Re: Riots
I have no idea what this young man's history is but can say that at his age there are many youths in our inner cities who're very well versed in crime both minor and serious at his age and much younger sadly. For a large number of these youths it's already too late to change their thinking or their outlook IMHO. They've been raised (if you can call it that) in an environment which has taught them that they don't have to work or study to get what they want, they can just take it. They have no desire to work, scrimp and save over a period to get what they want, they just steal or sell drugs to have those things now. They don't respect anyone or anything - their only concept of respect is related to who's most intimidating, who 'hits hardest' and who's got the most bling. Many have long been fed a diet of resentment and 'taught' that they're not responsible for their predicament or their actions. Sadly, for a fair proportion of these youths from all communities, I feel their future in gangs, crime etc. is already set in stone by their mid-late teens and the best we can do is get them off the streets and keep them there for as long as possible. I do think that whilst in jail there ought to be opportunities for all of them to learn, develop and hopefully change tack but I feel we have to accept that some of them have no intention of changing their ways and no end of concessions made by the state will alter that fact. We have to get to grips with the reality that defective parents tend to produce defective children. Much more effort needs to be put into reversing the trend whereby it's seen as normal and acceptable for young girls to aspire to nothing more than having children by several transient fathers none of whom are prepared to accept responsibility for their actions but expect the state to pick up the pieces. Sadly, we have to teach our young boys that impregnating girls isn't a badge of honour, can't be walked away from and will have lifelong implications.
Given that so many parents aren't doing it, the state must educate our very young children that they can expect and achieve more but only through their own efforts. They need to know they will be helped and encouraged to do this but if they choose the alternative route there will be no kid gloves.
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