Al Churchill

The rioting taking place in England has a much deeper meaning than just mindless violence. It is a wake up call for the leaders of the country, it is a message to tell them “things ain’t ok”.
It is all very easy for those of us more fortunate or in a more comfortable situation to just tell these people to stop ‘being idiots’, I too am guilty of that, as this is my initial reaction to the violence. However, for someone to actually enjoy going out into their own city and trash it to make it even worse than it is has to be a cry for help in some way?
I tend to be a happy go lucky person and as such, when I feel any elements of self doubt or pain, I brush it to one side and say, “ahh, whatever, I’ll be ok, let’s think happy thoughts and laugh about it, tomorrow’s another day”. This to some extent works and has enabled me a happy life, but in recent months I have been subjected to information that recommends the opposite type of behavior. It recommends we look at the pain and really feel it, assess why it’s there and address the root of the problem. Because if we don’t, the problem will remain and months or years down the road, you will be feeling the same negative energy and you will again just avoid it until one day it hits so hard that it breaks you and some kind of ‘mid-life crisis’ or nervous breakdown occurs. Many people tend to suppress their emotions, covering them up in a hope they will just go away, just to later find out they have been growing and growing and could even be manifesting as an illness or disease. On the other hand, some people dwell for too long on their negative emotions, instead of getting to the root of it, they sink right into it and can never see the light. Getting the balance is key.

I think the same is true with the riot situations in Britain. The society is feeling pain, it’s a deep set trauma that can not just be brushed under the street cleaners, it is a sign, not only to the leaders of the country, but to the inhabitants of the world, that things are terribly wrong underneath the brave exterior. Society is breaking down. I feel that one needs to ask the questions why? Why are these people rioting? Why are these people unhappy? Why have these people nothing to lose? Why do we just want to silence their voices? Why is the situation the way it is?
These are all relevant and difficult questions, but someone in power really needs to get their head around them. I can see America following suit pretty soon with all the financial unrest. The classes are slowly getting further and further apart, and those near the bottom want to be heard.

So rather than condemn them, maybe try and put yourself in their shoes and if you feel an alternative to behaving the way they are, let’s communicate that to them. If the only way people will pay them attention is for them to smash up your town, then maybe we need to start paying them attention before it gets to that.
People do desperate things in desperate times and in the only way they know. These individuals are not to blame, the whole of society is at fault. So each and everyone one of us, needs to change our ways. We are all in this together, the further we drift apart, the worse it becomes. So whether you are a rioter or a street cleaner, I ask you to examine your ways and ask yourself what is it that you can do to make this world a better place. What is it that is truly eating away at you and how you can address it. I know there are people out there that can make things happen in a positive way. Take all that negative energy and convert it into positive.

It is not them and us, it is just us. Us – We – Life.