"We have become fearful of all children. We know for example young crime in itself has remained fairly static in the last ten years - it is a minority that cause problems and retaliate. The demonisation of children and young people in some sections of the media and when politicians refer to youngsters as yobs - that breeds the actual fear. Respect is not a one way process. Bad behaviour by adults is almost celebrated in today's society but when youngsters misbehave people say they do not have any respect. Respect is about all of us getting together."
Too true. And from Nick Pearce of the IPPR:
“The debate about childhood in Britain is polarised between false opposites: that either children or adults are to blame. It also ignores inequalities in the transition to adulthood. Many children are safer, healthier and better educated than in the past, whilst others suffer complex, traumatic routes through adolescence. A rise in social paedophobia will simply make matters worse...These days, adults tend to turn a blind eye or cross over on the other side of the road rather than intervene in the discipline of another person’s child, often because they fear they might be attacked.”
An IPPR report, Freedom’s Orphans: Raising Youth in a Changing World, will be published next month. Boy Dave was right about hugging a hoodie. Trouble is, who wants to go first?
At least it hasn't got as bad as the 1920s razor gangs. The Doug and Dinsdale type are still confined to a relatively small area.
Posted by: james higham | October 23, 2006 at 12:12 PM
I blame Scarface.
A guy I used to work with said, "look at Cribs- every brother's house has a Scarface poster".
I am not a regular "Cribs" viewer, but the one time I did see it, sure enough, some guy had a giant "Scarface" print in his room.
Look up and down the Stokey High Road. Any shop targetting young boys has a Scarface poster.
I saw my former colleague the other day and asked "why Scarface?"
To my utter amazement, a 20-30 something black lady former colleague's eyes lit up, "because Tony Montana lived the American Dream". It wasn't just the total screwing up of what the American Dream is that got me- this lady is on her way to senior management within a inner-london local authority.
No matter how much my colleague tried to explain where Tony Montana went wrong- never was going to live to be a pensioner, no legacy of substance- she rejected all of that as crap.
"Live fast, die young, ruthlessly take what you want because no fucker is going to give it to you- and do anyone who stands in the way.
Charming.
Replace Scarface as the unspoken paradigm for success-and you will crack "youth" and "crime" issues in this country.
Posted by: kris | October 23, 2006 at 12:54 PM
Ah I used to work at Ippr just reading Nick Pierce's name brought back memories.
Agree Hug a Hoodie has the right sentiment behidn it. But why did it have to be from Cameron?
Posted by: City Slicker | October 23, 2006 at 02:06 PM
I won't respond at length, James, Kris and C.S. If I start I may never stop and with no guarantee of making sense. It's such a tricky one. Meantimes, where black boys are concerned, look at this...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6080096.stm
...and see what you think.
Posted by: Dave Hill | October 24, 2006 at 07:07 PM