[ila]

Originally Posted by smc

ila, this is not the first time that you have responded in this way to one of my posts. I will only say that what I wrote (what you call "socialist claptrap theory that absolves people of taking responsibility for their own actions") is not an excuse for the riots -- as I make clear. Rather, it is an explanation that one must guage without emotion. You are absolutely correct that "poverty is no excuse for what happened during the riots," but in many instances poverty -- especially URBAN poverty -- breeds alienation from society. This is a simple fact; whether it is your less urban experience is immaterial. Your very tough life growing up yielded a different outcome and a different person. The tough life growing up yields different results for different people.

I feel I can speak on this with some authority as I have experienced poverty first hand. This is not a theory for me, but was my reality at one time.

One of my purposes in my original post was to refute the opinion of experts who stated that all those growing up in poverty will eventually react in a way that we have seen in the past week in England. As can be seen in my original post I illustrated the fact that not everyone growing up poor will react with rioting, looting, arson, and killing.

Originally Posted by smc

By the way, when a country has a social contract with its citizenry that includes certain social safety net features and that contract is broken, it is not unexpected that some of the more desperate and alienated in society may respond violently. IT IS NO EXCUSE, just an explanation. You don't have to like it to recognize that it happens. And it is especially prevalent among youth who see the older generations as responsible for the breaking of the contract, or who see people with wealth and power at a level those youth cannot even imagine attaining as responsible.

Perceived breaking of a non-existent social contract is, as you state, no excuse. The breakdown is in those that expect everything to be given to them without any effort being put forth on their own part. Most of those with material possessions did not have everything given to them. They worked for them. It is sloth, envy, and greed that the rioters use to justify their actions. Hard work has been a recipe for success in the past. There is no reason why the rioters cannot also follow that path.

Originally Posted by smc

Again, no excuses ... just analysis. When we analyze society and seek to find solutions to urgent problems, our own experiences should inform our analysis but our emotions must be checked at the door.

Agreed.