Friday, August 12, 2011

Why Are Explanations Suddenly the Same as Support????

I find the recent discourse on the riots in England sad and tragic but I guess it is typical of any state apparatus from Syria to the UK to marginalize insurrectionists, calling them common criminals or terrorists.

What really aggravates me is that if one attempts to explain the root causes of the insurrection, it is viewed as being tantamount to condoning every kind of violence. Again, this is a technique used by leaders in almost every country. They are always desperate to demonize anyone who stands against the status quo. However, if one is even vaguely aware of history they know that if you leave people living in misery and desperation, without eductions and without hope for their futures, they will eventually rebel. It is as simple as that. However, to suggest that this understanding is a uniform advocation of violence of all kinds, is absurd.

Here is an imaginary news transcript to make the point.

Reporter; We are talking with Joe Aeroguy, an expert in airplane safety about the recent rash of airline accidents. Mr. Aeroguy, what do you think has led to these terrible accidents?

Mr. Aeroguy: Well, in the past few years the government has loosened the safety regulations concerning regular maintenance and the Airline companies have found many ways to cut corners on their regular maintenance program. We in the safety industry have been saying for years that these cutbacks would eventually lead to accidents and loss of life.

Reporter: Are you saying that you condone these accidents??

Mr. Aeroguy: WTF??


Exactly! Pointing out that insurrections are a perfectly predictable result of years of oppression, systemic racism, failure to provide services, and a basic lack of hope, is not the same as advocating violence. Rather, it is a call to fix what is wrong instead of demonizing and marginalizing the people who are reacting to something that many of us have never had to endure.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I can't believe that Mr. Aeroguy, trying to make up excuses for those criminal, accident-causing, nuts and bolts. Shameful.