I do not understand the logic behind celebratory riots. Many riots you hear about are celebrations of a joyous occasion, like your stupid local sports team winning a championship. The thought process (though I doubt there's much thinking involved) seems to go something like this: "After a long, arduous season filled with ups and downs culminating in a nail-biting final game in which our team manages to pull through against all odds and win, bringing hope and boundless joy to our city, I think I'll express my utter glee by destroying shit. Nothing says 'this is the happiest moment of my life' like a nice bottle to a cop's head, or maybe a structure fire if I'm really feeling bubbly. I love my city! Now let's burn this city down!'"
I can understand rioting if you're pissed off. Hell, I got caught in the middle of a riot in Barcelona that started in protest of a law that banned drinking in the streets (by 'caught in the middle' I mean I eagerly planted myself smack dab in the middle of the last stronghold of rioters. I immediately regretted that decision). You cops won't let us drink a bottle of vodka in the street among friends? How about I fill said bottle with gasoline, stuff an oily rag in the top, light the rag, and throw the fiery concoction at you? I knew I was in the wrong party when they started serving Molotov cocktails. Not to be outdone, the uniformed hosts then started playing a perennial party favorite: firing crowd control bean bags from shotguns indiscriminately at the crowd.
As stupid as that riot was (almost all riots are stupid), at least it was out of anger. If I won the lottery, I'm almost certain my reaction wouldn't be to punch the nearest person in the mouth. That makes about as much sense as rioting in celebration.
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Josh,
You misunderstand the celebratory riot. Instead of running out with the intention of destroying everything in site, the vast majority of said rioters are merely out to join their fellow sports fans (in this case) in a large celebratory gathering. This gathering, however, is usually populated with drunk hooligans. Among those drunk hooligans are those of the destructive disposition. They get drunk, they break stuff. You and I know them all too well. When you have a mix of a large crowd, drunk hooligans, and chronic destroyers, a riot typically ensues. Allow me to break it down:
The large crowd provides relative anonymity to the average celebrator, thus the already uninhibited drunk hooligans are now even less inhibited from the recognition that they can pretty much do what they want with little to no accountability, and the chronic destroyers set a pattern of behavior for the now super-uninhibited drunk hooligans to copy and enjoy.
What you failed to recognize is that there is no logical reasoning behind the celebratory riot. While there are certainly SOME people who join the celebratory gathering with the intention of destroying things, I submit the vast majority of gatherers are merely there to share their joy with others. It is the volatile combination of the large crowd, drunk hooligans, and chronic destroyers that leads to this otherwise joyous occasion becoming a full-out destructive riot.
Best regards,
Daniel
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