I've not blogged in ages....and haven't bothered posting on a prevoiously owned blog since I don't feel they reflect me at this current time. I needed somewhere to vent about a few things, not just the blasted London riots, but a few things...however the riots in London feel like a good place to start.
Firstly, I don't agree with the riots, not at all, but I am suprised it took so long. I still don't understand what happened with Mark Duggan, and I don't understand how one bloke being shot, whether rightly or wrongly, has begun the rioting, but I do understand that many people are angry about many things, and this, in their (delusional) minds is there way of getting one up on the system.
Why am I suprised it took so long? I've watched the news now for the past few years, I've seen MP's expenses scandals, I've seen phone hacking, I've seen wars, in fact many things. I've also seen people moan like hell about these things, but not having really done anything more than just moan. Frankly I dn't think any government apology was sincere enough, heartfelt enough, or really connected with the population enough. I can understand why people would be unhappy. Blimey, look how much money the british government has ploughd into the banks, only to be told that the debt of the country is ours and we must cut services and get less for more to deal with it. Not the banks fault entirely, or is it? I'll come back to that shortly, for now though, I'd like to conentrate on the riots. I know I can go off on a tangent and never return, but I am trying here to stay on the straight and narrow.
So where was I? Rioting. Who is to blame? Is it the people involved? Probably not, after all, they're just acting on impulse, created by an opportunity, created in part by the media, in part by their own anger, in part by their own suffering, in part by their own mindset, in part by the actions of the police/Mark Duggan affair (and excuse or not) in part by the government, and in part by other people not involved. Collectivly everyone is involved and to blame somewhere along the line. I have, afterall, judged these people who are rioting, the media have judged them, the government have judged them, the police have judged them, again this fuels anger and hatred.
So we are all to blame. Collectively as a full society, community, whatever you want to fluff it up as, we are all to blame. And it's simply because no two of us are the same, no two of us have exactly the same lifestyle, and no two of us feel and react to feelings in the same way. Now I'm not excusing theor behaviour, in my opinion it's farcical, and disgusting, but in their opinion, at this present time, it's right.
On the issue of the police. I can't think of anything worse than being a policeman or woman attemtping to keep the streets sae at this present time. The police are powerless because collectively, we as a society, make them powerless. If they don't fight back we are disgusted somewhat, they're not doing enough to protect us, but if they fight back, we're disgusted that they're using force. Afterall, some degree of force is what apparently started this in the first place. They are damned if they do, and damned if they don't. I for one hope that this incident leads to some form of power being restored to police, that people can look and see what we are doing to our policeforce, they are there for a reason, but they can't do anything to help without express writted permission. If they beat a man involved, who has a heart atttack shortly after, it will be the fault of the police, and thus it's their job and their livlihood on the line. Ahhh, again, that's what caused this, everyone is always looking for someone to blame. It doesn't matter that they had underlying cardiovascular problems and was going to happen anyway, nope what matters is that police involvemnet triggered it. We can't have it both ways.
On to the government. Whilst I am quite convinced that I coule run the country better with my eyes closed, firstly no salary on the planet could make me want to run the place. I can sit at home or at work and moan for England or Britain rather about what the goverment are and aren't doing. I only see afterall what the media let me see, and I am of course one of millions that some days believed it's an attack against me, or that believes that money should be better spent. In fact I know it should, I work for one of many NHS Trusts and I see money wasted everyday. I don't believe as many services should be cut as are, I do believe that there is too much beauracracy exists in any public sector workplace, and this costs money and should be dramatically cut down. And I'm not saying that it will save britain from rioters, I am merely saying it may help. Of course it wont, because there will still be people who will ask how and where this money is spent, and why etc etc and that's why all the red tape is in place. For that and fraud. And then it goes full circle, back to the expenses scandal, and there I am blaming MP's. Who by the way I don't think should have any second home allowance. They have afterall chosen their line of work, and they have chosen to be ina job which requires regular travel. I'm all up for their travel being refunded, at public transport rate, economy public transport rate that is, and be done with it. And only for journey that ARE work-related. But ten I suppose that comes back upo the red tape stuff i mentioned before.
So the long and short of it really is, forget what the others are doing, stop making excuses for what you are doing, stop blaming other people, things, stuff for what you are doing. Take a hold of your life, do what YOU want to do, live life how you want to live it, and grow up, take responsibilty for your own actions and move on!!
Of ourse I'm not being very sympathetic to people who's livlihoods are being wrecked at this very moment by rioting. I feel for them, I really do, but if they're lucky and sensible, they have insurance, and that's what insurance is there for. company's making money out of everyone's need to be protected, yet are only ever worth their weight in gold every once in a while. As an insurance company that's also the risk they take, damages and claims running into the thousands and millions, and yes, long term it will affect everyone else as premiums will go up, but that's no different to fuel going up, bills going up, all other costs going up. Not ideal, but this we have become accustomed to. Of course we blame these things above, but in reality we are and have been for sometime living beyond our means. This of course, should I wish to aportion some blame, is the fault of the banks. Whilst we may nt be able to pay the bank back, the banks shouldn't have lent the money in the first place.
I got my first credit card at 18. With no credit history whatsoever, I was given a credit limit of £3,000. Now how exactly can a bank justify that? Naturally I soon started living beyone my means, and soon got myself into debt. My parents bailed me out, but I was still able to get a further two, one with a £4,500 limit and one which must have been around the same ammount, as I did a balance transfer when I started getting charges.
So I of course blame the card companies for my debt, not myself for spending what I didn't have. Again, the culture of assigning blame to someone else and not taking responsibility. I can say no more...I thin tonight I've said enough, probaby offended half the country, I have however, spoken my mind, and if you don't like it, blame it on the boogie!!
