Ah, the spirit of Christmas...

[acm]

This is what we are reduced to. Killing people to be first in the queue to buy shit that we do not need or can really afford.

Oxford Street - 26/12/2011

The spirit of Christmas today. Materialism, greed, false sentiments, people fighting and killing each other to get the latest bargain.

The Police actually have to draw tasers to keep the baying mob off a dying man.

*Edit to say*

And to think I wasted over 10 years of my life defending these mouth-breathing wastes of oxygen. Can I have those back please?

[DJKillaQueen]

Bbc radio reported that it was a fight between two rival south london gangs out shoplifting in the same store. If that's true then bargain hunting had very little to do with it.

Sadly just another example of the shocking mentality of some young people that turns them into murderers.

[acm]

Well, in that case killing people to be first in the queue to steal shit that we do not need.

I still want my 10 years back.

[Mick Mac]

acm Wrote:

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> Well, in that case killing people to be first in

> the queue to steal shit that we do not need.

>

> I still want my 10 years back.

Sorry. What did you do to protect people exactly?

[Otta]

And from what did you protect them?

[woodrot]

This is an appalling waste of life and it not our place to pass judgement on what may / may not have happened on Oxford street.

With regard to the aquisition of shite we do not need, then we need to look a little more objectively at ourselves

50% of ED residents work in marketing & advertising, the other 50% are employed in the Financial sector.

One section create the demand, the other lend the money to purchase this crap - both are equally responsible for the explosion of the retail sector.

if demand was based on genuine need rather than the wasteful & targeted accululation of mindless frippery and branded crap, then the " vibrant "Lordship lane would be a parade of empty shops.And better for it

[Huguenot]

acm was in the armed forces.

[Ruffler]

woodrot Wrote:

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> 50% of ED residents work in marketing &

> advertising, the other 50% are employed in the

> Financial sector.

>

Err...I work in neither...

[Otta]

Huguenot Wrote:

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> acm was in the armed forces.

I thought so. I have a lot of respect for the armed forces, but I don't really go along with claims that they're protecting British citizens from anything much these days.

[Huguenot]

That's probably where a lot of the cynicism and anger comes from.

[Undisputedtruth]

The person who died seems to be a good kid. Mim Shaikh shares his thoughts on his blog http://mimshaikh.wordpress.com ./about/

[Alex K]

"The person who died seems to be a good kid" --

from today's TELEGRAPH on-line, this update: "Seydou, 18, who was on bail for robbery and assault at the time, suffered a single stab wound to the heart during a clash in a branch of the Foot Locker, sportswear shop at lunchtime on Monday."

Certain patterns of behaviour end with a run onto an opened knife. RIP.

[Annette Curtain]

Sadly another person has died unnecessarily .

Though i'm getting rather cynical & hardened to the "he was a good kid" strap line.

How many times has this happened & then pictures of them flipping gang signs et al appeared on line/facebook/etc.

Too many i'm afraid.

NETTE

[Undisputedtruth]

Perhaps I've taken a different view because I've grew up with lads who were essentially good but turned to crimininal activities in their late teens.

"Though i'm getting rather cynical & hardened to the "he was a good kid" strap line. "

It must be the book by David Lammy you're reading, Nette.

[Annette Curtain]

Undisputedtruth Wrote:

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> Perhaps I've taken a different view because I've

> grew up with lads who were essentially good but

> turned to crimininal activities in their late

> teens.

>

> "Though i'm getting rather cynical & hardened to

> the "he was a good kid" strap line. "

>

> It must be the book by David Lammy you're reading,

> Nette.

NO....but i'm trying to get some perspective on things

But your post did make me laugh.

Ever read The Prisons We Deserve by Andrew Coyle.

I don't know why but i'm strangely compeled to read this stuff.

NETTE

[Otta]

I'm kind of with UDT on this, based on my history, but equally, once embroiled in this stuff they are playing with fire.

I'm just sad that these kids seem not to hold much value, if any, for a life.

[Annette Curtain]

What history is that Otta.

NETTE

[Undisputedtruth]

Prison is just a finishing school for rookie criminals. It cost around ?50k to house each prisoner and most reoffend after leaving prison anyway.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/500000-crimes-a-year-by-repeat-offenders-2376582.html

[Otta]

Annette Curtain Wrote:

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> What history is that Otta.

>

> NETTE

History probably a bad choice of word. More my past, and the people from it.

[????]

Nette

Imagine being a young man on an estate where the estate down the road would stab you, just because of where you lived; an estate where at best you'd be ridiculed and probably beaten up (and possbly worse) for not joining up with the youths (gangs) on your estate'; imagine being from an estate where all the apparent status (including er sex/dosh etc) went to gang members; imagine getting a real sense of belonging and worth when there's not much apparent opportunity in your world - I can understand why most youths join these gangs and expect they are 95% good kids...I'd have joined

[DJKillaQueen]

I kind of have mixed views on this quids. You are right in that that is how many youngsters find themselves caught up in that world, but some kids do walk away from it too. Not every kid on an estate is drawn into criminal gang culture and not every estate has issues with gangs either (I know you weren't saying that).

But even on the quiet estates things happen from time to time and it suprises/ shocks the vast majority of decent people living there. I witnessed the tail end of what looked like a roberry by three youths onto another a month or so ago, but when I got to the victim, he'd been stabbed and cut more times than I could count (turned out to be 27 times).......and at the time I stayed calm and did what I needed to keep him alive (and he did survive) but for days after I was in shock.

These were KIDS trying to murder another kid (with a ferocity that is shocking).....and it seems, simply because he'd wandered onto 'territory' he shouldn't have. WTF is that all about...what is going on with these kids that makes them so ready to attack, kill and maim, and why do we keep making excuses for them or a society that doesn't care enough to do something meaningful? Should someone accused of assault even be on bail? Some of these youngsters are clearly dangerous. We should be able to protect society and other youngsters from them more effectively than we doing at present.

[Annette Curtain]

???? Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Nette

>

> Imagine being a young man on an estate where the

> estate down the road would stab you, just because

> of where you lived; an estate where at best you'd

> be ridiculed and probably beaten up (and possbly

> worse) for not joining up with the youths (gangs)

> on your estate'; imagine being from an estate

> where all the apparent status (including er

> sex/dosh etc) went to gang members; imagine

> getting a real sense of belonging and worth when

> there's not much apparent opportunity in your

> world - I can understand why most youths join

> these gangs and expect they are 95% good

> kids...I'd have joined

I know ????'s

all the people.

NETTE:-S