Could you honestly say you would not have joined in?

[Arturo Bassick]

How many of us, hand on heart, could say that there is no way we would have joined in the riots?

I am of a certain age now and am fairly confident I would not engage in this kind of behaviour, but I was fairly "colourful" in my youth.

I am not so sure that had this happened around me in my earlier life that I would not have joined in the riots. I do not believe I have ever been a thief and would hope that I would not have joined the looting, but I am not certain.

I am enraged by what I have seen in the last few days and the grumpy old man in me wants to see draconian punishments meted out, but there is a little voice in the back of my head that keeps saying "that's you that is".

[shaunbhoy]

How many of us, hand on heart, could say that there is no way we would have joined in the riots?

I can!!!!

[NotAllThere]

Yes, I can. I would not have joined in.

[wobbegong]

I bloody well can! What a stupid question.

I was brought up knowing the difference between right and wrong, that stealing and vandalism are wrong. I wasn't brought up thinking the world owes me a bloody living and all I have to do is hold my hand out, if you want money, property and the trappings of a comfortable life you get off your arse and work for it.

[AlfredJPruffock]

Well I must say that if it was a looted shop which had trainers or clothes - then no.

But if it was a music shop with a Fender Strat 75 that I had me heart set on - well ....


We can't dance, we don't talk much, we just ball and play
But then we move like tigers on vaseline
Well the bitter comes out better on a stolen guitar
You're the blessed, we're The Spiders From Mars

[mudskipper]

Not a stupid question.

I certainly had some pretty disaffected friends who could have been there. If I had been with them when it kicked off, who knows? I'm certain I wouldn't personally have vandalised / looted, but I can imagine a situation where I would have been there alongside those who were.

I think it depends where you grew up / who you hung out with / how much you hated 'the establishment'.

[TraceRacing]

I wouldn't have joined in, and I believe that my children (between 20 and 26) would not have joined in either.

[cailin maith]

I bloody well can! What a stupid question.

I was brought up knowing the difference between right and wrong, that stealing and vandalism are wrong. I wasn't brought up thinking the world owes me a bloody living and all I have to do is hold my hand out, if you want money, property and the trappings of a comfortable life you get off your arse and work for it.

WHS

[MrRobin]

I definitely would NOT have joined in.

I might have stood and watched tho rather than getting out the way.

[Churchill]

Not a stupid question.

I certainly had some pretty disaffected friends who could have been there. If I had been with them when it kicked off, who knows? I'm certain I wouldn't personally have vandalised / looted, but I can imagine a situation where I would have been there alongside those who were.

I think it depends where you grew up / who you hung out with / how much you hated 'the establishment'.

Bollocks!