In conversations with my friends, I have often suggested (not entirely
tongue-in-cheek) that perhaps football hooliganism now serves the same
purpose in British society as did colonial imperialism in the past. For
several hundred years, if you wanted to trash people and places, you could
do so under the auspices of the Empire; now if you're that type of person,
your choices in people and places to trash are increasingly limited to those
around football stadiums and for the ostensible reason for success (or
failure) in a football match. That nationalism and, yes, racism/xenophobia
arise as reasons for this sort of violence is, I think, telling. Was the
British Empire nationalistic, racist, and xenophobic? Of course. Were those
the only reason for the Empire? Of course not. But that also doesn't mean
they weren't part and parcel.
Cheers,
Becky
-----Original Message-----
From: Paul.A.Kent [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, June 20, 2000 7:39 AM
To: Tony Jarvis; Hillary Shaw; [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: "Human sewage" - time to punish journalists.
Finally, football violence is always argued to be inherently
racist/xenophbic in intent. Has anyone actually stopped to consider
that
these people actually enjoy fighting because of the 'buzz' they get
off it,
and that national/regional/local conflicts are just backgrounds to a
more
primal urge for violence, perhaps.
What does evryone think?
I'd love to hear.
Cheers, Paul.
******************************************************
Paul Kent
Work: 020 7775 3363
Mobile: 07941 119053
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