To the Point
Riots in London and Next Year's Olympic Games
Share |

Riots in London and Next Year's Olympic Games

Host:
Produced by:
Subscribe to this Podcast:
Podcast iTunes Podcast
Listen to/Watch entire show:
Listen Download Add to My Shows

London was quiet today, but looting and violence spread to other parts of the country. We hear different opinions about the causes of Britain's worst riots in decades, and ask how this week's civil disturbing might affect next year's Olympic Games. Also, the so-called "Super Committee" on deficit reduction is rounded out with House Minority Leader Pelosi's picks, and The Help, a new film that looks back at blacks and whites in Mississippi during the 1960’s.

Banner image: David O'Neill leaves Westminster magistrates court after being granted bail on charges including aggravated violence on August 11, 2011 in London. Courts across England are currently processing the many hundreds of looters and rioters that have been arrested since the recent disturbances. Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Making News

Super Committee Rounded Out with Pelosi's Picks ()

The "Super Committee" to look for federal spending cuts between now and Thanksgiving is now complete. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has named three Democrats to join three House Republicans and six Senators of both parties, all of whom were named yesterday. Jonathan Allen is senior congressional reporter for Politico.

Guests:

Main Topic

Riots in London and Next Year's Olympic Games ()

Prime Minister David Cameron says the delayed response by London police helped lead to Britain's worst riots in decades. With 16,000 officers on the streets today, London was quiet, but other parts of the country saw looting and violence, and ethnic tensions are rising. There's debate about root causes. One target is Cameron's "austerity measures," which are cutting both social services and budgets for the police. There's worry about the future, and Cameron is talking with US police, who have experience with criminal gangs. And, while London has already finished the venues for next year's Olympic Games, will it be safe enough for visitors from all over the world?

Guests:

Reporter's Notebook

'The Help' ()

The Help is a film made from a book by a white woman, Katherine Stockett, about relations between white families in Mississippi and their black servants during the 1960's. It's triggered a vigorous dispute between supporters and critics. The Los Angeles Times' Betsy Sharkey calls it "a delicious, peppery stew of home-cooked, 1960's Southern-style racism" that produces healthy laughter. The New York Times' Manohla Dargis calls it "a big, ole slab of honey-glazed hokum. We hear more from Kevin Richardson of the Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Mississippi, where the film is set, and novelist Martha Southgate, who's written about the film in Entertainment Weekly.

 

 

 

Guests:

Engage & Discuss

Further the conversation with your thoughts and comments. Agree, disagree, present a different perspective -- engage.

For information and guidelines click: Terms of Service | Privacy Policy

Please note, comments are moderated. KCRW reserves the right to edit and or remove posts deemed off-topic, abusive or not in accordance with KCRW's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.