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Ella-Henderson
Is that the pot calling the kettle black?
Politicians recently slammed young people involved in the recent riots as ‘feral’ and destructive. But a closer examination of our leaders reveals that when they were teenagers, they weren’t much better
Written by Ella-Henderson
16/09/2011 12:16 PM

CONVICTION: As a teenager Clegg was sentenced to
community service for arson

NOVELIST AND essayist Kurt Vonnegut Jr once said true terror is to wake up one morning and discover that your classmates are running the country.

One month on, the riots and reasons behind the civil unrest are still making headline news. Central to the conversation are folks trying to find the right tick-boxes for the ‘feral’ behaviour of some of today’s youth and the root causes that led to such destructive behaviour.

As the Government and its advisors go around and around in circles trying to figure out the problems I would suggest that the answers may be closer to home than they might think. As is often the case the answers we seek are often right in front of us if we care to look.

It is known, yet not widely publicised that some our esteemed leaders and captains of industries were members of the 150-year-old Burlington Club, an exclusive albeit notorious dining club at Oxford University. Notable former members of the Burlington Club include Prime Minister David Cameron, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne and Mayor of London Boris Johnson.

The club has no permanent rooms and is notorious for its members' wealth and destructive binges where posh eateries and bars are smashed. According to Wikipedia, membership was (and still is) by invitation only, and prohibitively expensive for most, given the need to pay for the uniform, dinners and ensuing damages that go with trashing restaurants and bars. Boris Johnson was said to have tried burning down a restaurant toilet!

Although not a member Deputy leader Nick Clegg had his own issues too – he has a criminal conviction for arson. Yes people, arson. As a result the then 16-year-old exchange student in Munich, was given community service for setting fire to a rare collection of cacti in what is affectionately described as a “drunken prank".

ANSWERS

My point is that if Cameron and Co were to cast their minds back to what they would describe as their “high spirited days” they may just find the answers as to why some people feel the need to destroy and trash other people’s property and livelihoods. They also need to ask themselves why they felt the need to join the posh boy’s gang, The Burlington Club. Was it peer pressure? Was it a need to fit in? Or was it simply because they could?

Of course this will be of little comfort to those currently languishing in prison for the sheer stupidity of stealing water or two scoops of ice cream. It is something though when you realise that perhaps the tipping point for rioters and the politicians are really not that unlike. The main difference for the latter group however is connections, money and power.

Your Voice

Comments

Two wrongs dont make a right

Anonymous's picture
Anonymous

Two wrongs dont make a right becuase poitition in thier youth were vagabonds and britain was built on looting is no excuse for us black people to do the same. It is cheap and sick to use the past to justify criminal acts. Why cant we rise above and take a higher moral ground insetad of wallowing in the same filth.

Mon, 2011-10-17 19:44

Joke

Anonymous's picture
Anonymous

Sorry why is everyone only commenting. If you know that britain was built on LOOTING - MURDERING, SLAVED FORCED LABOUR AND other attrocities why are you just commenting!

The actions of yesterday is only manifesting itself today.

Nthing new there. you should be, with every toher person using your bloody will and might to petition and gather groups of people too get those youngsters out of that whole they create for predominantly BLACK people. Stop the talking. These kids revolted against BLACK murder in the community. Yes the guy had a gun (sad) but he's just another number added to all the rest of the youths and elders killed by these racists! They vented the AGNGER THE OLDER GENERATION LOST - LOOTING WHATEVER - THEY HAD ENOUGH! There's a bloody tree in Briton outside the police station with all the recent victims killed by the police. These pictures are replaced every other month it seems - HOW THE FUCK IS THAT NORMAL - what other community is picked on sooo much by a bunch of racists running the force?? Why do you think these kids started what they started. The older generation have done the marches - they've marched again and again and again - days after another person is murdered by the police. I really hate to say it but our community is shit!

Thu, 2011-09-22 02:11

It just shows you that there

Anonymous's picture
Anonymous

It just shows you that there is one rule for rich and another for the poor. A white-collar worker could steal a million pounds and not go to jail, while a jobless person can steal food and go to jail for 6 months. Both are crimes but only one is punished.

*Just to note Cameron had membership to the Bullingdon Club (stated as Burlingtonin article).

Wed, 2011-09-21 17:12

Yes Rich and Poor

Anonymous's picture
Anonymous

Sorry why is everyone only commenting. If you know that britain was built on LOOTING - MURDERING, SLAVED FORCED LABOUR AND other attrocities why are you just commenting!

The actions of yesterday is only manifesting itself today.

Nthing new there. you should be, with every toher person using your bloody will and might to petition and gather groups of people too get those youngsters out of that whole they create for predominantly BLACK people. Stop the talking. These kids revolted against BLACK murder in the community. Yes the guy had a gun (sad) but he's just another number added to all the rest of the youths and elders killed by these racists! They vented the AGNGER THE OLDER GENERATION LOST - LOOTING WHATEVER - THEY HAD ENOUGH! There's a bloody tree in Briton outside the police station with all the recent victims killed by the police. These pictures are replaced every other month it seems - HOW THE FUCK IS THAT NORMAL - what other community is picked on sooo much by a bunch of racists running the force?? Why do you think these kids started what they started. The older generation have done the marches - they've marched again and again and again - days after another person is murdered by the police. I really hate to say it but our community is shit! No backbone for anything - they may as well go back to lynching black people, raping them and etc in public.

Thu, 2011-09-22 02:10

Britain was built upon

Anonymous's picture
Anonymous

Britain was built upon looting (not that I am condoning the actions of the rioters) and continues to do so in Iraq, Afghanistan and now Libya I'm sure.

The Government (and whom they serve) just needed a 'distraction' to take our focus away from their dirty deeds.

So what do they do? As usual create a problem: keep the poor...poor. Encourage meaningless arts and fund 'no future' dance clubs that have taken black youth back to the days of performing like minstrels. Then one day reality hits them in the face...BANG! I've been duped! Yes. Should have paid more attention listening to your elders/parents than those pushing you to become the next teenage 'star'. Sorry. Only 0.1% make it in entertainment these days better to get an education. Yes. real education opens doors to endless social, economical and professional opportunities and travel. Why do you think they've raised tuition fees dummy??

Either you take the bait and end up in a net, or continue up stream looking for real food.

Tue, 2011-09-20 16:44
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