Broken britain

[Jeros]

What the hell is going on

A guy I know boasting about how he knocked a copper of a horse with a bit of wood

A panda car getting torched when it was left alone for THREE mins, when the coppers went into a house to ask questions

Some fuckers trying to take my bike off me in the middle of the city, which is also one of the most CCTV'ed cities in the world

Having to escort lady friends home, even if its an hour away from where they live just cos you have no idea what might happen to them.

Essex, Yorkshire, Scotland, every time I move it seems to get no better

Why is this shit happening?

* disclaimer: drunk*

 

[Raven]

Because one way or another people let it happen. I won't go into my opinions on it as it only upsets people.

The first chance I get I am leaving the country, leave it to the spineless wonders who have allowed it to become the way it is.

 

[DaGaffer]

Because the State is determined to take over the daily running of your life down to the smallest detail. Parents can't discipline children, adults aren't allowed to defend themselves or their property, and going to the defence of someone else will probably end up with YOU in the dock. The State wants you reliant on them from cradle to grave, and not only is this a bad thing in itself, the State is actually totally incompetent as well. Nanny is a bad parent.

 

[throdgrain]

I dont always agree with you Dagaffer but on this occasion you're bang on

 

[Zenith.UK]

Well said DaGaffer... +rep for you!

In answer to the OP, why not come live in North Wales?
It's NOTHING like in cities. Police may not be be as respected as they should be, but at least they don't get their block knocked off or cars torched.
I'm 36 and had someone take a pop at me ONCE when I was 21. He was more drunk than me so a hard push while he took a swing sent him to the floor.
Being 6'3" and about 21.5st helps as well.

 

[Nate]

I haven't had any problems in Essex ;o

 

[Dark Orb Choir]

rofl, you not been to any of the michael barrymore party's then........

 

[Chilly]

Definately no overreactions in this thread.

 

[ST^]

If you believe everything the media say about broken britain, you'd think all other countries in the world were perfect, with everyone living in bliss and without a single care in the world.

Newsflash: the whole world is broken. Don't be so self centred. It's not just you, it's not just this country.

 

[Tom]

The country is no more 'broken' than it ever was. We just have a new set of things to moan about, to replace the old set of things which have been fixed.

 

[DaGaffer]

If you believe everything the media say about broken britain, you'd think all other countries in the world were perfect, with everyone living in bliss and without a single care in the world.

Newsflash: the whole world is broken. Don't be so self centred. It's not just you, it's not just this country.

Sorry, but sat on the outside looking in, I think Britain is more "broken" than other similar countries. Here in Ireland we're at least as fucked as the UK economically (probably more so), but there's none of the sense of interference inyour life (down to a downright creepy level) you get in the UK. There are also no unwinnable wars being fought, and none of the general sense of unhappiness I get whenever I'm back in England. Maybe its purely subjective, but whenever I hear people in the UK talking about leaving, its with the sense that its to escape the growing oppressiveness of UK life, whereas over here, people don't want to leave, but expect they'll need to for purely economic reasons, and fully expect to come back when things improve.

Sure, I know full well nowhere is perfect and most places are far from it, but the other thing I've learned is that it hurts more when its your own country going down the shitter.

 

[Chilly]

Sorry, but sat on the outside looking in, I think Britain is more "broken" than other similar countries. Here in Ireland we're at least as fucked as the UK economically (probably more so), but there's none of the sense of interference inyour life (down to a downright creepy level) you get in the UK. There are also no unwinnable wars being fought, and none of the general sense of unhappiness I get whenever I'm back in England. Maybe its purely subjective, but whenever I hear people in the UK talking about leaving, its with the sense that its to escape the growing oppressiveness of UK life, whereas over here, people don't want to leave, but expect they'll need to for purely economic reasons, and fully expect to come back when things improve.

Sure, I know full well nowhere is perfect and most places are far from it, but the other thing I've learned is that it hurts more when its your own country going down the shitter.

Perhaps it's BECAUSE you are seeing it from the outside it looks so bad? Since your only view is via the press rather than walking down it's streets every day like many here do. The state takes very little interest or notice of my life, because I have a job, Im healthy and don't get in trouble. I think it's quite right if any of those things are not the case they get involved.

Sure, I'm probably overtaxed but look what it buys: nhs, nuclear arms (handy no matter what the hippies say), an economy where if I WANT to work hard I can and it rewards me, and numerous other advantages o fliving in a generally pretty well looked after modern place.

 

[ST^]

but there's none of the sense of interference inyour life (down to a downright creepy level) you get in the UK

I'm not letting you get away without explaining that one. As someone "on the inside", I have no idea of what you're talking about.

 

[Bugz]

My town is just looovelllly.

We jogged past a body bag with some police around it the other night. Knifed? Shot? Beaten by chavs? Nope. Just a poor unfortunate man who had a heart attack & died

 

[DaGaffer]

I'm not letting you get away without explaining that one. As someone "on the inside", I have no idea of what you're talking about.

Here's a good example from the last week or so:
UK.gov hoovers up data on five-year-olds ? The Register

Here's another:
Filesharing laws to hit websites and newsgroups too ? The Register

In the first case, social services overstepping the line by a long way in my book, but not surprising as it entirely chimes with their mentality. And yes, "creepy" is what springs to mind whenever I think about how UK Gov uses children as a stick to spy on us. In the second, typical nuLab, create a law and then give yourself a backdoor to change it to mean what the hell you like without further reference to Parliament. Again.

And anyone with two braincells to rub together could show you a hundred more examples; those two were just from this week!

 

[ST^]

An optional questionnaire and measures against illegal filesharing? That's really what you have?

 

[DaGaffer]

An optional questionnaire and measures against illegal filesharing? That's really what you have?

