David Cameron calls for all teens to do community service.

[Phenakist]

(Yay for being 18 and not living in England)

ANYWAY. This is a stupid idea, and I could see how someone brought up on a diet of pheasant and caviar would see it as a good idea "Get the plebs to clean my country up". HOWEVER, Give it to those who deserve it, not just "we'll hand it out to them all" BECAUSE I know with every other government scheme or any would be "enrichment" scheme, the people who they WANT it to effect will be off behind the sheds smoking weed or at home because of one of a million reasons, they "couldn't do it" or "couldn't show up" the rest of us lot who put up with it for an easy life get dragged through all these schemes for no real reason, we've already got perfectly acceptable levels of discipline, morals and principals. For what little attention I payed of the riots it was essentially because some chavs decided to have a crying match and a bit of a tantrum over not having a good life and nice things because they didn't work for it? Make THEM contribute to the society they sponge off. From someone who's aiming high in life, I don't want a significant chunk of my salary supporting a teenage mother of 8, from 8 different "fathers", or some chav who makes more than me thanks to his drug dealing, yet still claims benefits.... Just make the scum who are causing all the problems fix them.

 

[ctrl]

yeah riiiiiiiiight cause 16 year olds will flock to do community service......

 

[Don Reba]

Why wouldn't you want to help your community after the riots? This thread is proof of a "broken generation".

 

[Jamous]

Personally I think that making things compulsory is a stupid way to do things. When I say this I mean anything. Even Education. It just doesn't work. You make people unhappy, and they'll start finding ways to avoid it; be that by bunking off or claiming to be sick. In education the unhappiness tends to manifest itself in the form of boredom and that then leads on to the bored people making life difficult, or at least irritating, to the people who are there who actually want to learn. The majority of people at school -do- want to learn, and it doesn't take many to disrupt that for them. The same can be said of almost anything that works like that.
Anyway, after that tangent on the topic of education, it's a stupid idea anyway. Voluntary or Penitentiary community service is all well and good. Compulsory? No. Community Service for all is a stupid idea. While it would do wonders for the area, it would just piss off the people taking part; they'd feel as if they were being punished for reaching 16. Which, of course, they're meant to feel like. And this of course will make us just -love- the government. Teenagers shouldn't be punished for being teenagers. Teenager=/=Asbohoodyknifecrimeyob. Cameron knows how to calm people down and make them love the government in the wake of rioting, eh?

 

[lolmynamewastaken]

i'd do it... im over that age now, but when i read the title i thought that it didn't seem like such a bad idea. there's no reason that teenagers shouldn't volunteer for this shit, i did when i was that age...
im not a fan of cameron, but this does seem like one of his less stupid ideas.

 

[Yopaz]

I think everyone could benefit from doing some community service. You're less likely to tear down something that you helped build up. Unless you've built a sandcastle... then tearing it down is the most fun part.

What most seem to be doing is reading the OP and not the article he read the heading of. This is not forced community service. Those who want to can do it, those who don't can continue being a dick about not wanting to service their country when they have done nothing wrong. Honestly, the OP and many of the other posters could benefit from helping those who have it worse. Having the "I haven't done anything wrong, why should I do something?" kind of attitude is pretty bad. You seem to think that helping someone is a punishment.

I am currently volunteering helping aspiring youth to fit into a new kind of community, teaching them how important it is to seek help when they need it and to connect to other people and I find this experience quite rewarding. By all means though, don't take my word for it. Let your country crumble in the mixture of apathy, hate and poverty that is currently racking you.

 

[Dimensional Vortex]

Wow that's gotta suck, being forced to clean up after something you didn't do. I mean they make us do this at school every day, but I feel this is hardly the same. When a small minority fucks about they make everyone else clean up the mess... that just isn't right.

 

[Danny Roberts]

*snip*

1. Edit that post. You'll get wrathed if you don't.

2. I kinda agree with you. I went extreme, that was a mistake. But still, the idea of forced work with no pay just seems ridiculous, and yes, akin to slavery in some aspects.

3 I also read the whole article past the kneejerk reaction of the OP, so in conclusion: nvm.

yeah I just got my hand slapped. Sensitive at the escapist they are.

You called everyone in the thread a moron and told someone to "shut the fuck up".

No matter your intelligence level, you should have been able to ascertain that those things might be frowned upon.

The majority of people on this forum ARE morons, and it was a pre-emptive shut the fuck up aimed squarely at stupid, but inevitable, replies. Whether they're frowned upon or not I guess depends on the moderators and the communities ability to counter act such statements through discussion, which seems to be lacking.

If you can't call someone up on saying something stupid or being an idiot, whether or not expletives are used, then it's a sad day for open discussion, recourse and debate. This is probably why so many people here skirt around issues and rarely seem willing to state "this is how I feel, I am right, if you disagree you are wrong".

I'm not getting at SirBryghtside, I'm sure he's a sound bloke, a very nice guy, but what he said about this being comparable to slavery was very, very stupid. If you disagree with that statement, you are wrong. End of.

