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England Forced to Notice Young, Poor, Angry People
And now we enter phase three of massive social unrest, in which the media wonders: who are "the looters" and why might they be "upset"? Literally: "The crowds involved in violence and looting are drawn from a complex mix of social and racial backgrounds." Oh I see. And: "Two girls who took part in Monday night's riots in Croydon have boasted that they were showing police and 'the rich' that 'we can do what we want.'" Why didn't anyone tell the media before that England was populated with a huge resentful underclass? WHY WAS THERE NOT A PRESS RELEASE ABOUT THIS?
So wait, you're saying that England's not the mythical land of Madame George and roses?
@Dave Bry That's correct. According to our sources, it's the home of police who kill black boys on mopeds. (The source goes on to add: "I love my boy, and that's why I'm leaving…")
Thanks for your interest! If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to Ask A Knifecrime Islander!
@Yatima@twitter that was brilliant, right there.
Yeah, great job expressing your anger by opting not to storm the palaces (you know, in a country that has LITERAL PALACES), instead opting to burn the homes of people who are in your economic class and really have nothing to do with your subjugation, etc.
@IBentMyWookie : We're talking about Korean groceries, right?
@Gef the Talking Mongoose you guys are on fire today.
As someone awaiting tenure, I can totally relate.
I have to admit I've been watching this story develop over the past few days and thinking to myself "Knifecrime Island has never been so apt."
It would probably be insensitive to say I was disappointed not to see this post tagged as such..
First my mom doesn't want me to go into Philadelphia because of the flash mobs, now this. Thanks a lot, youths.
@keisertroll Your mom is afraid of performance art?
@Joey Camire Seems reasonable.
The Awl was covering Britain's social collapse before it was cool.
Why not preempt Vice with a "Riot Girls of London" fashion spread?
Why didn't anyone tell the media before that England was populated with a huge resentful underclass?
Clearly the media hasn't been listening to The Streets or Lady Sov.
Clearly Choire has never read The Daily Mail. I'm sure Balk can lend him a few copies.
@Clarence Rosario or Neheh Cherry or Sinead O'Connor
@mrschem England isn't Ireland. Yes to Neneh. Aw, lovely Neneh (back to 13yo crushes)
If you are trying to say something to the rich, first get on a plane to Ibiza.
it's a shame england doesn't have the equivalent of "help a reporter". no wonder they have to resort to phone hacking.
AND WON'T SOMEONE THINK OF THE CHILDREN?!
Uh, no. Serious People weren't thinking of them before, and as soon as the police finish suppressing the current outburst, Serious People will go right back to not thinking of them.
I bet if poor people in America realised they were a poor, resentful underclass, they'd riot too. But everybody knows that class doesn't exist in America.
@cmcm They're too tied up at Tea Party events, cashing in earned time days to help the rich lobby their way out of taxes. Ahhhhhh DUR!
@cmcm I hear your sarcasm, but must say kids (mostly poor, some just bored suburbanites) riot about twice a year here in Oakland, CA (America). Yes, on a smaller scale, but for the same reason (cops kill an innocent black man) and just as ineffectual/misguided (looting independent businesses). I think some civil unrest is better than none, though, when cops get trigger happy.
Maybe if you spent less time entertaining the whinging of two 27-year-olds who are terribly put out because they were snubbed while attending Harvard, you'd know more about class rage in the world around you, hmmm?
@jolie : So you're saying that class miffed-ness doesn't count? It's, like, the homeopathic form of class rage.
@jolie Nah.
What do they know of England who only Tottenham High Street torch?
Can you add "stupid and greedy" to that headline please?
I just got off the phone with my sister in London and she said "this is what you get when you allow 14-year-olds to have kids" – she's always been more right-wing than me.
@LondonLee Hashtag malthusianism!