The London Riots: The Elephant in the Room

[smugaboo]

I am probably being too quick off the mark in posting this as people are still digesting what is happening in London and Birmingham. I have seen references on here to police "shutting down the internet" and "shooting protesters" (rubber bullets, so that's okay). Let's hope that's the shock talking. But when the dust settles and people start analysing the root causes of the riots (i.e. social problems, poverty, unemployment, cultural concerns) one thing that will inevitably be overlooked, or at least not given enough attention, is the fact that this is gendered violence. It hardly needs to be said that very few women are involved in the actual rioting although I don't doubt that there are quite a number involved in looting. The same can be said in most similar situations anywhere in the world.

So I guess what I'm interested in exploring is whether or not this is actually gendered violence as such. Are the wives, mothers and sisters of the protestors sitting at home cheering them on? Is the only reason they don't join in fear for personal safety? Or do they feel fundamentally differently? I mean, would they ever be the ones to precipitate the violence? Do the males feel more disaffected - or are they actually more disaffected (I hardly think so!). Or, controversially, does this opportunity stir up some innate desire in males to simply be violent?

I've got to disappear but I'd love to hear what you think.

It's usually the same people who gain and the rest that suffer.

yep Claig-
and considering that the goverment has been looking at america[theyre stystems]for a way to make cuts-[and not cause uproar in this country]
what a better way of implementing it-a "uprising"in this country eh!
right-im off to bed-goodnight everyone.

yes you're right, and that is why all this talk of evicting rioters from their council homes is worrying. I can't believe they will really do it, but who knows?

Good night.

Exactly SAF, well said.....though sadly it looks like the response to these riots will be reactionary, removing more of our collective rights, perpetuating current inequalities (see the Wandsworth council evictions) and no real drive to solve root cause issues.

'what we need is BETTER male role models. we need men not modelling the exact behaviour that these kids were engaged in. it isn't women teaching that violence is good and the mark of a strong human being. it is men.

turning this round to be the fault of women is predictable but is innacurate and changes nothing. this is male violence perpetrated by men, role modelled by men at EVERY level of society. it is men who need to start behaving better and setting better examples and to stop excusing each other for greed, violence and social immorality.'

No one, not one of the ex-gang member youth workers or politicians, is saying this is the fault of single mothers. All of them are saying this is the fault of men, of absent fathers and absent role models. They are all agreeing that we need better male role models, men who don't abandon their children, and stay around to help bring them up and act as positive role models for them. They are saying that these young men went off the rails due to their lack of good male role models and the substitution of violent gangs as their male role models. It has got nothing to do with single mothers, everything to do with the absence of fathers. The people in these communities have been saying this for ages, as have politicians too. Everybody has known it, but have not done enough to change things and help young people stay together to bring their children up.

Except by doing that you mytholgise the missing male role model and undermine the present mother....which makes it utter bullshit.

Male role models are important for boys. Everybody knows it and has always known it. That is why there is a great drive to try and recruit more male teachers to work in primary schools. Similarly, it is very important for young black boys to have good male role models of black male teachers. These things are well known and understood.

snowmama, it's not mythologising and bullshit. That's why they try to recruit males to work as teachers in primary school. It's not bullshit, it's common sense.
No one says it's single mothers' fault. That is what you keep reading into it. It's the fault of the feckless males, both the fathers and the boys.

The Guardian also knows it. All of society knows it, but not enough is being done to help these communities by creating more black male models

www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/apr/25/black-headteachers-schools

Spike Lee is also right. The black community knows it is true. Without good role models, the young can easily admire the gangs as a substitute

newsone.com/nation/associatedpress4/spike-lee-urges-more-black-men-to-become-teachers/

My point is this narrative about the missing.g fathers is what the gangs plug into, it is the drip drip of mysoginistic poison being dripped in our sons ears, that fundamentally undermines single mothers on every level.

Where we do agree in men in every sector of society need to step up and start role modelling better behaviour, but until that happens society would to well to proactively supporting other family models particularly single mothers.

Of course society should support single mothers, as they need the most help since they are bringing up children on their own. But that doesn't mean that male role models aren't important for young boys. The gangs plug into the missing fathers because they act as substitutes and substitute families, where the gang members will do anything for their homies as part of the gang that protects them.

No the gangs are plugging into the Guardian/youth worker/ Spike Lee narrative about the significance of missing fathers....

If single mothers were respected and supported in what they do it would be a different narrative....possibly based more on
male role models having to prove their worth...rather than being feed as significant regardless.

feed = seen

'possibly based more on male role models having to prove their worth'

But where are the male role models? They are absent. The fathers abandoned the mothers and children, and the black male teacher role models are in too short supply. It's not just the Guardian and Spike Lee and Obama and the Federal Government that think this is a problem. Most of the decision makers believe it is a problem and that is why they try to promote more black and male role models.

The reason it is so important is because children are being stabbed in the neck at bus stops by other children for the sake of mobile phones. It is getting worse, teenagers on bikes are chasing other teenagers into shops and randomly opening fire with guns and shopkeepers and 5 year old girls are being shot in the crossfire. It's a tragedy. Every loss of life and injury is a tragedy. It doesn't have to be that way. Role models are needed, but that's only half the solution. The other half is for police to eradicate the gangs from these estates, so that these bad role models no longer exist and can be replaced by good role models.

I have not denigrated single mothers at all and have not been offensive. I can't help how you think and perceive things, but I will not be bullied by your erroneous perceptions. I don't call you offensive, even though you falsely accuse me of being offensive.

My point is by concentrating on the missing male role models rather than supporting and celebrating those who do raise children the instituitions you have mentioned are guilty of perpetuating and reinforcing the problem that results in dead children...which agreed is a real problem.

.....but they are looking in the wrong direction and denigrating single mothers in the process.

I have not been offensive and have not bullied you. You disagree with my views, shared by the youth workers who were ex-gang members themselves, and call them offensive. Is Shaun Bailey offensive? Are all the government initiatives to encourage men not to abandon their children offensive?

'we only need male role models if social constructions of maleness become something worth modelling.'

So do these young children who grow up to be future gang members not need fathers as role models because the "social constructions of maleness" of the fathers are not worth modelling? I have more faith and belief in these men. I think they can be encouraged to be good parents and can help to create a good society. I don't think these men are worthless, are outcasts and gangsters who are destined to threaten society and the law. I think they can be encouraged to build strong societies and act as role models for young children.