The evil that men do

There's a subtle difference in the role played by Killer Bob in the first and second series of Twin Peaks. In the first season in 1990, Killer Bob represented 'the evil that men do', whilst Agent Cooper found that Leland Palmer, a seemingly loving and caring father, killed his own daughter who he'd been sexual abusing for years.

Leland Palmer was an evil man, and this evil manifested itself as Killer Bob. Killer Bob was Leland when Leland abused his daughter.

In the second season, in late 1990 and 1991, due to the first series's success 22 episodes were made, rather than 8, other writers were used in addition to Frost and Lynch who were involved in other projects. These other writers turned Killer Bob from from an absract 'the evil that men do' into an actual malevolent entity that 'makes men do evil things'. Bob was a demon who possessed other innocent people and made them do evil things, and absolved them of personal responsibility.

'It's not my fault gov, Killer Bob took over my body and made me do it'.

In a similar way, yesterday's riot in Harrow. I feel that SIOF and EDL are clearly being portrayed as a season two Killer Bob. The streets were filled with angry youths pelting the police with bricks, bottles and firecrackers, breaking through lines of riot police in the hope of finding someone to fight.

They're absolved of all responsibility because the SIOF and EDL provoked them. These organisations provoked the local youths and UAF into becoming a thousand-strong violent mob.

Right-wing groups who claim to oppose Islamic extremism are trying to provoke violence on Britain's streets, the communities minister has said.

The thousand-strong violent mob is 'the evil that men do', and they did it themselves, they breached the peace. Each one of them has personal responsibility for their actions, and fighting.

One of the most important lessons Marty McFly learnt in Back To The Future III was not to give in to provocation.

At the end of the movie when he's just managed to get back to 1985 from 1885, he refuses to take part in a drag race with Flea from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers who calls him 'chicken', and as a result, doesn't get hurt in a car crash which would have ruined his future.

Youths of Harrow, you can be Marty McFly, don't be Leyland Palmer.