Letter: It's wrong to blame government and let parents off the hook

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17: I read with interest Ms Davida Morris’ reports on the riots in England and she speaks with authority because she has seen ‘first hand some of the complex social problems in London poorest boroughs working with Kids Company’. Fair enough.

She says these ‘youths are bored with nothing to do. They are hanging around in their areas, outside the chip shop. They are running the streets’. Fair enough.

Then she starts the ‘blame game’. Fair enough.

But what is not right is that in all her ‘blaming’ it is all governments’ fault; there is not one word or mention of the parents of these youths.

But I ask; did government breed these children? Did government raise these children? Why is government responsible and not the parents?

Do not first responsibilities always go to the parents? They should be held responsible for raising children that are bored or allowed to hang out outside chip shops — or on walls.

Responsibilities

Yes, neglect is behind these problems but to always and only harp upon governments’ duty to its citizens without once mentioning the responsibilities of the parents is to insure — once again — these problems will not have a chance of being improved.

You will never, ever, solve a problem if you do not recognise the root problems.

Instead of trying to ‘fix’ broken children, why can’t we move towards not creating broken children? Then we wouldn’t have to fix them.

Stop assigning blame on just the government. If you are to show me a neglected, bored child, an angry child, a child of violence, I will show you a child that was raised without love and or discipline and or firmness and or understanding and or patience by the parents. (There are a few exceptions to this but not enough of them to start a riot).

As for using water cannon on them — it is not supposed to change how they feel. It is to stop them from vandalism, burning and looting.

Mark Emmerson

Pembroke