Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Stop the Enabling

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  • Tess Rooney,

    I think the fact the the two year old couldn't take the corner and hit his head shows that it wasn't the safest spot, and then there is the traffic across from the police station. It's very busy there.

    I would have thought that the park was a safer spot to learn how to ride, or an empty concrete court.

    Had the father been more aware of his children's abilities and their safety, he wouldn't have been in the situation of losing his temper and swearing and punching his son.

    I think we need more education for parents that will give parents skills to avoid this kind of situation. Courses like the Positive Parenting Program.

    Since May 2009 • 267 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    In this case, he punched someone right in front of the central police station. It's not a solid move tactically. The main witness was a just-off-duty police officer.

    From go to woe he hasn't done very well has he? I think he should have argued that he was affected by all the testosterone ebbing out of the police station. Couldn't have done worse than his other attempts.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Did anyone else find it revealing that the Family Integrity quote (ta, Scott) capitalises "Man"?

    No, because I've long suspected that literacy is going the way of visiting cards and dressing for dinner.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    The main witness was a just-off-duty police officer.

    I think the officer arrived shortly after the punch was thrown, when Mason was still ranting and raving. The principal witnesses to the assault were a schoolteacher and her teenage son.

    So yeah, there could conceivably have been a greater willingness to step in and speak up.

    That was certainly indicated in the research on the It's Not OK campaign: a surprising large group of people surveyed said they'd taken action on the basis of their awareness of the campaign. And, of course, the police have said that the increase in reported family violence is a consequence of a greater willingness to report.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Graeme Edgeler,

    You are conflating the existence of a defence with the legality of a specific action. They are not the same.

    I don't believe I am conflating them - I wasn't talking about a specific action, I was talking in general. In general, acting in self defence is currently legal, there are hoops one needs to jump through to be legally be "acting in self defence" - the force used must be reasonable in the circumstances, etc. - but, in general, force used in self defence is legal.

    As, previously, parental smacking was legal - there were hoops (reasonableness of force in the circumstances, purpose of the force being corrective, etc.) - but, in general, parental smacking was legal.

    Third, my understanding was that before the law parental smacking was not "something legal" but rather if one was charged with assault on a child one had at one's disposal s59 (a defence) -- and now that is no longer the case.

    The idea that the amendment to section 59 was only repealing a defence (and that smacking was always illegal, just that there was a defence) goes against several hundred years of settled law. If there is a full defence (cf. provocation), there is no crime. Smacking (where that smacking was reasonable in the cirucmstances, etc. etc.) used to be legal, it is no longer.

    I didn't know how to make your post look all grey and cool...

    You can write < quote> in front of it and< /quote> after the bit you're quoting (but without the additional spaces. You can copy these from the left of the comment box (which also explains how to do links, bold, and italics ).

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report Reply

  • Gareth Ward,

    One could reasonably speculate that the only reason Mr. Mason ended up in court was because the "culture shift" implied in the repeal of Section 59 empowered a bystander to intervene and to call the police, where once they would have said and done nothing.

    Tom S in same-comment-as-Paul-Henry shocker! =)

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart,

    reboot slash could be fun :P.

    Heh, watching the new movie, there were a couple of times I went 'Spock on the left, Kirk on the right, nicely framed, all glowery, this is deliberately set up to be captioned'.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Tess Rooney,

    We are all guardians of all our children, 24x7x365 - something that a lot of New Zealanders seem uncomfortable with.

    Um, I sure am.

    Darn, there goes this weekend's babysitting.

    No, because I've long suspected that literacy is going the way of visiting cards and dressing for dinner.

    Sad, but true. We live in a vulgar age.

    Since May 2009 • 267 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Parks,

    I've long suspected that literacy is going the way of visiting cards and dressing for dinner.

    I don't even know what visiting cards are.

    I do like dressing for dinner, though.

    Wellington • Since May 2007 • 1165 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    That's saucy.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens,

    @Gareth:

    So the infinite improbability drive exists after all.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • Gareth Ward,

    No, because I've long suspected that literacy is going the way of visiting cards and dressing for dinner.

    Liz: Jack, why are you wearing a tux?
    Jack: It's after 6 o'clock Lemon. What am I, a farmer?

    Auckland, NZ • Since Mar 2007 • 1727 posts Report Reply

  • Rich Lock,

    I think the fact the the two year old couldn't take the corner and hit his head shows that it wasn't the safest spot

    How can I say this nicely without too much swearing?

    Given the amount of [censored], lying, [censored] in that utterly vile article quoted by Scott, what exactly is it that makes you think the two-year old 'hit his head'.

    I don't actually know the facts as presented in court, but it seems to me that a good guess would be that the only thing this two year old was 'hitting his head' on was his fathers fist.

