"Root Cause"

[NWJocko]

Watching Sky News and reading on here I've heard countless people talk about and refer to the "root cause" and addressing it.

Nobody has yet stated what the "root cause" is or what they believe it to be.

So, what is the "root cause"? How can we help these "disaffected youths".

Or, is this just another buzzword/phrase and nobody actually knows and the fact is these kids just have zero respect for anything and anyone and expect to be handed their life on a plate?

Disclaimer - These are genuine questions that I am interested in, not just trying to bait anyone.

 

[TheJezster]

The root cause is thickness.

The cure is a bullet to the head.

 

[Dodger]

The root cause is pikeys of both colour of skin with no concern for what they do.

 

[User20205]

The root cause according to the experts is disaffected youth, with no prospects feeling alienated by mainstream society.
If you asked one of the rioters that's not the answer they would give. They just want a ruck with the Police and the chance to nick some stuff.

 

[RGDave]

.... these kids just have zero respect for anything and anyone and expect to be handed their life on a plate?

That'll be it.

They don't learn respect at home, school can't touch them, early interactions with the police are usually nothing worse than a ticking off. We're too soft.

I fear that tonight it's going to really escalate.

Why did MPs say "there will be no army". If I was PM, I'd have stated "the army are on standby". These youngsters (I feel) will simply push the boundaries as kids always do. The trouble is, they don't have any "fear" in them. To my mind, in their heads, they can take the p*** as long as they want. They can mobilise 1,000s in minutes, far too many for just the Police force.

I fear the worst.

A few tanks and Soldiers (no disrespect to the Police) with Rifles ought to solve it.

 

[stevie_r]

It isn't the armies job, plain and simple. A young squaddie earns considerably less than a new copper. So the underpaid squaddie has to face the realistic possibility of death every day in Helmand for 6 months and then come home and do the police forces job for them - utter garbage. Sort the police out - public order in the UK is the responsibility of the police, plain and simple. Call in the army and you end up with:

1. A severely overpaid force of motorist harrasers.
2. A police force that becomes a laughing stock in whom the country has even less respect or faith.

It's not the job of the army, the police must, and have to, sort it out

 

[RichardC]

The Police have to be "allowed" to sort this out.

 

[Yerman]

Root cause - young gangsta rappers who want to turn inner cities into harlem. Shouting about respect without a clue what it means.

 

[RGDave]

It isn't the armies job, plain and simple. A young squaddie earns considerably less than a new copper. So the underpaid squaddie has to face the realistic possibility of death every day in Helmand for 6 months and then come home and do the police forces job for them - utter garbage. Sort the police out - public order in the UK is the responsibility of the police, plain and simple. Call in the army and you end up with:

1. A severely overpaid force of motorist harrasers.
2. A police force that becomes a laughing stock in whom the country has even less respect or faith.

It's not the job of the army, the police must, and have to, sort it out

Well, I accept your opinion, I'm not in a position to say. But I do feel that young people have little respect for the Police whereas the arrival of Armed forces might prove effective. If that's not on (as you say), then surely we need to give the Police much stronger powers in these situations?

 

[Tiger]

There has been a reduction in trade and apprenticeship opportunities for a number of years. Britain is no longer a centre of industry. Schools have increasingly been focussing on teaching how to pass tests rather than actual skills. This has been brought about by target driven labour policy. They were also responsible for encouraging every young person to get a degree irrespective if quality or practical value. The concept of society had been eroded to the point where young people feel marginalised and disengaged. The break down of the traditional family and increase in teenage pregnancy. The recession verging on depression and rising youth unemployment up to 20%. A growing class divide perpetuated by million pound apartments in areas of deprivation. Reduction of investment in public services and their declining quality. All this and more is the root cause and it's been brewing for 25+ years.

 

[stevie_r]

Correct, give the police more power.

It's an army, it's job is to carry out HMG's defence policy

Oh sorry - and be ambulance men when they strike
And firemen when they strike

Whilst not enjoying that privilege themselves because that would be mutiny.

The police take good pay for realistically speaking not that much danger really, well the chips are down now time for them to answer the call.

If this sounds like a rant that's probably because it is. The army should not be abused - funnily enough it's the sort of thing that causes it to lose significant numbers of well trained people

 

[Golfmmad]

Normally I would agree - it's the job of the Police - law and order.
But the events of the last few days are unprecedented and the Police are stretched to the limits. Bringing the Army in to work alongside the Police, to bring it under control as quickly as possible has to be the way to go.

It is annoying to hear people complaining on the news of the Police not doing their job and protecting them. Hang on a minute, this is not just a few hundred rioters causing trouble! The Police's hands are somewhat tied with all the PC rubbish and can't just go wading in.

As stated in an earlier post, nothing, and I mean nothing, can justify rioting,arson and criminality.

Golfmmad.

 

[Philm]

they should (the rioters) be thrown over to Northern Ireland to the upper Newtownards road for an evening.

the police over here know how to weild a baton in anger.

Phil

 

[Knocker]

It's a joke. I warhead sky news last night at about 10 and 1 lad said he had come out to make some money and piss the police off because they always harrass him for stupid stuff.

