How can you look at your own citizens, demonstrating their anger the only way they know will be heard, and not even have the decency to try to understand? Imagine if you, at home, used this technique of “fight-back” with your kids every time they had a temper tantrum. Before you know it, you’ll be jailed, and lose custody of your children. Why shouldn’t it go the same way for these people who call themselves politicians, but in reality, are more like modern versions of emperors?
The mainstream analysis of England’s trouble is that the youth gangs are rioting in the city. And of course, these youths are predominantly Muslims, Turks and immigrants. What a perfect profile for a crime! They also tell us that the gangs got help from the *”INTERNET”* and other extremist groups. This is really deep thinking! Mr. Cameron didn’t spend a minute to try to understand the real challenges facing these communities. These youth represent the residue of the current economic system – with meaningless temporary jobs, underpaid and overworked, living in the poorest neighborhoods with almost nonexistent urban planning. And on top of all this, these youth are faced daily with the strong contradictions between their family and cultural values and norms, and the new world they must negotiate, but one that doesn’t really want to have anything to do with them!
This discontent among the youth is widespread. On August 9th, 100,000 students protested in Santiago, Chile, for inadequate access to meaningful education. In Spain and in the rest of Europe, *”los indignados”* have been occupying the squares in many cities for over a month. And, of course, we need to recall what happened and continues to happen in Egypt and the rest of the middle east.
The majority of these youth have no place to go. Then don’t recognize themselves in the values and directions of the violent and undemocratic society they are living in. We have to understand that the status quo can’t continue much longer for the majority of people. The force of the future is taking a step forward, defying the irrational present. We need to support the youth in their aspirations. We don’t have much to lose (if anything) and have everything the gain. Maybe the revolution that everyone was talking about and aspiring for is right outside our doors. Maybe the real fight-back – against poverty, wars and discrimination – is finally under way.
