When the Party Is Over

for paNOW

What were you doing … is a question that can be asked of many youths now facing arrests and charges following the Vancouver riot. There are plenty of adults who could ask themselves the same question.

Let’s see Mr. Older Photographer. You went downtown amidst a riot to take pictures. How lucky are you that someone in one of your photos didn’t take exception and bash you and/or your camera? When the angry crowd moved your way, was it the tear gas, the riot police or the angry kids that made you move on before you got hurt? Or did you move on?

There is such a thing as mob mentality. It takes very little to cause a crowd of largely sensible people, to turn from criticizing or complaining, to a mass of angry people acting out their rage. Sometimes, there are people who purposefully stir up the action and start the smashing, looting, setting fires, beating up others they know or don’t know. Otherwise good kids and bad kids start burning, smashing, damaging and stealing and they don’t know why.

“I like the purse,” one girl said, smiling for the camera and admitting she stole the item.

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Will she like the theft charge and subsequent sentence and criminal record? Does she know she will no longer be welcome in the USA? How dumb has she just been?

I think everyone knows the story of the water polo star who tried to burn a police car (worth $50,000 more or less) and then turned himself in so he could nobly tell others what can happen if one behaves like an orangutan. He has probably given up his place on both the provincial and Olympic water polo teams. He has probably lost a $40,000 university scholarship. He may be forgiven yet but which among them wants to share his notoriety – teams or university?

His parents, home and his father’s career as a medical doctor have been threatened. Now, he doesn’t know why he didn’t think of all that before he unsuccessfully tried to get himself into a REAL pot of trouble. Right now, he only faces the loss of the future he worked for and he will have to face charges – and Mom and Dad.

Then there is the couple who were between an angry crowd and a line of riot police. They stopped and lay down so he could comfort her with a kiss. Or was it to be seen around the world and interviewed on television, apparently not realizing they came across as a pair of real goofs?

Would, or would you not have gone to see or take part in the riot? Why or why not? Do you sympathize with these folk?