Joe Mulhall looks at the question of what makes people so susceptible to misinformation (Some are calling these far-right riots an outpouring of legitimate anger. They are not, 5 August). He blames social media, and also blames Suella Braverman for demonising asylum seekers by using such language as “invasion”. Yet he himself uses similar language about the rioters: “horde”, “mob”, “infection”.
How can social cohesion be achieved while even on the Guardian letters page (5 August) I read language such as “neo-Nazi scum”? The prime minister and the home secretary call the rioters “thugs”. There is also pressure to call them “terrorists”. This name-calling does not help. It is aggressive. It divides us even further. Instead, we could find answers to what makes people so angry and violent by looking at what they have to lose: nothing. They have nothing now after 14 years of Tory misrule and deprivation, but throwing bricks is not a solution to their resentment. A close look at our own attitude as betrayed in our language might be.
Eleanor Creed
Portsmouth
• Joe Mulhall rightly says that the riots are not about legitimate anger. But we must not forget that many people have genuine grievances – declining public services, poor pay, inadequate housing – which the far right falsely blames on immigrants and ethnic minorities. Many distrust all politicians, because certain politicians have been grossly untrustworthy. It is therefore urgent that the Labour government should address the root causes of these grievances, such as the refusal of wealthy people to pay their fair share, and should show itself to be trustworthy. That is a long-term solution, and I deeply hope that Keir Starmer will be bold enough to carry it out as quickly as possible.
Robert Dimmick
Caversham, Berkshire
• While the rioters’ actions are in no way legitimate, their anger may be. If the (probably varied and maybe irrational and ill-informed) reasons behind their anger are not explored, I don’t see how the situation can improve in the long term.
Elaine Henderson
Leicester
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