My tuppence worth on the whole "riot" issue.

I was extremely saddened by what was going on, it actually made me shed a few tears, I just thought the whole thing was really really sad. I am not going to pretend that I have an answer or reasons for all this, there are a myriad of reasons, but I can give my point of view based on what I know.

Some people are saying that there is nothing for youths to do; firstly, I grew up with parents who had very little money. My mum chose to stay at home to look after us kids (4 of us, all under the age of 8 at one point) and my dad worked for a pretty low wage. We had very little, no computer games stations, no designer clothes (clothes from charity shops) a modest amount of toys an undecorated house etc. When we moved into our house which my dad worked hard to pay for, it had no central heating and my dad had to re-wire the electrics. I know what it is like to be cold. We weren't hungry because money was spend on things we needed not on things we wanted. In free time I went to a church youth group and played with my friends.

So my point is, there is plenty for young people out there to do that it not criminal, they have to be creative and come up with things or else their parents need to give them ideas for things to do, however they nor their parents seem to have the capacity for this perhaps partly because they are so used to having their brains filled with stimulation from video games, films, tv, computers etc. They are not able to come up with things to do.  I had little growing up but I did not resort to theft.

Some people are saying that the people thieving and robbing were poor, I don't agree with this, the people who "rioted" found out about it through twitter and facebook, so clearly the can afford I phones, blackberries, or computers with the internet, it they cannot afford to eat of heat themselves then they should not have mobile phones for a start. 

Some people are saying that the youths taking part haven't had the opportunities of others, I disagree with this; I am a secondary school teacher and all children have the same educational opportunities given to them up to the age of 18. They have to take the opportunities and choose to use them to their advantage. Many pupils in my school do not appreciate the value of the free education that they are being given. I am not saying that the education system is perfect but it is there and it can help people to change their life prospects if they choose to use it and make the most of it. 

Some people are saying that it is society's fault that these kids are running round playing havok, because their needs haven't been met, well I am sorry that my points are not very cohesive or eloquent, but I feel strongly that I am in no way to blame for people who act in this way, they are making bad choices and not taking responsibility.