The Mob Mentality Rules Again, OK?

Watching the clear-up of the debris and the verbal exchanges at press conferences this morning (Sunday 7th August) following Saturday's disturbances in the NorthEast London suburb of Tottenham, one is reminded of how mob rules and news agendas falter once again.

It was only when crowds took to the streets, a bus was torched and a shop was reduced to a crumbling wreck were the news cameras there to witness. There was no story in the alleged police shooting of an individual in the area two days previous; no comments were passed or column inches sullied with the accusations or reasons behind the death of the 29 year old Mark Duggan. This was hushed over until the visual, vocal and violent protests of a discontented crowd were displayed on plasmas and echoed for many miles around.

This is not to insinuate or to question the actions surrounding the events, but the sudden attention given to Tottenham demonstrates that the mob mentality rules if views are to air. There is yet to be any analysis behind the motivations for Saturday's actions in Tottenham.  Light must be shed and this can and never will come from the work of an arsonist. All reason has failed when eyes turn to such actions.

However, what on the outside appears as a legitimate news line, the alleged shooting of an individual in Tottenham by the Metropolitan Police, was not followed until the retaliation was so large that one could not ignore it. Seeking justice cannot condone the actions of those involved but neither can the refusal so far to understand what brought them to these actions.

If the Nick Davies' 'Flat Earth News theory is to be pursued further, Why was the shooting not reported when it occurred? Was it lower on the news agenda that day? Was there a press release that was missed? Or was the filing of a press release missed?  Where were the balanced reporters objectively following events without the requirement of a statement?

Perhaps there is no conspiracy here? Arguably there was motivation and justification for the initial trigger, particularly when borne in mind the contention that the officer was shooting in retaliation to a bullet fired from Duggan's handgun. Perhaps the accusations are initially inaccurate and without clarification, an unknown story is a non-story (a motto that should be followed in more minor stories of tabloid tittle-tattle) But either way questions should not just be asked but answered if we are to see an end to the shortcut route to headline grabbing, the unproductive and unsocial mob mentality dragging disorder and society to its most crude and Neanderthal depths.

Kenny's King of the post-facto

Enda Kenny has excelled in his reactions. He was the master of promises but the first 100 days witnessed a bit of a slump - simply because noone started the fire and Kenny never managed to learn how to light a match. Perhaps years on the 'other' benches has given him a strong sense of batting back, of pointing out the Achilles heel and lecturing on how not to do things without ever needing  to make a suggestion on that oft used phrase, "the way forward". I am quickly realising that while he will return serve, he does not have the ability to smash an ace.

So we have moved from the king of inactivity to the Tsar of Reactivity. It took Greece's default and Europe/IMF fear of a contagion effect that granted a renewal of terms on the Irish deal. On the powerful speech he gave to the Dáil on the abuse of children in religious care, was instigated by a week of high emotions leading from the Cloynes report and the blatant ignorance of the Catholic church to respond remorseful or with any conviction, some of the protagonists even fled the country. In fact, you could argue that it took the Vatican's emphatic line that it would not be governed by the laws of a nation state that sparked his flame that was so warmly received by the people.

So where can we go from here? Having established a characteristic whereby our estememed leader cant be proactive, how are we going to, well 'go forward'.?  Do we assess how far he needs to be irked before the strikes a killer punch or a feeble slap at best (he has form in the latter).

It is arguable thst it is a trait rife in Fine Gael leaders. "The Green Isle" ultimatum  he unleashed on the Bruton Bunch before the attempted Coup ladt year so that his fangs are shown and sharpened by such experiences. It has been said that Alan Dukes' strongest moment came when he was being removed from the top spot.

Regardless, somethung needs to be done. Five years of post-facto action will not be fun!