Violence in London

[Zo Zo]

In my experience, and only my experience, I can't speak for everyone everywhere, but when myself and my son had to move out, plus I have long term health conditions, the council seemed to be housing the 'trouble makers' that signed up for housing along with me, first.

Were they known by authorities to cause havoc when they didn't get what they wanted- Yes.
Was it meant to be a point system to get housing- Yes.
Do I suspect the trouble makers were housed quicker over the quieter people in need- Yes.
Did I end up having to get private housing- Yes.
Is there plenty of private housing out there- Yes.

I think these trouble makers have manipulated the system like a little toddler can manipulate its parents, if it sees a weaknesses and can see when it has tantrums it gets what it wants, then the toddler will continue to have tantrums... but one day the toddler will push so far, that serious action needs to be taken.

These people hadn't ever been stupid, they had been very clever. They filled out forms and sat on their backsides and got paid. They became stupid when they wanted more, and then started some kind of 'war' to get more...

so they should go to the very beginning and start like so many people had done after the world wars. With nothing. Society is too easy on these sorts of people. We don't owe them anything.

I don't necessarily disagree with you (except on one point.)

But I don't see how it can happen. Yes, there are people in life who can start with nothing and make a life for themselves, whether it be a simple life or a successful (extravagant) life. But for this to happen the individuals need to have at least some degree of intelligence and a good work ethic. The people in question don't have these qualities, esp. the work ethic. We don't really have the working classes anymore, not many people want to be a cleaner or a bin man these days.

As the population has grown and we as a country have become overcrowded, and our class system has disappeared, we have naturally acquired a larger population of 'trash.'

The point I disagree with you on is that they are clever / sat on their backsides / got paid. Got paid? Yes, we have a benefits system but it is not a good life. What is so great about having nothing to do? The only way for a good life is good honest hard work imho. I for one could not live on benefits or maybe I should say, I wouldn't be happy with the standard of living it would provide me.

 

[annie:)]

Dont know if anyones just watched the debate about on channel 3 but its left me gobsmacked!the amount of people sticking up for the criminals saying its young lads needing to be listened to and in their words young black lads but i wonder how many of them got up went to school everyday or have worked a day in their life to give the community anything back?!a bet its few n far between!!the problem here is discipline starting from parents to teachers then police xx as for people defending it because of mark duggan he was a drug dealer with a gun what do people think he was doing playing cowboy and indians!! Right rant over xx

Sent from my X10i

 

[Pinkbunny28]

I don't necessarily disagree with you (except on one point.)

But I don't see how it can happen. Yes, there are people in life who can start with nothing and make a life for themselves, whether it be a simple life or a successful (extravagant) life. But for this to happen the individuals need to have at least some degree of intelligence and a good work ethic. The people in question don't have these qualities, esp. the work ethic. We don't really have the working classes anymore, not many people want to be a cleaner or a bin man these days.

As the population has grown and we as a country have become overcrowded, and our class system has disappeared, we have naturally acquired a larger population of 'trash.'

The point I disagree with you on is that they are clever / sat on their backsides / got paid. Got paid? Yes, we have a benefits system but it is not a good life. What is so great about having nothing to do? The only way for a good life is good honest hard work imho. I for one could not live on benefits or maybe I should say, I wouldn't be happy with the standard of living it would provide me.

I know a lot of people who have said to me that living on benefits, they have more money than if they worked. This is because they wouldn't ever get more than minimum wage because they never bothered to learn anything in school, were troublemakers and didn't care. If they had half a brain to learn one single thing, they would earn more than the benefits. What they do all day instead of working is sell drugs, take drugs and have loads of babies so they can get more benefits.

Therefore, the other poster was right, they have a brain in that they can see where the loopholes are, get all our tax money and live a sweet life with a free house. I have nothing else to say about them. They should be left to rot, not given homes! I'd say I feel sorry for their kids but from these events they are quite obviously even worse than the parents....
x

 

[Lunarstorm]

Dont know if anyones just watched the debate about on channel 3 but its left me gobsmacked!the amount of people sticking up for the criminals saying its young lads needing to be listened to and in their words young black lads but i wonder how many of them got up went to school everyday or have worked a day in their life to give the community anything back?!a bet its few n far between!!the problem here is discipline starting from parents to teachers then police xx as for people defending it because of mark duggan he was a drug dealer with a gun what do people think he was doing playing cowboy and indians!! Right rant over xx

Sent from my X10i

Well said, I saw a debate about it a couple of nights ago and had to turn the TV off where is was sicken to see the audanice (SP?) sticking up for the rioaters and looters.

Kids these days don't know how good they have it. They claim to be poverty strucken but they all have mobiles, TV's, designer clothes, X-Boxes etc.

Sam xx

 

[Zo Zo]

Please someone explain to me how living in a council house on benefits is a 'sweet life'?

 

[Zo Zo]

Similarly to another poster, I started working at 13 with waitressing and paper round. (Yes it was along time ago and the laws were a lot more relaxed.) I left school and home at 16 and I have always supported myself. Prior to being self employed, I often worked a part-time job as well as a full time one, so I could buy my own house (first house bought at 19), run a car, travel etc. I have been in relationships, obviously, but I have never been supported by a man and I have never not worked. I now live in a reasonable house in a good area, have two cars, money in the bank to pay my bills etc etc. It hasn't been easy and it still isn't easy- I am going through quite a personal struggle at the moment as I'm 42, 6 months pregnant, have a 10 month old baby as well as an older child who obviously still has a lot of needs, but of course, I still get up every morning and do my best to make a living. I have a lot of sickness, shortness of breath, back pain and so forth, so being a therapist is not the ideal job for me at the moment, but it is my job, so I have to grin and bear it and know that life will turn a corner.

