Mindless Actions / Emotional Reactions
Upon logging into Facebook this evening, I found myself feeling somewhat shocked at the amount of my friends’ status updates condemning the student protests today in London.
Words like ‘whinging’, ‘mindless’ and a particularly worrying statement reading ‘gas the lot of them’ filled my homepage from around four o’clock onwards. This irked me to the point of opening up my Microsoft Word program.
The point that stoked my flames more vigorously than others was that thinking back to last week, just hours after the clash between Birmingham City and Aston Villa football ‘supporters’, not one status had referred to the sickening violence that occurred the evening before.
Surely, that coming together of hundreds of ‘fans’, in which policemen were attacked, innocent bystanders were injured and young children were spat on is harder to stomach than a group of young, passionate students of higher education? It would seem not.
Why would nobody care to comment on the genuinely mindless, aggressive actions of the supporters of two sports teams that haven’t represented what their supporters stand for in over twenty years? Is it because hooliganism has been glamorised in films such as Football Factory and Green Street? Or is it because it has become ingrained in our national psyche to accept that violence in football is acceptable?
I pose these questions without any attempt at answering them, sorry folks. The point of this article is not to defend or condone the actions of the protesters, for what it’s worth, I personally feel that violence is not the answer in any situation, but my point is to highlight the fact that there are those who do not realise the hypocrisy of their comments. At times, myself included.
However, surely one can understand that the protesters that feel anger, resentment and disappointment at the perceived betrayal of those within the coalition government who went back on their word? Those who shaped their manifesto around maintaining the level of tuition fees? Students and parents fear that they will be priced out of gaining an education that could better their own lives as well as help to improve the Britain of the future. And finally they may also feel disillusioned that those who hold the power now appear hell bent on driving a wedge between the ‘haves’ and 'have nots.’
Actions and reactions are two different things. But there is a difference between a mindless action, and an emotional reaction.
Sub-Editor note: As with everything on theSprout, this article represents the personal views of the author and not necessarily those of theSprout. If this article has riled you, please comment below or submit an article, but don’t get all sniffy and ask for its removal. We are living in interesting times and we could do with a bit of debate. Chocks away!
Info Education Higher Education
Info World, Europe, UK & Wales Politics UK Politics
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2 Comments – Post a comment
CeefaxOfLife
Commented 66 months ago - 10th December 2010 - 11:10am
Hear, hear!
Scott Choucino
Commented 66 months ago - 11th December 2010 - 09:36am
I am glad others think this way too. I am very annoyed at the lib dems. But I understand the realities of a co-gov' which many seem to just not grasp.
I have also noted that the main protesters getting in trouble seem to be of a certain class..... Funny that.