It's difficult to concentrate today on tasks that don't seem important in the light of last nights events. We live in Peckham and we have a tenant who lives in our old flat on Lavender Hill in Clapham. I'm looking at images of my old high street. It's decimated. People are frightened. Some have lost their homes, many don't know whether being at home is safe. In Peckham, the shops are shut and the streets are empty. It wasn't a comfortable walk and I'm not easily scared. Peckham isn't violent, it's very community orientated which is why we moved here.
Home is where everything starts. It's where you learn moral guidelines and know how to behave. So why are they doing it? What can we do to help our neighbour's and our communities to make us all feel safe where we choose to live. There are helicopters overhead already. Let us hope it isn't worse this evening, for so many reasons.
What shall we do? What can I do?
What shall we do? What can I do?
2 comments:
First off, our hearts and prayers are with you from the USA...You must be brave and keep your wits about you. If I were in this situation, I would have a meeting with your neighbors or at the least get a phone chain going with everyone. Make up a list and or map of the neighborhood with everyones names on the list with their addresses and phone numbers, get that started right away! Have the people pass this around so as many people as you can get are on the map. Do you get my picture? So that you have the people behind your place and all around you informing if anything is looking suspicious...Remember that there is power in numbers, that is what the bad ones are doing right now. If they were alone they couldn't do it. The same can be with all of you and your neighbors, if you are acting frightened then they will take advantage of you but if you are all organized and able to communicate you have a tremendous power and safety. Go and be strong and get together, the more maps and address you share with everyone the better. xo
Unfortunately I think its the home is probably where it all started. It feels to me, rather chillingly, that the rioters don't care about the people or place they even live in. I wonder whether it stems from our society being so geared around consumerism and credit, creating pressure on parents having to work to provide their children not just the fundamentals (a roof over their head) but maintain expectations of what their children ought/want to have in terms of objects and not actually being able to give them the time they need to be their parents, create a safe, steady, stable home environment. I wish I knew what I could do to help on both sides too.
Post a Comment
Hi there
Great to have your comment!