An "option" that didn't tell people it was optional and was highly intrusive, and in the second place, it doesn't matter what the law was about, it was (once again) using "regulation" as an instrument to make the law mean anything you want further down the line.

And you know its not all I have; on this very forum we've had Big G being pulled up for taking photos, elsewhere you can see parents banned from taking photos of their own children, RIPA, ID cards, the Interception Modernisation Programme, arrest without Trial, flagrant misuse of anti-terror laws, so-called "extreme porn laws" where consenting adults can be arrested for having pictures of themselves, Councils banning parents from going to playgrounds with their own kids, CRB checks taken down to pretty much everyone who has to spend more than five minutes with a kid, ever, cameras, cameras, cameras.

 

[Chilly]

An "option" that didn't tell people it was optional and was highly intrusive, and in the second place, it doesn't matter what the law was about, it was (once again) using "regulation" as an instrument to make the law mean anything you want further down the line.

And you know its not all I have; on this very forum we've had Big G being pulled up for taking photos, elsewhere you can see parents banned from taking photos of their own children, RIPA, ID cards, the Interception Modernisation Programme, arrest without Trial, flagrant misuse of anti-terror laws, so-called "extreme porn laws" where consenting adults can be arrested for having pictures of themselves, Councils banning parents from going to playgrounds with their own kids, CRB checks taken down to pretty much everyone who has to spend more than five minutes with a kid, ever, cameras, cameras, cameras.

That example is bollocks. Its not a normal playground, the circumstances are contrary to the wording of your link.

Next?

I do agree that CRB checks are a bit of a pisstake though. Although as someone with no kids and who doesnt spend any time with kids it doesnt affect me (yet).

 

[Bugz]

CRB checks are not a piss take.

 

[ST^]

If I wanted to hear sensationalist headlines about the nanny state we live in, I'd go and fucking read them, not ask for you to repeat them. I want to know how I, as someone living here, should feel like my life is constantly being interfered with. The vast majority of us never encounter any of that stuff, other than seeing it in newspapers and on TV.

 

[DaGaffer]

If I wanted to hear sensationalist headlines about the nanny state we live in, I'd go and fucking read them, not ask for you to repeat them. I want to know how I, as someone living here, should feel like my life is constantly being interfered with. The vast majority of us never encounter any of that stuff, other than seeing it in newspapers and on TV.

I know people who've had direct experience of at least three of those things. And once again, way to miss the point.

 

[Jupitus]

Now now, Gaff..... He's alright Jack is what he means

 

[Madmaxx]

I haven't had any problems in Essex ;o

same.

 

[Lamp]

The country is getting worse and worse IMO...but I do think the media blows a lot of stuff out of proportion, and not every kid you see belongs to a hereditary underclass of unemployed knife-wielding bone idle illiterate ignorant chav hoodie muggers...althouth its easy to see why a drug dealing +++++ guy driving a nice shiny BMW through a council estate is going to be a role model for lazy little estate urchins

 

[Chilly]

and what does +++++ stand for?

 

[rynnor]

If you want examples of state prying into peoples lives how about the sexual orientation question on next years census?

Or the use of surveillance on people suspected of that heinous crime of not living within a schools catchment, or of not properly sorting out their recycling.

There is much to worry about tbh.

 

[Scouse]

Sorry, but sat on the outside looking in, I think Britain is more "broken" than other similar countries. Here in Ireland we're at least as fucked as the UK economically (probably more so), but there's none of the sense of interference inyour life (down to a downright creepy level) you get in the UK

I'm with ya Gaff. Everyone I know who's emigrated did so 'cause they say Britain is fucked. Because of the reasons you've described. (And I'm off for the same reasons).

Everytime I leave the country I meet populations of people who seem just much happier than the Brits. Everyone I talk to who's left tells me how fucked Britain is and how much happier they are that they left...

As someone "on the inside", I have no idea of what you're talking about.

From this I can only deduce one of two things 1) you walk about oblivious or; 2 (and more likely)) you're pretty young and therefore haven't got much experience to compare it to....

 

[Calaen]

Anyone watch Panorama tonight? Thought it was quite interesting. All about punishing gang members/groups of trouble makers for standing by and watching another member committ a serious act of crime.

Showed of both sides of the argument well and I am still sat on the fence after watching it to be honest.

BBC - Panorama - Panorama

 

[Wazzerphuk]

If you want examples of state prying into peoples lives how about the sexual orientation question on next years census?

Sorry, but how is that any different to the rest of the matter-of-fact stuff that's been on there for years? Are you offended by having to put down your religion? Or your age?

Everytime I leave the country I meet populations of people who seem just much happier than the Brits. Everyone I talk to who's left tells me how fucked Britain is and how much happier they are that they left...

That's a pretty poor bit of evidence. You highlighted the wrong section, I have corrected this for you. Plus, people you meet on holiday are hardly going to admit about how they messed up their lives by leaving a country. Obviously not all will feel like this, but you're going to put a positive spin on your history when talking to strangers. Also, a lot of the people that leave this country are to be honest, super lefty hippie types that get annoyed that they're expected to... you know.. work and stuff.

Anyone watch Panorama tonight? Thought it was quite interesting. All about punishing gang members/groups of trouble makers for standing by and watching another member committ a serious act of crime.

Yes, some of it was interesting but it is utterly ludicrous to ruin someone's life and brand them a murderer for "knowing that there was a potential for a fight" as in the example case used. It's utterly mental, far more mental than any "Broken Britain gang culture".

 

[nath]

Sorry, but how is that any different to the rest of the matter-of-fact stuff that's been on there for years? Are you offended by having to put down your religion? Or your age?

Clearly a lot of people have a problem with the religion question, hence the legions of people saying "Jedi". Age is so completely different to religion/sexuality that it's not even worth discussing.