How can you say this?
These families have been systematically disadvantaged for generations, starting when the Conservatives systematically dismantled the flourishing British manufacturing industries and demolished the only protection the working class had, the unions. The Upper Classes sytematically spunked their enourmous and un-earned bonuses on private healthcare, German cars, French champagne, and Columbian cocaine, while bleating that the trickle down effect would enrich the poverty stricken masses. The education system was allowed to wither on the vine, with teenagers being actively encouraged to drop out early into a life of sanctioned worthlessness as poor people were expected to stay poor and know their place. Sneered at for procreating when that is all there is to do on their sink estates, do you wonder that they seek to ameliorate their bleak and hopeless existences with the momentary relief of alcohol and drugs? And for people to sneer at them from the safety of the internet... shame on you all I say. Has anyone worked out that I'm taking the piss yet? These poor misguided and abandoned individuals, with nothing more stimulating than an addiction to compulsive and badly spelt texting, daytime TV and TWOCing, exist in an intellectual desert. Do you realise that on some of these estates you can't even get the Guardian delivered? They have no chance to absorb high culture, literature or indeed basic language skills outside of grunts and imitation Americanisms. Indeed the wannabe Gangsta image should even be admired as it is for these damaged individuals the only positive role model and they should be lauded for their aspiration even when they are not likely to 'pop a cap in yo ass' as they would be hard pushed to pop a balloon. Yrs, Professor Ivor YTower, PHD, DFC and Bar, Labour Councillor, Sociologist and eater of Tofu.


You forgot to mention the free car (Motability).

And the mid Atlantic posting is too easy. Try telling them they're going to Rockall, but leave the side doors slid back on the chopper, then chuck a hard bank in and watch 'em slither and scrabble to avoid plunging to their polyester clad doom. That'll teach 'em.
(osok Rebel without a clue, Tue 18 Mar 2008, 17:05, Reply)