British Riots

The British Riots have been ongoing for three days and counting. (Or so internet sources say so) It's spread out pretty far in London, so a lot of places are being hit hard by it.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/8690693/London-riots-20000-calls-to-police-on-worst-night.html

Can't say I really knew too much about this, but I did some digging not too long ago. I vaguely heard about it, but really paid it no mind. Seems a lot more serious then I had thought when paying little attention.

They're not even just attacking the authority, they're attacking whoever from what I just read. So even though it's supposed to be like a defiance against authority, everyone is being thrown into the chaos. Buildings are being burned, theft, assault, and probably death to. I haven't read anything about death rates yet, but I got to get going to work soon.

Totally reminds me of the New York Draft Riots, the rioting/damage was on a similar scale, although it lasted longer.

It happened twice during the Civil War, the first time a lot of destruction happened and not enough force was used. The second time it happened, they brought in the infantry. They stopped it in a day. How? They didn't talk BS, they just fired on those who were trying to destroy or kill.

Some rioters threw missiles at ambulances or threatened medics as they tried to care for the injured.

They need to do the same thing. The citizens need the protection. If that means these rioters need to be killed, so be it. They left the security of their homeland once they decided to act upon these impulses.

I don't mean just go in guns ablazing through the whole place, and butcher the whole lot, but sometimes it needs to be done to a lesser extent. I mean if medics are trying to help people and are being killed or hurt, something more has to be done.

I was just going to post this in the News thread, but I figured we needed to start making new threads instead of constantly posting in the same ones (where sometimes it's not even about the right topic)

I heard about it via Tumblr. I think it's terrible what's going on. They attacked Big Ben for goodness sakes!

And yes, I've heard innocent people are getting hurt. But, from what I gather, it started out as a peaceful riot in one city and then grew like wildfire so probably most people are rioting for the sake of rioting. Mob psychology and all that. In which case, they're just idiots who are causing severe damage.

But I don't think they should be killed because then that's just going to feed their fire and make things worse.

But I don't think they should be killed because then that's just going to feed their fire and make things worse.

I didn't say they should be killed, only that more force is needed. From what I gathered, they weren't using excessive force (IE rubber ball bullets and the such) The non-lethal good stuff, which they are doing as of now. They issued the police to use them this night if riots are to continue. You can bet these sissy little shits will be crying tonight when it's all over and done.

I didn't know they weren't using those tactics, which is dumb when things got this out of hand.

Peoples homes, businesses, vehicles, other stuff, are being totally destroyed just because someone is being an asswipe. Not to mention people are being harmed for no reason.

Mob psychology and all that.

Whatever you want to call it, it needs a good foot up its ass.

^ oh i didnt know that. i know very little with what's happening because the news refuses to put ANYTHING about the riots on. really, it's disgusting i think.

and yeah, they should use more force if it isn't working. this is becoming a Clockwork Orange and, ironically, i just finished that book today.

More news was covered, what was it in 2006? When France had their riots? I remember watching a dozen of rioters being thrown through the street as they were blasted by those riot water hoses.

I barely watched the news as a teenager. so I don't remember the French riots. i only started watching the news senior year of high school and into college.

Well I didn't either and I still really don't. I only caught a glimpse of it on some TV at Gettysburg. Saw a bunch of French being hosed down by those big water-tank riot cars. Also they have shown it on the news a few times, you must have just not been tuning into the right channel.

i was just watching the local channels. though, i do live by the city so the news was clustered with that garbage. that, and 'omg it's raining so hard outside'. really, it was stupid. every time they gave the 'and look at how hard it's raining' my sister was saying 'meanwhile in London.' XD

There are other things going on besides the London Riots in the world. Most local news channels focus on their community, not something that is happening way oversea. If you want that information you'll need one of the broader channels.

not necessarily true. when Japan's tsunami happened, that's all the news was talking about here.

and again, yeah if there's important things happening in the area then of course you should address them. but when all you have to talk about is the rain and how bad it is, i would think they would focus on England. Especially since the US and England have been on pretty good terms with one another for a long time.

Maybe we're not getting the full story. It was pretty hush hush everywhere. Maybe the government at London urged them not to. It almost seems like even London was trying to hide these riots, so who knows.

^ that's entirely possible.

either that or the United States doesn't want any of us getting the same idea especially with all the controversy going on about the new deficit (i believe it's called) they passed.

it was passed last week i believe and then you hear that people are rioting in England. Well if people are rioting in england, why can't i? the government is willing to suck the middle class dry and take away subsidized loans from graduates, so why not? that's probably the kind of mentality they're afraid of.

That's true. It's probably a little of both, especailly because some smaller riots have happened over here after word of the London Riots got out. I think it's one in Chicago and Philadelphia so far.

I'm honestly surprised Baltimore hasn't had it before those two, especailly because it's one of the slummier places.