*awaits warning for this post too*

 

[hutchy27]

The riot didn't even happen any where near me and I still got to do this? WTF!

 

[CrazT]

Compulsory community service for all teenagers in light of the recent riots? Uh, yeah...


Look, Mr. Cameron, forcing all teenagers to work for nothing because a few mentalists decided to take advantage of a delicate situation, is only going to result in another uprising, this time lead by those who don't want to work.

Additionally, why should younger generations be forced into community service when they had nothing to do with the riots? Surely the most immediate community service should be given to the rioters themselves, to clean up the mess they created. That would be a much better punishment than the few weeks in prison most of the rioters are getting.

Finally, define "broken britain". Because the footage I saw of citizens coming together and cleaning up the streets after the riots sure as hell doesn't spell "broken" to me

 

[Dastardly]

IMO: I think that this is a wrong way to fix britain. This is basically putting jobs meant for criminals in the hands of teenagers, most of which havent done anything wrong. I think that the government should be revising all the cuts its been making and actually do something to fix the poverty that probably caused these riots. They should make these jobs open to adults and actually pay them for doing it, thus lifting the unemployement rates.

[EDIT] Just mentioning this is the first time a thread I made went in the hot threads section! Dont think I did this thread just for that though.

And I think you've hit on the problem--that somehow we believe these are "jobs meant for criminals."

What exactly makes a job "meant for criminals?" Are we saying that good, law-abiding people should never have to do labor? Are we saying that doing these jobs is indicative of a person who has failed at life somehow, or are less than other people?

These jobs are necessary to a well-functioning society. We take them for granted because we're brought up in a society that teaches us that, with enough education, we'll all have cozy desk jobs working with our brains instead of our backs. We're raised to look down on service and labor jobs as some mark of failure.

How many rude comments do you hear about janitors or garbage men? They're the go-to examples of "jobs no one wants," or "jobs for people who can't do anything right." Yet I'd like to see any doctor get his/her job done without them. Those people deserve our respect, a wage they can live on, and the same kind of benefits we give the other employees. They are part of what make it all work.

Ever stop to think of why we've put criminals in these jobs? Yes, part of it is that the jobs require little in the way of formal training, and the 'workers' are cheap. But beyond that, these jobs are meant to emphasize how much work goes into making society run. We're trying to show these convicts that helping society function (by contributing and following laws) carries certain benefits like a paycheck and the freedom to spend it.

Even a great number of adults have an overdeveloped sense of entitlement, without realizing what goes on behind the scenes to make sure these "entitlements" exist. Having teens work in community service would provide some of that knowledge that is woefully lacking. It's about education, not punishment.

For instance, you say, "The government should fix the poverty," or that they should "Pay adults to do these jobs." Okay. How should they fix poverty? Have any ideas that could work on that front? Where should they get the money to pay adults to do these jobs? Why would any adults do them, if they're so universally thought of as "jobs for criminals?"

But put some teenagers in those jobs. For one, the jobs get done without additional tax money (that's where the pay would come from, by the way). Secondly, that generation of teenagers would grow up with experience in that sort of work. They'll be less likely to view it as "work for criminals." That means fewer people sitting around refusing to take those jobs because they have a degree and consider it "beneath" them. (And make no mistake, you can't do these jobs entirely with teenagers, so there will still be a need for paid positions in there organizing and supervising the teens.)

In the long run, a move like this could be used to reduce poverty. That's no guarantee it would happen, of course, but it's reason enough not to dismiss it outright.

 

[Suicidejim]

I'm British, but I moved to Canada a couple of years ago, and where I am, you can't even graduate high school unless you have 40 hours of volunteering / community service completed. It's not that bad, to be honest, I kind of enjoyed helping out a little. Although it probably helps that it was seen as a necessity to graduate, just another thing you had to do, rather than being dressed up to look like a punishment.

 

[SonOfVoorhees]

Lol. Love to see Cameron enforce that. It would be nigh impossible to ensure they all do community service. An what if they dont turn up? What then? David Cameron is a fucking retard waste of space. All us Uk citizens want is police that are tougher and free to uphold the law. Criminals to be given proper sentences and overall support the victim and not criminal. Make prison a shit hole for first timers.

Just let those arrested for rioting get punished because if you punish everyone then those that didnt take part, will, when the next riot happens. Seriously, if your gonna be punished for doing the crime that you didnt do, you might as well take part.

 

[teisjm]

...snip...
Also, people riot because they are angry over something (racism, poverty, governmental opression etc.) not because they are lacking in "Moral Fiber". Fucking retard.

Well, when they turn their anger, whether rightfull or not, towards people who had nothing to do with it, and who didn't cause the problems they'rea angry about, they are pretty much displaying a lack of moral.

Like if you someone gets pissed at his job, and goes home and beats his wife to vent the anger.
Only, this is not just to vent anger, it's some sort of cryout about unhappyness with the current situation, taken out on innoscent people. Actually not much unlike terrosists making themselves heard, by hurting innoscent people. Ofc this isn't excactly the same as terrorism, cause terrorism is usually much much crueler, but the premise is the same.
Just like a bully beating you and stealing your lunch money in school, while not as cruel, is basicly doign the same as an armed robber shootiong you and stealing your stuff, only on a smaller scale.