He daren't show his face though. Little cowards with a mob mentality who think yet again that they are untouchable.

I'm a teacher and the only difference between good and bad kids is their own attitudes. They all know what is right and wrong but some choose to do the wrong thing.

I will have been teaching for 5 years in september and I am already thinking about leaving as the attitude of some kids is horrible.

 

[lobthewedge]

I blame Tony Blair and his croneys, this has a lot to do with his liberal, multicultural, utopian vision that he had and implemented on Britain. Now we are reaping what was sown.

What did he think would happen when he gave a shed load of our laws away to Europe, diluted the power of our courts, gave more rights to the criminals and turned our police force into a toothless touchy feely service. Not to mention stretching our military to the limit in his egotistical wars while not even providing them with decent sodding boots on thier feet.

Then he had the bright idea to let about 3 million foreigners into this country without a thought of jobs, education, health or proper housing to accomodate them all or the young working class of this country that they were certain to compete with, and go on to replace.

His solution, increase the welfare state, pay them all to sit on their lazy arses. "That'll keep them happy , or at least until the country goes bust and the Tories are voted in to try and sort it out" he thought.

What a d*ckhead!

Not that I am a great supporter of Cameron and his shower of tits. He doesn't have the balls to do anything about this sorry mess. Given the chance he would be out there hugging the bloody hoodies instead of arresting them.

Mind that 60" plasma telly doesn't drop on your feet while you go in for a cuddle you baby faced pr#ck!

 

[coolhand]

The fundamental difference between the current crop of "Riots" and the historical real ones like Broadwater Farm and Toxteth is that there is no "root cause".

What we're seeing is bored kids looking for an excuse to loot a few shops and "have a laugh".

They can do this because they live in a world with no consequences or responsibility.

We need to reintroduce the concept of the “riot act”, an announcement is made that a disturbance/protest is being declared a riot, 15 minutes later anyone in the area losses all rights. I wouldn’t rate the scum bags who remain chances against a frustrated copper in full riot gear who also doesn’t face any consequences.

 

[Tiger]

The fundamental difference between the current crop of "Riots" and the historical real ones like Broadwater Farm and Toxteth is that there is no "root cause".

What we're seeing is bored kids looking for an excuse to loot a few shops and "have a laugh".

As an historian, a former student of politics and someone who works in the youth sector I fundamentally disagree with you. Then again I seem to be disagreeing with everyone, so I shall leave you all to read the Daily Mail and discuss the best ways to 'shoot the scum'

 

[USER1999]

Some bloke has been arrested and charged with nicking two Burberry T shirts. (Surely the definition of a chav). He has pleaded guilty, and has been remmanded for sentencing.

Stupid though, as he will now have a criminal record, which will make it harder for him to get / retain a job. Did he really need two t shirts that badly?

Another one to be charged has a job at a local school. I guess he'll get sacked. He was loitering in Comet. Pity he didn't do it when the shop was actually open.

Some of these are hardly the 'feral underclass' we have been led to believe. More a bunch of complete fools who have been stupid enough to get involved in something they really should know will get them into trouble.

 

[Yerman]

The fundamental difference between the current crop of "Riots" and the historical real ones like Broadwater Farm and Toxteth is that there is no "root cause".

What we're seeing is bored kids looking for an excuse to loot a few shops and "have a laugh".

As an historian, a former student of politics and someone who works in the youth sector I fundamentally disagree with you. Then again I seem to be disagreeing with everyone, so I shall leave you all to read the Daily Mail and discuss the best ways to 'shoot the scum'

You don't need to be right wing to see criminality for what it is. People will lose their jobs because of the destruction caused. These scum have participated in an attack on our society and deserve much worse than they will receive. Your position as an apologist for these scum is sickening.

 

[Tiger]

The fundamental difference between the current crop of "Riots" and the historical real ones like Broadwater Farm and Toxteth is that there is no "root cause".

What we're seeing is bored kids looking for an excuse to loot a few shops and "have a laugh".

As an historian, a former student of politics and someone who works in the youth sector I fundamentally disagree with you. Then again I seem to be disagreeing with everyone, so I shall leave you all to read the Daily Mail and discuss the best ways to 'shoot the scum'

You don't need to be right wing to see criminality for what it is. People will lose their jobs because of the destruction caused. These scum have participated in an attack on our society and deserve much worse than they will receive. Your position as an apologist for these scum is sickening.

Apologist? At what point have I on any thread condoned their actions. Read my posts on this and the Tottenham riots thread before making baseless accusations. My stand point is that there are political and socio-economic reasons that have led to a point whereby people's sense of community and moral fibre have been damaged, in some cases potentially beyond repair. But to fail to acknowledge the contextual similarities between these riots and those of the 80's is naive.

There are systemic flaws in the fabric of this country and I for one would prefer a sensible debate over how we can work collectively to improve the situation. Instead I hear cries of tear gas, rubber bullets, send the army in, shoot the scum, build bigger prisons, lock em up. Brilliant let's treat the symptoms, ignore the cause and allow this cancer to grow. That's a genius solution.

And Dodger in serious reply to your earlier question, the reason you are seeing a significant number of black people is because the violence has been concentrated in areas with a dense Afro-carribean population.