Unconvincing Answers…

Linton Kwesi Johnson (a ‘dub poet’, apparently) in CiF:

I am often asked why I started to write poetry. The answer is that my motivation sprang from a visceral need to creatively articulate the experiences of the black youth of my generation, coming of age in a racist society.

Ah. Ok.

On 6 August last summer when the riots began in Tottenham, I was performing at a reggae festival in Belgium accompanied by the Dennis Bovell Dub Band. Two of the tunes we performed were Di Great Insohreckshan and Mekin Histri. It was quite late when we got to our hotel, and we all retired for the night as we had another gig on the Sunday in France. I was in bed when the phone rang. It was Dennis Bovell, a Tottenham resident. He said: "Linton, turn on your TV, riot a gwaan a Tottenham."

Should this article come with subtitles?

What was most astonishing was that the police seemed powerless to act. It seemed as though they were taking some kind of unofficial industrial action. It is not as though they were inexperienced dealing with riots. It seemed to me at the time like a blatant dereliction of duty.

If they’d charged in and cracked heads, I suppose you’d have been right behind them? Supported them, praised them, defended them against criticism?

Or would you simply have churned out yet more anti-police bilge masquerading as poetry in pidgin English?

The police have done little to eradicate racism from the way they carry out their duty. The rank and file never accepted the findings of the Macpherson inquiry that they are institutionally racist. My grandson has lost count of the number of times he has been stopped and searched by the police, and he's not a gang member.

Your grandson is black. Who is it that is killing young black men in London? Who is he most at risk from?

Is it Irishmen? Scandinavian grandmothers?

No. It’s other young black men. So don’t be too surprised when the police target the logical threat.

Meanwhile, in comments, the $64,000 question is asked:

Ooooh, five responses! *gets popcorn*


Oh. I see. God forbid the ‘community’ express any displeasure at the actions of criminals…


Ah. Weighing in on the ‘It’s too haaaaaard!’ side, then…


Aha, the ‘Shut up! SHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUP!’ argument…


I guess we’ll never know what that one said!


Back to ‘Shut up! SHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUP! They aren’t the same at all!’ …

It's quite clear to me just why we have a problem in the inner cities, is it to you too?