Let's just hope that our police and military crack down harder then London did. I don't care use batons, rubber bullets, tear gas. People who start to riot, loot, and hurt others have already left the safety and protection of our land (because they are now a domestic threat) and must be put down.

i didnt know smaller riots had occurred.

and yes, they would need to stop it right away.

It's a shame that politics has to find its way everywhere. If only the military could actually do what it's supposed to do and protect.

That's half the problem over in London, that and they're too lenient when it comes to crimes. That's what someone overseas in the UK told me anyway. They said that a crime that would be punishable by death over here would be a slap on the wrist over there.

I agree. and, usually the problem with politics is the fact that parties are too busy fighting with one another that they can't get anything done. so whenever something bad happens, instead of trying to find ways to make the situation better and move on, they just point fingers at each other like a bunch of babies.

I've never been to London and I don't know anyone where I could actually ask them what it's like over there. So I can't say if I find that true or not. But I don't believe in the death penalty anyway.

Death penalty or life in prison, same thing. You can't just have a killer frolicking through the city.

And sticking them in a cell really doesn't fix anything. What happens then? They get free meals and shelter. Who has to pay for all of that? Us tax payers who are still busting our buns to pay for our own meals and shelter. It's stupid. So of course a criminal is going to see it as a free ticket.

I just don't think two wrongs make a right. And, to kill someone because they killed someone is just stooping to their level. It's not like killing that person will bring back the life already lost. Besides, there are worst things than death. Death is the easy way out.

Though, I do agree, these people in prison should not be getting any sort of perks if they have committed a serious crime. I can understand some levels of crime getting access to a library or the gym but why do they get access to a Wii, PS3, and Xbox?! I don't even have a PS3 or an Xbox and if I do get one, it's going to be used. The frig is wrong with this picture America?

America? At least we are way more strict then London. Take a look at what is happening to innocent people. The police need to step it up and take action. Give a few bloody noses and broken bones if needed. These people have already killed several innocents.

The death penalty is not used to get even or to make the criminal suffer the wrongs they have done. The mentality is used so that other would be criminals would think twice. That is why the death penalty is basically used.

But the thing is that the injection is just quick and painless so what do they care? They'll go easily. What we need to do is bring back public hangings :P

You're making it seem like we've never rioted before. We've done it plenty of times in the past to the point where we couldn't be stopped by police either. Either that, or we were stopped by police and the police ended up killing rioters which started even more controversy. And, I was agreeing with you in the fact that keeping prisoners in jail with perks is wasting our tax money. they should fix it so that jail is an actual punishment.

But, with the death penalty, a lot of times (at least, based on which crimes go on the news), the would be criminals are either potentially mentally unstable where they would have snapped regardless or the crimes happened 'in the heat of the moment' where the person isn't thinking in the back of their head 'oh i might get in trouble for this later'. and let's not forget the ones who were most likely guilty but got away. point being: i don't think it's really warning a good number of 'would be criminals'.

That, and they make sure you don't get an infection from the injection before they inject it. They wipe it down nice and clean for you :D

I never said that the US never had riots, but we used more force then London did in the beginning. One of the worst riots was the New York Draft Riots.

It happened twice, like I said. The first time local authority was used and they had a hell of a time maintaining order. The second time, Lincoln said no. He put his foot down and told the local authority to step away. He ordered the United States Infantry (not the volunteers) to go in there and stop it. They stopped it in a day.

Gangs of New York does a complete and shitty job of depicting how the riots went down. Especially how the military handled it. They looked like buffoons. True enough that the rioters had guns, knives, and all and were looting and killing people for a variety of reasons, especailly the rioting psychology. Well they opened fire on a line of armed rioters.

Rioters died, but they learned their place. You don't go around burning, stealing, destroying, and killing people just because.

So that you don't get mixed ideas, I'm not suggesting that we the army should do this to the rioters. If they get as out of hand as the New York Draft Rioters, then yes. Because those rioters were actually killing people.

Though from what I hear, it's slowly dying now. I also like that a bunch of communities decided to band together to fight back. Serves those rioting punks right if they got their asses handed to them.

I don't know England's history so I can't say if England ever used good force when stopping a riot. I was just saying, it's not like we've never had bad riots.

Oh I didn't mean beginning as in when American started as a colony lol. I just meant when riots sprouted, we would use more force. Sometimes force is needed on a thickheaded group.

I haven't heard as much on the riots today, so maybe they've finally died out.

Now im completely confused by what you just said so I'll just drop the subject XD

Well I think the riots are now dead, haven't heard much about them lately. Good thing to. I didn't hear anything about damage done to Big Ben, though that sucks if that's true. Just a bunch of dead beats with no respect for history or their country.

I get sick of all these groups who act like they are a free thinking unit defying the government. It's funny because they actually turn into what they think they're fighting against.