“Black” Culture and 2011 England Riots
“Black” Culture and 2011 England Riots
Following the lurid riots that
engulfed parts of UK in 2011, the nation and the rest of the world were shocked
at the state of lawlessness and social breakdown of a country like UK. This incident
resulted in many arrests of youth and questions were raised on what could have
lead the youth to such nihilism. A couple of comments were made in the media
including the infamous one by David Starkey stating “whites have become black”,
inexplicably accusing “black” culture for the riots.
Expectedly, these comments caused some uproar as there were understandably aggrieved reactions from members of the public, including allegations of racism against Starkey.
During the kerfuffle there was a video in particular that caught my attention; it was by a UK based comedian reacting to Starkey's faux pas. I found it hilarious and insightful, enjoy!
Expectedly, these comments caused some uproar as there were understandably aggrieved reactions from members of the public, including allegations of racism against Starkey.
During the kerfuffle there was a video in particular that caught my attention; it was by a UK based comedian reacting to Starkey's faux pas. I found it hilarious and insightful, enjoy!
Another interesting article - Blame Poverty and Gangs, was
written by Dominic Lawson for The Independent to which I responded.
"Re: Blame Poverty and Gangs...
I read your article and it’s quite interesting and I must give some insights to the issue.
I am from Africa, Nigeria to be precise and from the Yoruba tribe. Though privileged as a child I was raised with the strictest of rectitude. Where I am from culture is everything, you are raised with various proverbial adages e.g 'a good name is worth more than gold and silver', 'Remember the son of who you are', 'you are an ambassador of your family' etc. You are raised with a sense of responsibility and accountability, with shame, guilt and remorse when you err.
For instance, it's not uncommon for a neighbour or responsible member of a community to rebuke and report a child for any act of misdemeanour, i.e., you wouldn't dare smoke a cigarette in your neighbourhood without being reported before returning home.
Repercussions for all actions are inculcated from childhood. So it starts with fear of GOD (The Creator), respect for parents and elders. Eventually, such instincts are transferred to society.
On 'black culture' I am trying to decipher what it really means. I am of the opinion the view of Starkey is utter balderdash and his analysis is not only myopic but otiose to the underpinning matters in our milieu.
Now 'back to black', by classification I am termed 'Black' which is another issue entirely. I personally hate the term 'Black' I would rather refer to myself as 'dark'.
What is black ?; my black shoes, clothes, laptop, television etc. The only parts of my entire body that's black are my hairy bits.
I asked someone once, 'if my hair is black and my skin was black, can the distinction be noticed ?
I wouldn't even raise the 'White' analogy.
The world has become accustomed to these terms so its somewhat 'politically correct', but it's just my personal perspective.
Back to the real issue, even within the so called 'blacks' there's a disparity between those with a proud cultural heritage and those with no semblance of culture.
I personally hate street slang and get irritated when I hear it. I was really cool as a kid but still spoke good English. Hearing these kids speak; it took me a while to understand some of these kids were actually pronouncing English sounding words.
Some may argue I am out of touch with the younger generation but I have a teenage nephew, born and raised in the U.K that doesn't speak that way. He is starting university soon and I'm proud of him. His university decision and career path was a family discussion and debate, should he attend Imperial College like me or LSE like is mum, should he be an accountant or an IT professional etc. He is loved and constantly inundated with advice and options but was also raised with the iron fist and to a similar culture his dad and I were raised.
Unfortunately, many of these lawless kids have no real family, role models or imbibed culture, so they pick up any nonsense that's easily accessible i.e gang culture and not necessarily 'black culture'. It's an inevitable vacuum that needs to be filled.
I have often asked, what's the British culture ? and I get responses like fish & chips! Binge drinking! teenage pregnancy, generations of welfare and all sorts of nonsense. I am still asking that question.
On welfarism, my parents lived, schooled and married here but deciding to return home in the 70's and never collected anything from government; they believe welfare should be for the disabled, old/retired and under-aged. So we were raised believing welfare money isn't dignified money.
