Birbalsingh re-do

Dear Miss Birbalsingh,

I am writing to tell you why I disagree with your opinion that the London Riots is because of black peoples apparent violent and angry ways. In this letter I will tell you why I disagree with your article.

You start the article by asking, ‘what colour is Mark Duggan?’ By saying this, you automatically show that your article is going to be based around the fact that Mark Duggan is black. You then proceed to say that when you saw the photo you knew ‘instinctively’ that because it is about violence, it must be from someone with darker skin. You then say ‘black youths have once again set London alight’. This suggests that you think the black community have committed crimes to this extent before, and that it is only to one race.

In your next paragraph you say “I’d like to know what they’re angry about. Mark Duggan is dead. He was shot by the police in a shootout.” You show little respect for someone who has been killed with a case which was not solved at the time. We now know that the case ended with the verdict that it was an unlawful killing. Naturally, then, this goes against your argument that Mark Duggan is to blame for his own death. With that you show that you are cold hearted. You use the word ‘dead’ like its a small temporary injury, and not something which changed lives for the worse. 

In the next paragraphs, you talk about someone who was asked about Mark Duggan. She says her words and you say ‘She makes it sound as if the police are killing black people every other weekend and finally someone decided to take a stand’ You basically say that this one killing that has been done is acceptable, and that its not something that happens often, so it should not have a retaliation as such. This does not make any reasonable sense and you are taking the police’s side for no reason.

333 black people have died in police custody without any convictions or suspensions since 1998, this even shows how corrupt their inspection board is (IPCC), they are covering police brutalities and covering the Metropolitan police no matter what the case. Black people are always treated differently, they do not get the same treatment as someone with a lighter skin colour, they are 17.5 times more likely to be stopped and searched by an officer. With all the sly favouritism to light skinned people it is not something to be shocked at when riots break out.

The way things are going, living conditions for black people are getting worse and worse, with an unemployment rate of 8.8% which is almost double the national average, the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. This riot did not happen because of only 1 death, this is anger built up over time due to many reasons. Black people seem to have been living under hate and an unfair dislike for a long time, it is predicable that a riot would happen, they have to stand up to racist people and stereotypes and gain justice.

With the retaliation happening, the reasons you give to defend your statements, that black peoples natural violent instincts started the riots. Do not add up, they just show that you are ignorant. You yourself are not white, you are a woman of Asian decent, yet you choose to accuse black people as minors when you are one yourself.