London's burning - again - but who is to blame?

neon scribble - Glow draw app. on I-Phone

In 1981, Brixton in London, Toxteth in Liverpool, and many other inner city communities in Britain (not all of them with an 'x' in their names) erupted in alarming outbreaks of rioting, burning and looting by (often) black disenfranchised youth.  When we bought our first home, a small maisonette, in Brixton, in 1985, the first response of some of our friends was: 'But what about the Brixton riots?'.

Well for us, Brixton, was an affordable, lively, multi-cultural community with a great market, independent cinema (Ritzy) and nightclub (Fridge). Yes there was racial tension, and we experienced this first hand in some touchy interactions with one of our neighbours. We represented the young white middle class interlopers (yuppies even), who were encroaching on a previously black community, which, due to the increasing cost of housing in London generally, was now becoming upwardly mobile or 'gentrified'.

Thirty years on, history seems to be repeating itself. Conservative government, riots, burning buildings, anger at 'community policing'. What is also the same, is that the context has to be understood.

I heard an understandably angry shop owner, whose business had been trashed, on ABC  Radio National, calling the rioters 'feral rats', and saying they should all be at home with their mums, and what were their parents thinking? Other recently used terms I have noticed include 'scum' and 'shit'. When we talk like this, we are coming from a place of fear and anger, rather than reason. An understandable response to chaotic circumstances, but not particularly constructive.

Prime Minister David Cameron unhelpfully labels the behaviour as 'criminal' - yes, obviously, but its more than that. Demonising the rioters is not going to solve this. Underlying anger, disadvantage and poverty, and the perception of lack of opportunities to improve personal and social circumstances, are likely causes. Living in cities with huge discrepancies between rich and poor only make this more poignant.

Why are young people so angry? Yesterday I went to training on a parenting program, '123 Magic'. When parents talk about their parenting, they often focus on their 'feral', 'ratbag' kids' bad behaviour, and don't always understand a) their part in the behaviour and b) the underlying causes, which are often emotionally driven. And yet, mysteriously, many parents just want to be 'friends' with their children.

Kids and young people, whether they are 5, 15 or 25, often feel powerless, and this makes them angry. Lack of boundaries, lack of role models, and lack of social activities can exacerbate this. 'Time out', like youth clubs and school holiday programs, are obviously not going to change things overnight, but empathy, clear boundaries from consistent and fair authority figures (police or parents) and practical support, enabling social connection and participation, are surely more effective than negative labelling.

more later.