Wednesday, August 10, 2011

UK Riots

Although I was here when it happened, UK Riots reminds me of Jakarta's riots in 1998. The looting, the marauding people, the rampaged through shops and torched vehicles.

I do have concerned seeing pictures of the riots full of immigrants running amok and pictures of white people cleaning up the mess. I dont know if it was really the case, but I assumed there were plenty white people taking part in the riots, just as there were plenty of colored people joining the clean up.

Just as I am concerned with how the media keeps creating connection with between Moslem & terrorism, I am concerned that the media fueling the hatred towards immigrants.

Sure, there are stories about how Turkish shopkeepers fighting the mob to protect their properties, three Asian men got killed while protecting their business, but what you see is more powerful than just words.

My point is, not all immigrants/colored are bad/having bad value, just as not all white are good/having better value. But since the media keeps sending out message that there's nothing good about immigrants, if the Brits are not becoming more anti-immigration after this, I would've been surprised.

3 comments:

colson said...

Of course the looting and vandalism is not a white or black vice. Young, unemployed people without any hope for a future, living in the neglected district, put up a fight with the police( authorities), destroy whatever is in sight and steal from local shops and each other.

It's no wonder immigrants are overrepresented. The majority of these unemployed,.... etc ,youths are immigrants. But a substantial part of the rioters I saw being interviewed on TV, were white guys ( and girls) actually.

Perhaps that's another way of discrimination by the media ?

Unknown said...

I agree with Colson.

Actually Britain has been famous for its brutal hooligans especially when they supporter their football team.
Some years ago several countries have banned them.

triesti said...

@colson perhaps different media outlet focusing on different angle. It seems like media is focusing on racial tension, instead of the state of the under privilege youth with lack of education, job and respect to others.

@harry I remember that.