generalspeaking

Lifting The Tedium

Trying to be all things to all people, generally fails. In this instance, it is a society that like most other European and North American societies feels it is incumbent on it as a wealthy country to accept migrants, both as immigrants and as refugees, as a humanitarian gesture. There are those kinds of traditions. And they go well beyond humanitarianism, they're also a self-defence mechanism in view of the fact that wealthy nations' populations are no longer naturally replacing themselves other than by immigration to respond to workforce needs.

Perhaps due diligence is not sufficiently taken when accepting immigrants, but there is another tradition at play in formerly colonial powers; that they readily accept people emanating from countries that were under their thrall before national liberation. There is that kind of obligation and inclination, to treat them as though they were quasi-British citizens, as part of the great Commonwealth of former British colonies.

It is always in a country's best interests to determine whether applicants for immigration status derive from cultures that might readily assimilate into the indigenous culture to minimize culture clash. Relying perhaps overmuch on left-over British traditions. It is also in the receiving country's best interests to ascertain whether would-be immigrants are well educated, with a professional background, and perhaps well endowed with money for investment in their new country.

Admittedly a best-case scenario, rarely realized except from venues like Hong Kong and Singapore.

To avoid resentments, and grievances, to avoid excessive use of public funds to assist newcomers through extensive social services like welfare and generous assisted housing, quite apart from universal health care. Britain appears to have gone out of its way as far as compensation is concerned, with its large immigrant population, many of whom lack a heritage esteeming education for their young and who consequently cannot find decent employment.

The welfare rolls burgeon with traditions from cultures where young women are left pregnant and abandoned by their young lovers, to raise their numerous children on their own. And, of course, on the dole. Where all of life's necessities are provided because society has a conscience, and the welfare recipients haven't much of one as far as perceived entitlements and personal choices and responsibilities are concerned.

The young man whose death spurred people to demonstrate peacefully, led by his grieving family, a case in point. He was 29 years old, long involved in drug dealing and gang memberships, and the father of four children. Well known to police, known to carry a firearm, he died violently in a still not-completely-understood exchange of gunfire. His death was the catalyst for riots that quickly followed in an opportunistic manner, leading to thugs looting and fire-bombing at will.

Over double the U.K. average of people living in Tottenham claim unemployment benefits; of those one-fifth are under the age of 24. Young, restless, not gainfully employed and bored, bored, bored. A riot, boisterous young people generally running amok, looting, texting friends to meet at certain venues, taunting police and getting away with criminal offences and violent crimes lifts the tedium.

Apparently, unapprehended crime proceeds and all that exciting fellowship-in-crime represent their own quite singular reward.

Labels: Britain, Chaos, Conflict, Crime, Societal Failures

posted by Pieface @ Tuesday, August 09, 2011