The rioting in Britain that started over the weekend escalated to a problem when it spilled out of the poor neighborhoods and grew into a crisis when Cameron et al. had to cut vacations short to board a plane home. The Media is asking, Why so angry and violent? Their answers include:
- The fatal shooting by police of a 29-year-old local resident
- Unemployment
- Austerity measures
- Insensitive policing
- Opportunism / bad parenting / lack of values
The interesting story here is not the language we use to describe the poor man's depravity; it's the descriptions we are given of the depravity of the elite: When the poor and marginalized capitalize on opportunities to the detriment of society,
they are called immoral, vile, despicable criminals bereft of values and they are jailed. When investors and bankers capitalize on opportunities to the detriment of society,
they are called irresponsible and then get bailed out.
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