I relocated to the U.K and despite my skin colour and some institutionalised racism, I wasn't deterred, it actually made me stronger and more determined to succeed. I trained as an IT consultant and worked real hard. I later paid for my M.B.A programme myself and I run an international trade and development business now. Many children from developing nations would excel if they had 1/10th of the opportunities children in U.K have.
The government has to excogitate a comprehensive strategy to ameliorate the exigency confronting the U.K: Re-orientation of the youth mentally, revivifying the education curriculum, reach out to the deprived communities, tackling the gang culture, change laws to empower police, harsher prison sentences, discourage teenage pregnancy, stricter welfare.
The riots that happened is very unfortunate but it's poignantly a manifestation of years of societal absentism and misplaced priorities by the government.
"Of what use is a mind, if not to be nurtured to its optimum potential" - Owoism"
Addendum
Not one response from the police during the fact-finding mission by the family, friends and community leaders about the fatal shooting of one of their own. Though the police later apologised for erring, apology came too late as all hell broke loose.
3. Riots:
Without condoning the wanton loss of properties and criminal acts by the senseless youth, the U.K is witnessing the manifestation of many underpinning issues.
Stupid policies on human rights, limitations of the law enforcers, welfarism and its abuse, moral decadence, spiritual death, bad parenting, social injustice, racial divide etc.
"Re: Blame Poverty and Gangs...
I read your article and it’s quite interesting and I must give some insights to the issue.
I am from Africa, Nigeria to be precise and from the Yoruba tribe. Though privileged as a child I was raised with the strictest of rectitude. Where I am from culture is everything, you are raised with various proverbial adages e.g 'a good name is worth more than gold and silver', 'Remember the son of who you are', 'you are an ambassador of your family' etc. You are raised with a sense of responsibility and accountability, with shame, guilt and remorse when you err.
For instance, it's not uncommon for a neighbour or responsible member of a community to rebuke and report a child for any act of misdemeanour, i.e., you wouldn't dare smoke a cigarette in your neighbourhood without being reported before returning home.
Repercussions for all actions are inculcated from childhood. So it starts with fear of GOD (The Creator), respect for parents and elders. Eventually, such instincts are transferred to society.
On 'black culture' I am trying to decipher what it really means. I am of the opinion the view of Starkey is utter balderdash and his analysis is not only myopic but otiose to the underpinning matters in our milieu.
Now 'back to black', by classification I am termed 'Black' which is another issue entirely. I personally hate the term 'Black' I would rather refer to myself as 'dark'.
What is black ?; my black shoes, clothes, laptop, television etc. The only parts of my entire body that's black are my hairy bits.
I asked someone once, 'if my hair is black and my skin was black, can the distinction be noticed ?
I wouldn't even raise the 'White' analogy.
The world has become accustomed to these terms so its somewhat 'politically correct', but it's just my personal perspective.
Back to the real issue, even within the so called 'blacks' there's a disparity between those with a proud cultural heritage and those with no semblance of culture.
I personally hate street slang and get irritated when I hear it. I was really cool as a kid but still spoke good English. Hearing these kids speak; it took me a while to understand some of these kids were actually pronouncing English sounding words.
Some may argue I am out of touch with the younger generation but I have a teenage nephew, born and raised in the U.K that doesn't speak that way. He is starting university soon and I'm proud of him. His university decision and career path was a family discussion and debate, should he attend Imperial College like me or LSE like is mum, should he be an accountant or an IT professional etc. He is loved and constantly inundated with advice and options but was also raised with the iron fist and to a similar culture his dad and I were raised.
Unfortunately, many of these lawless kids have no real family, role models or imbibed culture, so they pick up any nonsense that's easily accessible i.e gang culture and not necessarily 'black culture'. It's an inevitable vacuum that needs to be filled.
