Eaves: I’d pose a question to you in response to your posting. I’m presuming you’re knowledgeable about the so-called “Brixton Uprising” in 1981. With that presumption in mind, were you at all struck by the differences between Brixton 1981 and Tottenham 2011?

Meaning, Brixton was largely a riot fuelled by political anger where property damage did occur, but almost as an afterthought. Tottenham (and the attendant other community riots) has been almost completely anarchist in nature, with property damage being at the forefront and the victims being either innocent bystanders (too slow to avoid the mob) or store/property owners whose properties/shops were attacked and looted.

To say that the article in question is simply a piece of Liberal/Leftist bait misses the larger points, as well the key differences between the UK of 1981 and 2011.

Not to be disagreeable, Eaves, but throughout Europe and the UK we are seeing a sea change and paradigm shift of epic proportions and to correctly assail some of the policies and programs, including emasculation of the UK police, is completely in order. You yourself opined on parenting and responsibility and to see these little shitheads running about, looking for nothing other than something to steal, does not make this a “political” riot about “cuts” or “austerity”. There might be something to that, but it isn’t the motive factor.