Originally Posted by SilentKnight

"justification of violence"

Bullshit.

I live in a town that's had its major manufacturing industry literally decimated in the past two decades. Dozens of major steel-manufacturing based companies and textile mills are gone. Good-paying jobs are long gone...and what is left is minimum wage paying service and tourist industry jobs (Burger King, Harveys, McDees)...and call centres.

Our hospitals and schools are evaporating.

There is no political clout in the region to sway political favour to turn the situation around.

My wife and I are among the fortunate (and dwindling) minority to still have decent-paying jobs in the area.

Yet, if your assertion was correct - there'd be violent rioting in the streets.

But there isn't.

Nothing justifies violence. That utter lack of logic behind trashing your own neighbourhood because you're pissed off about issues - stymies me. Following that flow of thought - if I lose my job tomorrow and can't pay my water bill...maybe I should take a baseball bat to my neighbour's car. I like the guy and all - but what the fuck. The foundation for the justification of my violence isn't my fault, right? Pass it off as me being a product of my environment?

Bullshit.

People have to man-up, grow a set - and take responsibility for their actions. Stop fabricating issues as an excuse to trash the place.