Help me out here, please

[rosesaylavee]

When the Miami gang was 'apprehended' earlier this summer, I was, like many here on DU, highly skeptical of the authenticity of the claim that they were a threat to anyone other than themselves.

However, the UK plane threat has hit closer to home for me. My teenage son is in Scotland this week with a youth group and plans to fly out of Heathrow this weekend to return home. The events of the last 48 hours have made me very upset on too many levels to explain here in a couple of paragraphs. Needless to say, I will be VERY happy to see him get off the plane safe and sound.

My question to you, O Wise DUers of all stripes and persuasions, what the hell do you think is going on?

[rosesaylavee]

1. Kick

[cgrindley]

2. UK politics is not US politics

Nor does their government function in the same way. They have a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy. Blair and his cabinet have to face question period (and as much as we all love gorgeous George, he's merely average for UK politicians). Blair's cabinet or back benchers can rebel at any time and depose him in a single vote. The senior civil service runs most of governmental operations with the elected ministers (not random appointments like here in the US) having very little power. It's just not the same system at all. The politics don't even have the same meaning. Blair, for all of his support of Bush, is not a neo-con. His party is the Labor Party (not as leftwing as it used to be, but probably unelectable in the US).

There are long long long standing problems with the Pakistani youth culture of London. This is a home grown group, but probably hugely influenced by the Islamists at Finsbury Park (a place that should have been closed down years ago). These are a group of kids seething with hatred toward the Western world. Unemployment is rampant. Crime and drugs and so on. London is a nasty place and many seemingly good neighborhoods become no go areas at night.

I've had enough, screw it. Let's outlaw all religions. They just cause chaos and hatred. I'm totally willing to sacrifice all those goofy and peaceful Wiccan and Buddhist beliefs if it means getting rid of the two or three idiotic religions responsible for 99% of the world's hate.

[rosesaylavee]

3. My first impulse is to trust

Scotland Yard before I trust the CIA or the FBI but I also know that my knowledge of Scotland Yard and its reputation is gleaned mostly from my reading of mysteries over the years. Not a solid foundation of fact!

Thanks for your response.