Riots.

[Bikeracer]

I think the lack of respect for anything and anyone has been getting worse with each generation since the widespread adoption of the theory that children should be allowed to "find themselves" and generally do what they like without restrictions.

There just seems to be an indifference amongst a lot of parents as to what is acceptable behavior and what isn't and if parents don't instill some "right from wrong" starting at an early age,who is?

I'm afraid I'm very old school and believe parents should be able to chastise their children,I'm not condoning violence and ill treatment,but a slap on the legs when warranted at an early age does tend to get children to do as they're told.

There's a lot of truth in the old saying...."spare the rod and spoil the child"

Allan

[longbridge]

 I think it is wrong to rear children without some form of punishment it only creates a lack of respect.

I remember my Granddaughter telling my Son in Law that if he laid a finger on her she would bring the full force of the law down on him, she was only 12 years old.

Thankfully not all families are the same but many I know the parents are more interested in having a good time and going on shopping binges instead of devoting time to their kids, many think that the only effort they need for bringing kids up is to buy them take away food, shove them in front of a TV with a Playstation and allow them to play violent games.

I worked part time in a Pawnbrokers shop and saw many parents buy 15+ games for kids no older than 6 or 7, no wonder these riots are happening, its because some kids are totally screwed up in the head.

I also believe that for every family like that there are a whole lot more that do a great job bringing their kids up but as usual its the minority that get the rest a bad name.

[kirky]

There's a lot of truth in the old saying...."spare the rod and spoil the child"

Allan

I'm sorry, but I dont believe there is any place for violence to be inflicted upon children.

Kirky

[longbridge]

I seem to recall reading this somewhere and I tried to bring my kids up by putting it into action.

Do not withhold discipline from a child;
if you punish him with a rod he will not die,
Punish him with a rod and save his soul from death.

[Bikeracer]

"Spare the rod and spoil the child" was not meant as a literal statement.

If you read my post you'll see that I don't condone violence and never will,but a lack of some form of  chastisement in childhood is now being seen in the riots.

Allan

[oscar]

I still cannot understand why our governments are so reluctant to use water cannons?

And, my Aussie friend, I am totally in tune with you. I'm 71 and have no desire to be a young'un in this forthcoming world!!!

My dad never spared the rod, either. When I was 5, I learned a new word, c**t, and called him it one day. I wasn't able to sit for a week, but I never swore at him again 'til the day he died.

Neither of my lads has brought trouble to my door, either!


Too many parents with poliss's mindset, too!

[Lawrence]

There is no way the army should be called in, they have enough on their hands as it is, it's always the easy option isn't it? get the troops in when there is a problem, like clearing snow last winter for example, because due to Government cuts there are not enough public services to cope.  Like the last few days in London, not enough police or firemen, with the correct equipment, to deal with the situations effectively.  So people immediately call for our under funded, under resourced, under paid and overstretched forces to come in and bail out bad governance, whilst waiting for their redundancy notices in their inbox!  

[tadpole]

I think I agree with the last speaker. This is not a military conflict/war.

Nevertheless, it has to be stopped by whatever means necessary. The government must keep increasing the harshness of the methods used, even if it risks severe injury or death to the culprits, rather than allow the destruction of the homes and livelihoods of the innocent.

At some point, the rights of these thugs must come second to the rights of the innocent community at large.

[Tank]

Whilst I respect your opinions about the army being involved, I see them as people in uniform who are paid to do a job.  I have a lot of friends in the army, many from Croydon, and they'd love to be deployed to guard their town.  Croydon is a large borough, and the 600 or so police officers guarding the town centre didn't have a chance.  There were no officers at all in South Croydon, Purley, Kenley (all south of Croydon stretching about 3-4miles) and fires were started, and nobody from the authorities turned up.  I can see Kenley Police station from my house, and that was locked down and all of the cars and vans were 4 miles away in Croydon.  If the army were deployed with riot gear, then they could help the police, and spread out of the main towns and guard the streets and homes that were being looted.

I do understand that 16,000 officers are due to be deployed tonight in London.  I pray that will be enough!

I'm just glad that I'm not too close to Croydon, and am off of the main road.  Kenley is a quiet village, but the train station is on the main route out of London and Croydon.  We'll see if it kicks off.  I've had reports from friends that large groups of kids are building in Croydon again.

Where are you based Zunnan?  I agree with you, if they attack our houses they'll be in tears on their way out.

[poliss]

"Too many parents with poliss's mindset, too!"
My boy plays basketball for Newcastle Eagles youth basketball team, American Football at Gateshead and is off to university in September. He has five sports trophies and numerous certificates. He can speak two languages as well. The only problems I have with him are getting him to take the rubbish out and the fact that he plays basketball instead of cricket!

[poliss]

I live in about the poorest part of the West End of Newcastle, not some leafy suburb. Unemployment here is high and there are loads of single mothers. There's a couple of chav families living up the street from me. There have been three murders in the area in the last few years. Two that made the national news and one in the block of flats I live in. From my window I saw some chavs drive a stolen car onto a bonfire one 5th of November. The favourite pastime, in an area half a mile from me, was setting fire to something to get the fire brigade out so that the kids could throw stones at them.

[Lawrence]

Whilst I respect your opinions about the army being involved, I see them as people in uniform who are paid to do a job.  I have a lot of friends in the army, many from Croydon, and they'd love to be deployed to guard their town.

Mod fight, Mod fight  

I fully understand what you are saying mate, but they are doing the job they are paid to do, they are not paid to do the Polices' job, that is for the police, the fact there is not sufficient bobbies to deal with such things is the fault of the Government (that is not a political statement because it doesn't matter which one is in the big seat) cutting budgets left right and centre whilst politicians continue to be the most pampered public servants going.  I could go on and on but I wont as I am already getting angry about it.

I would let the police have free reign, get stuck in and zero tolerance attitudes, but those flaming bleeding hearts, Daily mail reading, politically correct middle aged, middle class fools with nothing better to do that abound in this country would tie the country up in public hearings for years to come.

But ultimately it is down to people in the communities affected to sort this out, with the assistance of the Police.

[EtchedPixels]

I think the lack of respect for anything and anyone has been getting worse with each generation since the widespread adoption of the theory that children should be allowed to "find themselves" and generally do what they like without restrictions.

People have been saying that for a long time - in fact pretty much every generation on record since about 2500BC. As to sparing the rod and parents, that assumes that the parents were not ordering the new TV in the first place.

[poliss]

What's this. A macho 'my area is worse than yours' contest?

[EtchedPixels]

I think I agree with the last speaker. This is not a military conflict/war.

Nevertheless, it has to be stopped by whatever means necessary. The government must keep increasing the harshness of the methods used, even if it risks severe injury or death to the culprits, rather than allow the destruction of the homes and livelihoods of the innocent.

All the scientific evidence is that harshness hasn't much to do with deterrent value, it's the probability of being caught and punished and the rapidness of getting caught that matters (Like training dogs  8-)). I don't think harshness will be such a problem this time - they seem to have set fire to "nice" areas where the magistrates live...

Also the moment you make enemies of people marginally involved by blowing them up or shooting them you make it all worse - see Afghanistan, Iraq, Bloody Sunday etc etc etc