The troubles are back to Northern Ireland, but this time the blatant thuggery is against migrants. The gangs who made money from the sectarian violence have moved on to smuggling migrants into the UK via Ireland (although the evidence shows that 80% of migrants are actually leaving the UK for the EU!). Brexit hit Northern Irelands remaining industries and especially agriculture, hard. Whilst the communities of catholics and protestants are not integrated, they share the common element of poverty and the loss of high paying skilled manual work that resulted from the shipbuilding industry (albeit withholding a recent resurgence at Harland & Wolff). The thuggery is much more sinister than the juvenile behaviour in Southampton, the thugs are wearing masks and dressed in black and are using fire to drive people from their homes. The mythology of the troubles will impress adolescents unable to find good long term employment, stories of so called ‘heroism’ from the troubles enable the rioters to justify their actions to achieve the false kudos of their elders. Basically too thick to achieve an education and a safe well paid job, the knuckle draggers and flag shaggers take to the streets to riot aimlessly! Setting on fire buses and cars will further impoverish the parts of society tht most need help. Victimising those migrants willing to work the hours for poor wages will cause further poverty – a report of the rioters attacking care home workers is self-inflicting harm on the society they purport to support. Is the UK suffering from the lack of a war to kill off the sections of society overloaded with adrenaline infested bravado and a lack of grey matter? 85 years without a major casualty list has resulted in that will turn nasty when there is an economic downturn – and especially amongst those who are benign misogynist (I refer to the societies where the men used to provide the income, but the jobs have gone and the women now have the better jobs (and still do the housework and cooking!). Are the Catholics and Protestants christians? I, yet again fail to see the benefits of religion if it provides an excuse for violence, rape and murder.
Meanwhile Iran and Israel and the USA continue to inflict harm on each other and allies in disproportionate ways.