The Murder of Michael Duggan in Tottenham - Essay Example

? Research and writing handbook of Institute] [Journalism] The news item that has been chosen was published in a prominent and reputed English daily ‘The Guardian’ and provides an insight coverage of the barbaric and inhumane events that plagued the streets of London after police shot Mark Duggan in the area of Tottenham. Since then different areas of the city including Manchester and Greenwood were infected by the worst riots and plunder ever found in the extensive chronology of the city. Businesses, buses and even homes were torched and turned to mere ash and people lost everything within an eye-wink. However during the course of this discussion we would be analyzing the killing and the subsequent riots that sparked in the aftermath from the perspective of identity negotiations. However it is important that an idea regarding the understanding of identity negotiations is first acquired. Identity negotiations is referred to as a process through the help and application of which people get an understanding and reach upon an agreement regarding the identity of different people living in their society. It is with the help of this understanding that people actually assume their identities and consequent roles that they need to fulfil in the societal setup they are a part of. (Bakir and David. 2007) On psychological grounds the phenomenon of identity negotiation uncovers a different aspect which is based upon the clash that takes place between the expectations of perceivers with self-views that targets hold. It is under such a condition that people and members of a society engage in a “battle of wills” and it is in the midst of these conditions that a society gets stratified and once again yearns for an identity. (Swann. 1987) The disastrous events that took place in London after the killing of Mark Duggan provided a comprehensible manifestation of a divided community and society members. This can further be verified from the details that have been disclosed by journalists covering these haunting events. At one end there were people who did condemn the killing of Duggan but were not in favor of the chaos that followed in the aftermath. They encouraged peaceful ways through which they could bring the attention of state policy makers towards this crucial issue, hence it is clear that this particular segment of the society refrained from exercising any violent means of protest. Unfortunately, it was this very segment of the society that had to pay maximum price of their non-violent behavior in the form of human as well as material loss. Their businesses were burned and they themselves gained injuries while trying to protect it. Quoting David Lawrence, the author of the story “I know people who have lost everything they ever owned because their homes were burned down over the weekend. I know people who have worked hard to create successful businesses and now have nothing to show for it” (Lawrence. 2011) in an overnight turn of events they lost everything that they once rightfully owned. On the other hand there was also a particular segment that took complete advantage of this situation in creating wreck and havoc in different areas. It has primarily been the activities of these members of London society that have unleashed a violent and brutal picture of a society which was at one point of time referred to as the most civilised society in Europe. The plunder and looting that these people convinced onlookers that the elements of radicalism, extremism and rebellion are present in almost all people; however what is shockingly astounding regarding these riots is the very identity that outlaws disguised as when conducting all these activities. They took on a new form of societal role which was appalling, dangerous and disastrous. Once again quoting Lawrence: “They just saw it as an opportunity to wreak havoc and seek things for personal gain. Stealing trainers from JD Sports? Taking phones from T-Mobile? Removing the hole in the wall, literally leaving a hole in the wall? All in the name of justice ... right? (Lawrence. 2011) Secondly another prominent feature that needs to be highlighted when psychoanalyzing the London riots is the lack of any proper motive, agenda or objective that the havoc makers intended to establish. Even though to some extent their identity took a completely new form as witnessed during these events, it is worth mentioning that this identity headed in a totally meaningless direction. They burned every house and shop that came in their way. To some extent they seemed like a herd of dark horses who had a sole objective of annihilating everything that came their way. (Ting. 1993) Mark was born in Tottenham and he died in the very same place but the havoc proliferated to areas of Greenwood which made no sense at all. More than the acquisition of justice, this mob had to provide a practical demonstration of their power and the helplessness of law enforcement agencies primarily the police of the city. The role of police and other law enforcement agencies in these riots were also very questionable. The main objective of Police Services is to prevent the unwanted conditions offensively created by an individual or mob that are hazardous to the citisens of a country. These people who are involved in