Hard News: About Arie
646 Responses
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I am shaking with rage, and god knows it takes a lot to get me in that state these days. This is a travesty - that this young man, who took two lightbulbs , two lightbulbs, should be hounded like this. That he should face 4 months of to-ing and fro-ing to court because the police are taking a hard line. A hard line about what, exactly? People who take lightbulbs? For fuck's sake. Surely, when this goes to court for the final time, with a judge only, the case will be thrown out? What a waste of our money, what a bloody waste of everyones' time. And what a delightful young man, who has to suffer for god knows what reason. And then on top of all of that - as if prosecuting to the full extent of the law for two lightbulbs isn't enough, some bastard elbowed him in the eye. And they deny it. Oh, I could spit. I could just spit.
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Nothing like a few last minute visitations to appease the owners. Wonder what Sunday will be up for. Interfering in a case before the courts I suppose. But there is no way NZ could get that sort of background by only listening to the court process.
No army guys huh?
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Appease is the wrong word. I think I mean to make sure the plice at least made eye contact with them to ensure at least a good look.
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Kumara Republic, in reply to
To put it mildly, he’s received worse custody treatment than killers and rapists. I've mentioned it before, but is it the Martin Bryant effect at work?
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Jackie Clark, in reply to
What's the Martin Bryant effect?
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Good story by Sunday, and good on them for scoffing at the police threats.
The police statement that diversion hasn't been offered because he hadn't admitted guilt seems bizarre. He seems to admit that he was taking the lightbulbs, something isn't right there?
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The police seem particularly vindictive for some reason. And it sounds like the army have some answering to do. But I thought it was a good piece of reporting on Sunday and a pretty straightforward picture of the realities of Aspergers. I do hope some nice electrician watching now offers Arie an apprenticeship.
The Justice for Arie facebook page and the feedback comments to Sunday are pretty active at the moment.
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Kumara Republic, in reply to
What’s the Martin Bryant effect?
The mistaken belief at the time of the Port Arthur massacre that Aspergers makes people go on rifle rampages.
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Steve Barnes, in reply to
the refusal was coming from ‘on high’ – directly by telephone
What chance do the innocent have against such technology?.
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I think there is something going on here that we are not being told. Perhaps the Plice want clarification from a Judge as to what "looting" actually is. A total waste of time but they are proving to be more interested in doing that than anything else, Manurewa liquor store anyone?. They seem to be crying out for someone to tell them that the more vulnerable members of society are not the enemy.
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Jackie Clark, in reply to
Ah, thanks DR.
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ChrisW, in reply to
Perhaps the Plice want clarification from a Judge as to what "looting" actually is.
But their threats against TVNZ re Sunday's "Tale of two light bulbs" isn't consistent with that. Instead it brought home to me the sad fact that Ross Meurant's analysis of the October 2007 anti-"terrorist" raids applies to the Police as a whole - they are "deep in the forest" of their childhood imagination surrounded on all sides by threats both visible and invisible. This both builds their group culture and hopelessly distorts their perception and perspective.
It seems they need a judge to slap them on the face in an attempt to bring them back to reality, turn them round from their current course rushing deeper into the forest, and point them to the way out. It's encouraging the court in Arie's case shows signs of giving them this message, but I doubt the Police will get it.
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The sad thing is that there are some people in the police who have been working very hard to improve understanding and knowledge about autism. But there is something going on with the legal division in Wellington, which seems to be running this case. The Justice for Arie Smith-Voorkamp facebook page has been deluged with supportive messages for Arie and Michael. I actually think there is something quite significant going on here and it is quite heartening for an inclusive society. We have a young autistic man talking about his own life in his own words on prime time television, and two young men are challenging the power of the state in the form of the police. I just hope the momentum now keeps going in the form of letters and emails and other pressure to the PM, Ministers, newspapers and whatever else it takes.
(This is also the story of a talented young man whose electrical expertise could be used in the rebuilding of Christchurch if only someone would give him a chance.)
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Russell Brown, in reply to
The police statement that diversion hasn’t been offered because he hadn’t admitted guilt seems bizarre. He seems to admit that he was taking the lightbulbs, something isn’t right there?
He initially pleaded guilty, until it became clear that the police were not going to consider diversion.
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the case will be thrown out?
I suspect so, (or my name isn't Sofie and had this done to her before) and any sane Judge now will suggest to the police that they have indeed wasted the public's money and the courts time. I cannot imagine a Judge now would go against the wishes of the previous Judge.
Perhaps now, one can understand that there are many occasions that the police do warrant scrutiny and that is why the level of trust for them has divebombed, to be sure.
grrrrr! -
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Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to
:) yes I saw that but thank you anyways sweetie.
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Also with 41+000 views, it must be getting up to the thread that can’t be mentioned surely ?
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Sacha, in reply to
signposting for posterity
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He initially pleaded guilty, until it became clear that the police were not going to consider diversion.
In which case, the police are being dishonest about the reasoning for not offering diversion?
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Sacha, in reply to
Russell talks about that on the newer thread
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