I have often asked, what's the British culture ? and I get responses like fish & chips! Binge drinking! teenage pregnancy, generations of welfare and all sorts of nonsense. I am still asking that question.
On welfarism, my parents lived, schooled and married here but deciding to return home in the 70's and never collected anything from government; they believe welfare should be for the disabled, old/retired and under-aged. So we were raised believing welfare money isn't dignified money.
I relocated to the U.K and despite my skin colour and some institutionalised racism, I wasn't deterred, it actually made me stronger and more determined to succeed. I trained as an IT consultant and worked real hard. I later paid for my M.B.A programme myself and I run an international trade and development business now. Many children from developing nations would excel if they had 1/10th of the opportunities children in U.K have.
The government has to excogitate a comprehensive strategy to ameliorate the exigency confronting the U.K: Re-orientation of the youth mentally, revivifying the education curriculum, reach out to the deprived communities, tackling the gang culture, change laws to empower police, harsher prison sentences, discourage teenage pregnancy, stricter welfare.
The riots that happened is very unfortunate but it's poignantly a manifestation of years of societal absentism and misplaced priorities by the government.
"Of what use is a mind, if not to be nurtured to its optimum potential" - Owoism"
Addendum
Further Analysis of Riots:
Timeline: U.K Uprising
Intricately connected but somewhat unrelated issues.
1. Execution
2. Peaceful Protests
3. Riots
1. Execution:
(a) Inquiry revealed a man was shot with a single bullet to the chest. Not disarmed, not wounded, but SHOT DEAD!!!
(b) Prior to the shooting, eye witnesses said the man was already outnumbered and overpowered by special armoured officers.
(c) Initial reports reveal the bullet lodged in the police radio, allegedly shot by the victim is a police bullet.
2. Peaceful Protests:
Those who witnessed it,immediately saw it as an injustice. A lot of people weren't too concerned about the victim being a known gangster; the issue was he is being shot by police in a neighbourhood that already had animosity towards the law officers. Many questions and theories;
(a) Why should the police shoot an outnumbered and over powered suspect?
(b) How does a subdued man shoot at police in public glare?
(c) Was the victim killed because he knew something?
(d) Was the police at the scene trying to cover up something?
(e) Why did the police ignore the questions and demands of the peaceful protesters?
Intricately connected but somewhat unrelated issues.
1. Execution
2. Peaceful Protests
3. Riots
1. Execution:
(a) Inquiry revealed a man was shot with a single bullet to the chest. Not disarmed, not wounded, but SHOT DEAD!!!
(b) Prior to the shooting, eye witnesses said the man was already outnumbered and overpowered by special armoured officers.
(c) Initial reports reveal the bullet lodged in the police radio, allegedly shot by the victim is a police bullet.
2. Peaceful Protests:
Those who witnessed it,immediately saw it as an injustice. A lot of people weren't too concerned about the victim being a known gangster; the issue was he is being shot by police in a neighbourhood that already had animosity towards the law officers. Many questions and theories;
(a) Why should the police shoot an outnumbered and over powered suspect?
(b) How does a subdued man shoot at police in public glare?
(c) Was the victim killed because he knew something?
(d) Was the police at the scene trying to cover up something?
(e) Why did the police ignore the questions and demands of the peaceful protesters?
Not one response from the police during the fact-finding mission by the family, friends and community leaders about the fatal shooting of one of their own. Though the police later apologised for erring, apology came too late as all hell broke loose.
3. Riots:
Without condoning the wanton loss of properties and criminal acts by the senseless youth, the U.K is witnessing the manifestation of many underpinning issues.
Stupid policies on human rights, limitations of the law enforcers, welfarism and its abuse, moral decadence, spiritual death, bad parenting, social injustice, racial divide etc.
The latest myopic
economic policies that impact social needs, benefits cuts, unemployment,
misplaced priorities etc haven't exactly ameliorated the situation. It wasn't a
matter of if but when: Inevitable Chaos.
-M.B.O
2012©
2012©
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