 1940′s when there were no social services, no youth clubs, no after school clubs and no community centres – and no NHS system either. They didn’t have TV and Internet; they didn’t have mobile phones – they were lucky to have a phone at all in their houses back then. A good Christmas present for them would be an orange and a wooden toy in their stocking. In the cold of Winter they would have a hot brick to keep them warm in bed – and then they usually had 2 or 3 kids sleeping in the same bed. If Dad was out of work then there was no food to eat unless they grew it or raised it in their garden.
They were poor and in poverty by today’s standards and yet they didn’t go out on the streets and start riots. They didn’t throw bricks through windows and set fire to buildings. They didn’t sneer about ‘showing the rich shop-keepers who’s boss’ or any other such stupid talk. No they had self respect and they had respect for the law, other people and other people’s possessions.
They knew that actions have consequences and that they were responsible for their own actions. They realised that they had to work to get what they wanted, that sometimes the work was tough and disagreeable and that sometimes the work wasn’t there. They were tough times and it was hard for people – a lot harder than we have it today. In fact today we’re soft, we’re spoilt and we take a lot for granted.
I think that it’s time to stop making excuses for bad behaviour, to stop justifying the lack of morals and principles that seems to be prevalent now, to stop pointing the blame on ‘the Government’ whichever party is in power and to start taking a long hard look at what each one of us can do to make things better.
There comes a time in life where each one of us has to take responsibility for our own life and stop pointing a finger into our past whining ‘it’s not my fault, I was disadvantaged’. Bullshit comes to mind. Are you telling me that they can’t tell the difference between right and wrong? Come on, they know the difference – they just don’t care who they hurt as long as they get what they want.
It’s time to start teaching these rioters, looters, gang bangers and any other individual who thinks it’s okay to take from others that they and only they are accountable for their actions. No-one else, just themselves – and that their actions have consequences – big ones, serious ones and hopefully ones that will teach them lessons that they never forget.
I am all for forgiveness, but it has to come with atonement and genuine apology as well.
What do you think? I would love to hear your comments please.
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Shiver me timbers, them’s some great ifnoramiton.