Would I rather live in a council house on benefits? Three kids I might get a reasonable amount? NO. Anyone that thinks that would be a sweeter life than the one I currently have, I simply don't agree.

 

[annie:)]

To you and most normal people its not a sweeter life but to those type of people with that mentality it is!!i got sacked from my job for been pregnant and got offered a council house paid for and if id of lied and said i was a single parent i could of been raking in every benefit going and sat on my backside but instead id rather me n my partner live with my parents while we save up for a house and both work long hours aswel as me looking after my 10 month old baby (i had my baby young due to being told i may need a histerectomy at 21),but that is because iv been bought up with hard working parents who have worked there way up to owning businesses and bought me up with the right morals,these low lifes arnt bought up with those role models and the good life to them is getting as much out of the state as they can xx

Sent from my X10i

 

[KattyKat]

Hi ZoZo,

the majority of people understand that living on benefits isn't a sweet life. I have worked in hotel management, on a reasonable salary when the industry turned during my pregnancy and got made redundant. Pressures on my relationship and illness after, caused a drift and separation. I wasn't excited to be in the position I am but am looking for a way out, doing beauty, something I trained in 16 years ago.

I think BotoxBoy, nailed it on the head in an earlier post. Some people don't want to start at the bottom on minimum wage, and they are looking for jobs that the employers wouldn't employ them for, but with a better salary. These people DO understand that benefits DO pay better than the minimum wage, because after you work hard all week and pay your rent/mortgage on minimum wage you are left with pretty much the same... add kids to the equation and you are still coping (I say coping rather than living a sweet life).

At the end of the day there are two types of people on benefits. People like myself, Who were brought up with pride and hate to live as charity (yes I get free NHS where as you pay, with your tax) and am looking at it as a temporary help while I work so blooming hard (working 2 self employed jobs) to create a new life and career.

The second type see benefits as a way of getting through life without doing much, because again, they aren't getting the job they want, and they have little initiative to create a role as a self employed person (other than illegal forms as drug dealers etc) and benefits then becomes a way of life rather than a help through life (as it was meant to be). These same people yell about Polish people taking THEIR jobs, when they turn their own noses up at these jobs, PLUS these Polish people, many of whom are my friends receive a lot of abuse from these people but they still pay their taxes for such people to CHOOSE to live this lifestyle.

Sorry ZoZo, got carried away, may have come across like I was being patronising which I certainly don't intend, It's people like yourself I inspire to be and so should many others. x

 

[Pinkbunny28]

Yes sorry coping is the word I was looking for. I just feel that they have it a lot easier in terms of getting money and being able to survive and still afford a few luxuries here and there whereas if we run out of money that's it, we have nothing but then we work harder to get more.

I have the greatest respect for people who have no choice but to turn to benefits for various reasons and then make a life for themselves and get out of getting benefits and able to live their lives well. This is what the system was created for, not low life scum who abuse it and squeeze it for every penny they can get so they don't have to do a decent days work in their lives x

 

[dandelionpoppy]

I think one of the really interesting q.s coming out of this is:
What makes a successful life?
My own story is I worked in local shops/ babysitting from age 12.
Always had a Saturday/ after-school job.
Went into higher education, worked all my life, was a working Mum.
Only had Child Benefit, no other benefit of any kind at any time.
Now working part-time in beauty, much-reduced income.
I used to think that money was the measure of success, but now I think self-pride is. For me that means being independent and self-supporting.
Money CAN'T buy you everything.
However, I am not knocking those on benefits; many will feel the same I'm sure.

 

[Zo Zo]

Just for the record, I have a family member living in a council house and she is in her early 50's and as far as I am aware, she has never had a job in her life. Well, not a paid one. She got married at 16, had a baby who was born severely disabled, who has never been out of a wheelchair in his life. She went on to have 4 more children with her husband, then they separated and divorced. At 40 she had another baby, who is my niece. So, the way her life turned out, she never worked but had many years of looking after children full time and now looks after grandchildren so her own kids can work and / or further their education. The reason I am posting this little tale is to keep some balance on the subject of social housing and benefits. They are there for a reason and for many people it is an absolutely ok life, and they don't have any involvement in any kind of criminality.

My Dad was also brought up in a council house, his Mum worked full-time while raising 4 kids, and one of my great aunts (who is a real life Hyacinth Bucket) has always lived in a council house.

 

[Lovebeauty14]

Hey don't think anyones slagging off people for living in council houses, it's just the ones that are blatantly scamming the system. Benefits were brought in so that people like your sister wouldn't be left destitute if she was left to fend for herself, not so people can play on 'a bad back' and never work a day in their life like some people do.
There is nothing wrong with having a council house if you play the system fairly.

 

[annie:)]

Im also sure a quite a few of the looters and vandals will have not come from a council house and some probably from a wealthy background that just wanted to be in on the action xx

Sent from my X10i