Arab Spring and the British Summer

Something about closing barn-doors....

I've been reading a lot about the riots which have erupted in major centres about England these last few days.  The catalytic event was the police slaying of a black father of four who was pulled out of cab and gunned down.  When pressed for reasons, the the police responded by saying that 'he shot first'...with a gun he didn't have.

The youth of Britain have their own response.  They have protested. They have rioted.  They have looted and they have burned.

There are many purported reasons for these actions, from the economic disaster which is the current capitalist system, long-standing prejudices between 'real' Britians and immigrants (read white and everyone else), breakdown of the social order,  power struggles within the scandal-ridden Scotland Yard and even viral consumerism taken to it's absurd conclusion, gansta rap music and the pervasive use of 'new-fangled technology' such as twitter. 

"Look out!  He's got a rhyme!"

I would take a lesson from our arab brothers this spring and say that there is a much deeper problem.

When those who are given power to govern abuse and neglect the governed...

When the rich exploit and suppress the poor...

When colour, creed, sex and even hair colour are things which separate and divide us...

When the old spend the future of the young and then spit in their faces...

This is when mankind sees others as 'less than', when he no longer recognizes the face of God in anyone, let alone everyone.  This is when we, individually and collectively, become inhuman.

That, IMO, is the root causal agent.  We have become so insular and detached that we do not see that BOTH the police AND the rioters are people...let alone that they are the children of God.  Those in power, be it in Damascus, Downing St. or D.C., would do well to recognize that and take whatever steps are needed to engage the 'hooligans' and the 'rabble', lest we all suffer.

P.S. - Sorry about the lack of posting.  Between holiday, some serious cogitation and the busy season starting at work, I have not had the opportunity to post.  I promise I'll put up something about the patron saint of the South soon.