Originally Posted by Bonjour43MA
(Post 7479315)
It's been 3 days since this bullshit happened, and yet I still watch in disbelief at every video that's been posted, where kids/young adults kick, punch, fight, throw things, destroy properties, set cars on fire, gang up on helpless individuals, and conduct themselves in such ways that it makes Vancouver look like a third world, under-privileged country.
There are kids that are University prospects or are currently enrolled, and many that come from affluent backgrounds as well. I still cannot comprehend, or ACCEPT what had happened, and like many others are looking for answers that could somehow explain their behaviors.
I was caught up in the G20 riot in Toronto last year when work sent me there for 2 weeks, and remember being in the crowd with my camera (I was out and about, checking out the city). I can understand what it feels like to be "caught up in the moment" and have your adrenaline running, but at NO POINT during that experience did I even THINK about participating in the riot. I just don't understand why these people, espeically ones that are "educated" (University students), can commit something like this and had absolutely no self-control or common sense to guide themselves out of the situation.
Why do kids these days behave this way, and have the capacity to unleash such destruction on their environment? Is it Hollywood? HipHop music that promotes "gangster" life stlyes? Videogames like GTA? Bad parenting? Failing education system? Weak justice system? What is it?
I am more shocked at this riot than the G20 one one for several reasons:
- The G20 riot was mainly led by those that deployed the black bloc tactic, and few individuals joined in, whereas our riot seemed to have been started by those that came down here with rioting in mind, and then it spiraled out of control with many more kids joining in the mayhem throughout pockets of the city
- The G20 at least had a political undertone to it, and even though rioting is not a way to get the message across, it had a POINT. Ours? ABSOLUTELY NO POINT to the riot other than destruction of properties and "fun time" had by those that were here.
- The G20 rioters were clear-cut in who their targets were: big corporations and the police. They did not attack by-standers or anyone that had nothing to do with the G20. Ours? people fighting each other, beating each other up, ganging up on those that fight back.
- Looting! I remember almost no looting occurred at the G20 riot, where as ours had countless incidents at major shops where almost everyone had a piece of the action. Where are the moral values in these peoples minds?
- This was LITERALLY in my backyard, as I work and live downtown.
I acutally feel less safe now, knowing that we have SO MANY people out there (in Vancouver and the suburbs), espeically kids, that are capable of horrid crimes against other fellow citizens. I won't be surprised that a major riot is highly likely in the event of significant natural disasters and those that had participated in this riot that stole, hurt, and disobeyed, will repeat their actions and take it to the next level (killing).
Shocked, just shocked and still in disbelief that so many people are still capable of acting this way.
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