Both and, not either or

http://www.twitvid.com/4JTZH                                                                                                              London's burning. Fires blazing out of control. Ordinary people's homes and livelihoods being destroyed.Scared people locked in their houses hoping the wind won't blow the flames towards them. Gangs pulling open car doors and attacking people trying to drive home. 

The riots began in Tottenham after a man called Mark Duggan was shot, but now... what's going on is just an excuse for violent criminal activity. 


And Mark Duggan?  'Hardened north London gangster and drug dealer, or loving family man who would never seek confrontation?' asks the Guardian. Well maybe he was both. Both and, not either or.


I remember my very first day as an assistant in the Probation Service, decades ago. My manager took me to see a young guy in prison. He wrote romantic, sentimental poetry - I was moved by its beauty. As we left my manager said :


- Know what he's in for? He smashed a woman's face with a broken bottle.


Both and, not either or