I've had emails this morning from kind and concerned relatives and friends that I very much appreciated asking me if I'm anywhere near the scene of the riots / organised looting that's been going on for the last few days and if I'm OK. I called my sister this morning because she lives by herself near the centre of Croydon, which isn't very big.

I also had an email from my local MP, Lynne Featherstone, that irritated me quite a bit. With language like "we have all been shocked and devastated" and flannel about how the authorities must act swiftly against this "terrifying violence and destruction", she parrotted what's been referred to as "the drumbeat of fear and contempt pouring out of the corporate media" (Indymedia) in a very annoying way.

Um no, don't presume to speak for me. Not everyone thinks that demonising the "spontaneous outbursts of frustration on the part of the poorest people in British society" (Indymedia again) is helpful. You might not be able to, Lynne, but some people can think beyond the level of commentary available on the BBC and the Guardian. 

The answer is that we are quite near and that we are fine, and...

...bumbling along in our usual apathetic and disengaged manner. At least I am, I wouldn't want to speak for anyone else.

Fortunately for us (now speaking for The Designer again), although we are not part of the very well-off SUV brigade that populates our fairly affluent corner of Haringey, we are also not the poorest of the poor. Or poor, even. Therefore, we do not feel an overriding need to go out and help ourselves to a plasma screen. We do, however, have some insight into the level of desperation and disaffection that might drive someone to do such a thing. 

I'm not presuming to set my self up as an expert. I don't actually *have* a TV (I wonder if there are any eBay bargains to be had?) so what I've gleaned has been from the small amount of readable commentary I've been able to find. I'd be very happy to have a polite and civilised conversation if anyone wants a slightly 'insider' perspective, but I suspect my opinons are likely to be unpopular and that people mostly don't want their world views to be challenged (I'd like to think I can cope with it, but I'm probably kidding myself), and that's fine.

I suppose all I'm trying to say in this post is that the most important thing for me is to try to move beyond simple binaries  - the kind where people who dare to see things in shades of grey are positioned as 'condoning violence'.

Context is all. (The link just goes to the comment I referenced above - I am an academic after all...)

And after the cut (If I've done it right) is the whole of Lynne Featherstone's email to her constituents. I'd prefer not to reproduce it as I think she's a silly woman, but I suppose she can't help it:

( Read more... )

I started a new journal but I was missing my old name, so I bought a rename token and here I am.

ETA - as may be obvious, I've refriended a bunch of you. Hope you're OK with that. I've missed being here and looking forward to catching up.

It bugs me when shows use unconsciousness as a device to show time passing, as in "You've been out for two days."

It hacks me off more than it should when TV shows I'm watching miss a week.