I don't know much about brittish politics, and due to that have neitehr hate or respect for the brittish government, but as for the rioters, no matter how just their cause might have been, the methods they use are despicable.
We had a situation liek this, only much smaller in Denmark a few years back, and while i actually had sympathy for the rioters cause, i had nothing but disrespect towards the actual rioters, when they started smashing up stores, burning random peoples card, and looting.

P.s I am aware that not everyone in a riot/protest-turned-violent are taking part in the immoral behavior, and all the ugly things said above are aimed at the ones that does, not the ones merely making themselves heard peacefully.

 

[8a88leph1sh]

I think he meant:

The criminals in this riot-fiasco should have repairing it be part of their punishment, since they're the ones that broke the shit.

Community service doesn't necessarily mean "fix all the broken windows and move all the burned out husks of cars out of the street." It can be anything from working at a soup kitchen or passing out water at a marathon. More than likely most kids won't even do anything related to cleaning up from the riots...

 

[Baneat]

I think he meant:

The criminals in this riot-fiasco should have repairing it be part of their punishment, since they're the ones that broke the shit.

Community service doesn't necessarily mean "fix all the broken windows and move all the burned out husks of cars out of the street." It can be anything from working at a soup kitchen or passing out water at a marathon. More than likely most kids won't even do anything related to cleaning up from the riots...

On second thought yeah, sending kids into unstable charred wreckage and handling shattered glass, bad idea.

 

[intheweeds]

This is basically putting jobs meant for criminals in the hands of teenagers

Whoa whoa whoa. You meant to say helping others is a job meant for criminals? It called community service because you are servicing the community. Breaking rocks and stamping licence plates are jobs meant for criminals. You could call it volunteer work and it would be the same thing. LOTS of people who are not criminals do this kind of work and actually enjoy it. I too come from Ontario where all high school kids are required to give 40 hours to the community before they get a diploma. I don't think there is anything wrong with that.

I could not have said it any better. I don't understand how "community service" has been associated with "punishment." Most like Cameron has seen mass youths without a strong sense of direction and wants to divert their energy into something productive. This includes those who "kept their head down" as I saw someone else in this thread say. Most major countries are in crisis right now, asking young people (or frankly anyone) to help improve the community and the lives of others sounds like a absolutely positive thing. I wish they'd do it in the US too. A national service program also sounds brilliant

A wise man once said: "Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country."

I think he meant:

The criminals in this riot-fiasco should have repairing it be part of their punishment, since they're the ones that broke the shit.

I don't see that. I watched his whole speech online and I thought Cameron meant exactly what our politicians meant when they made it mandatory here.

There is a problem with entitlement in our society. It is not going to kill anyone to help out their community and in fact it does foster an attitude of 'we're all in this world together' rather than the 'me first' attitude that a lot of people (not just youth) have today. It's a 'me first' attitude that leads someone to believe its a good idea to go out torching and looting electronics from local stores. Society has most definitely screwed up it's priorities and it isn't just the UK.

He may not be a great politician. I don't live in the UK and so I don't have to live with him and apart from this one speech, I am not trying to speak about anything he has done or said in any other capacity. It seems here, though that he is trying to speak about the larger causal problems that leads something like these riots to happen and go on so long. That - in addition to punishing those that rioted in this instance.

-snip-

Like somehow if they would only do a little volunteer work they'd be fine, jobs would appear for them and their futures would be solid. Right?

-snip-

This is to avoid the horrifically complex sociological and political reasons behind the riots, many of which are a direct result of policies instigated by this government as well as the rhetoric it spews out. They may well ignore it now but if they continue to do so I fear it won't be opportunists and thugs stealing a few objects, they may piss the people off enough for some real damage.

While I agree completely that both sides have issues that need to be addressed, I don't think they are completely ignoring the causal factors here. I think he is making an effort to look at causes in society for people to do this kind of thing with this statement. Trust me at least he's making an effort to look at causes and actually fix something rather than start screaming for more prisons/cops and posturing for the next election like a lot of governments (mine included) would probably be doing right now.

While I don't think anyone is saying 'a little volunteer work and they would be fine', doing volunteer work is most definitely a start and a help. We are required to do it to get a diploma where i am from. See the reasons why I think it does help above.

Yet, I can't help but think 'entitlement' with every post i read where someone is complaining about how they might be 'forced' to help their community. You do realize you are a part of a community right? To some of us all it sounds like is 'I don't wanna take out the garbage, you can't make me!' to their parents. I don't know about you, but my parents would have countered with 'You are a part of this family and you are going to contribute.'. Can you not see how this kind of complaining could sound pretty entitled? The very fact that you believe this is some kind of punishment leads me to believe you are exactly the kind of entitled person that we're talking about. Maybe you should be forced.