criminal activities are known as criminals and the activity that is done intentionally to harm people or their property is a crime. The preventive measures are taken by law enforcement departments to ensure the condition of peace in the society. Nowadays the terrorism and crime activities are at its peak and the media is playing a major role in spreading fear about the criminal activities. People assume that only the law enforcement departments are the culprit but sometimes the people who are spreading rumors are actively involved are the major cause of spreading terror. This is not only the duty of law enforcement agencies to ensure peace in the society but also the duty of citisens of that society. The way the police act depends on a variety of variables, whose doctrines and policies attitudes that prevail and social infrastructure and local traditions. Approaches of police action vary depending on whether they are based on a high degree of control, sometimes characterised by a clash, or they focus on the benefits of an approach based on public consent (Garner, Maxwell & Heraux. 2002). The recent riots of Tottenham, nevertheless, depicted that police force, sometimes, may make mistake in using force. The violence and riots of Tottenham has also surfaced the deep down racial hatred and ethnic discrimination prevailed in British society. Crime irrespective of the form in which it is conducted is always regarded as a grim business, an exercise that rattles the very foundations of ethics, norms, morals and cognisance upon which the pillars of a society stand upon. At the same time it is also important to understand that tendency towards conducting crime is instinctive within the disposition of a human being. Therefore, the concept and doctrine of law has been introduced which discourages any attempt or activity that tends to threaten such essentialities of ethics and moralities (Bowling & Phillips. 2002). But a major paradox is observed in situations when the law and the justice system that is designed to exonerate the innocent and convict the guilty transforms into a source of disseminating discrimination and segregating people on the basis of their color, ethnicity and demographic background (Chan & Mirchandani, 2002). It is some of these features through which a justice system begins to breed criminals by making them more rebellious and anti-law instead of making them a better individual. First and foremost there are a couple of things that one needs to realise regarding the entire mantra of racial discrimination, one being that it is still hypothetical to believe that racial segregation has diminished in the developed countries and the second being is that in order to reach a rational and balanced conclusion regarding the entire problem one has to look merely beyond facts and figures. One prominent reason of engaging black people with criminal activities is the stereotypically indoctrinated mindsets of the British, where a black person who also lives in city ghettos is highly gullible to involve in criminally driven activities. This kind stereotypically created perception makes a black person most suitable to synchronise with a criminal profile as it is also easy for the people to believe all of this. It is however astounding to see that black people have not been provided with their basic rights of having a proper social and economic ground through the help of which they can contribute to a better living and future of their generations. They are still isolated and marginalised from the mainstream British population and are offered limited job opportunities to nurture a better future for them. When Black people deprived from the right of acquiring their fundamental needs and wants, they naturally switch to illicit means of getting them which ultimately lands them into prison. Thus, in my opinion, Tottenham riots were actually the results of prevailing hatred between Black and White communities of United Kingdom which was ignited by the killing of Mark Duggan. At the same time, it also seems possible that such riots may also occur in future if the government of UK would not take appropriate actions to bridge the gulf of differences between the White and Black communities of the nation. References List Bakir, Vian Barlow, David. (2007), Communication in the age of suspicion: trust and the media. Palgrave Macmillan Bowling, Benjamin & Phillips, Coretta. (2002), Racism, Crime and Justice. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited Chan, Wendy & Mirchandani, Kiran. (2002), Crimes of color: racialization and the criminal justice system. University of Toronto. Garner, J.H., Maxwell, C.D. & Heraux, C.G. (2002), Characteristics associated with the prevalence and severity of force used by the police. Justice Quarterly, 19(4), 705. Lawrence, David. (2011), The Tottenham riot makes me embarrassed to live here. [online] available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/aug/08/tottenham-riot-violence-looting [Accessed 15-August-2011] Swann, W. B., Jr. (1987), Identity negotiation: Where two roads meet. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Ting-Toomey, S. (1993). Communication resourcefulness: An identity-negotiation perspective. In R. Wiseman & J. Koester (Eds.), Intercultural communication competence (pp. 72–111). Newbury Park Read More