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    Tom S:

    We are all guardians of all our children, 24x7x365 - something that a lot of New Zealanders seem uncomfortable with.

    When nuclear families melt down, their strongest defenders go out of their way to whitewash the fallout.

    Craig:

    No, because I've long suspected that literacy is going the way of visiting cards and dressing for dinner.

    It seems that while sophistication has democratised over the last 25 years or so, unfortunately so too has hooliganism.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    Also, the whole splitting stories over two pages is just to ploy to juke the page impression stats for the advertisers, right?

    Nail hit on head there Graeme I think. I have oft wondered about that myself. The other thing that disses my gruntle is that "Your Vi ewes" is posted back to front and moderated in such a way as to preclude discussion, I wonder if this is deliberate. I mean we don't want the "readers" actually talking to each other do we?.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Heather Hapeta,

    assault is assault . congrats to the jury .

    its appalling how the media ( radio, print and tv) continue to use the' anti -smacking law' term. its lazy work.

    I fear another referendum as we are surrounded by violent people who think they own chn and can hit them with impunity .

    sound bites will always win a referendum and the media are culpable - get some backbone and write the truth - not tired, headline grabbing, untrue cliches

    New Zealand • Since Mar 2009 • 9 posts Report Reply

  • Sam F,

    Why would you have different headlines on the story when you're reading it as a one-page instead of a two-page story?

    They've changed it... so, who works for the Herald and reads PAS for tips? Answers on the back of an envelope et cetera.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report Reply

  • Lucy Stewart,

    Heh, watching the new movie, there were a couple of times I went 'Spock on the left, Kirk on the right, nicely framed, all glowery, this is deliberately set up to be captioned'.

    Approximately several thousand icon-makers on LJ agree with you.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report Reply

  • Ian MacKay,

    Steve: Intrigued with "gruntle." dis allow, dis tract, dis gruntle???? I looked up gruntle but it is not in the Oxford. Wonder what a gruntle looks like?

    Bleheim • Since Nov 2006 • 498 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    I mean we don't want the "readers" actually talking to each other do we?

    Heck, no. Righteous indignation stays stoked lucratively longer when posters can only talk past one another. Conversations are for the indecisive, not the strong, thrusting residents of te supercity.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sam F,

    Further from Your Views:

    For all you smug do-gooders applauding the court's ruling: the conviction was way out of whack (sorry), if the child suffered no real injury. Because the sins of the father are now visited upon the whole family, should they wish to travel to many places overseas. That means: no family trip to Disneyland etc.

    "My dad used to rage on us and got convicted for punching me in the face when I was four. But it's thinking of the years I missed out on seeing Mickey that really keeps me up at night."

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    The dominant fuckwit tendency on Your Views has already convinced itself that Mason didn't punch his kid in the face after all (no bruises! see!). And a notorious public fool writes:

    Chuck Bird (Papakura)
    The media has not done a very good job of reporting the facts in this case. I have not read that witnesses took the stand and were cross-examined. I have heard on the radio that they did not take the stand. I understand there was no evidence of any injury.

    Contrary to the opinion of the Herald a light smack is assault as is pulling a child's hair or flicking an ear. If there was compelling evidence that Jimmy Mason punched his son in the face I doubt if the jury would have taken nine hours to convict him. The laws need clarification. Let us hope that John Boscawen's bill gets drawn in the ballot soon.

    How far distanced from reality can these people get? Yes, there were witnesses to the assault, yes they took the stand. And for goodness sake, Mason told a police officer he'd hit his little boy in the face and it was no one else's business.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • FletcherB,

    I'm not sure I agree. It's hard to see how anyone could argue punching a child in the face was reasonable force.

    I too, cant see how punching a child in the face could be "reasonable force", allowing a non-conviction under previous law.... so I'd hope this wasnt a precedent setter...

    But, but, but.... all through this campaign we've heard of earlier terrible terrible things that were in fact not cause for conviction because force that does not seem reasonable to most of us was found to be reasonable by a jury. riding crops, folded electrical cord, planks of wood..... none of them merely a "smack" in my understanding.

    So, on those grounds, I'm less convinced that he would definitely have been found guilty under the previous law. might have been, but not definitely.

    West Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 893 posts Report Reply

  • Peter Martin,

    I looked up gruntle but it is not in the Oxford

    Hi Ian, my Oxford states : ' gruntled.adj.humorous,pleased,satisfied.
    Origin 1930's: backform from disgruntled.

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 187 posts Report Reply

  • ScottY,

    Mason's been found guilty, but has not actually been convicted - yet.

    Maybe that trip to Disneyland will happen after all. Won't someone please think of the children?

    West • Since Feb 2009 • 794 posts Report Reply

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