Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: The Bottom is a Magic Place

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  • BenWilson,

    It's Christian sadists a-go-go over there.

    I couldn't find one single post out of 21 on the main page that had any comments at all. This is one determined blogger with no audience. You've just done him a huge favor with your link!

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    You've just done him a huge favor with your link!

    Not really. People will follow the link, his hit count will go up, he may make a few cents in ad. revenue and people will go away with the impession that "these guys are so weird" then maybe never visit a site like that again.
    I want to add that I noticed his blog was on a Catholic site. I have nothing against people who choose to be Catholic, in fact, some of my best freinds are Catholics and most, if not all, of them would rather not hit their children.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Shep Cheyenne,

    Kevin - I don't like your logic.

    Demographics have everything to do with race. Your little demographic will say it's a brown issue and whites are squeaky clean & blended families are inherantly dangerous to children as dear old Bob said tonight on Campbell.

    Your constuct of a demographic will say when white nuclear families beat their children it's not serious by their virtue of being white.

    Since Oct 2007 • 927 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    With apologies to all who've written thus far, mostly (almost always in fact) I'd read every contribution... however in this instance, I've jumped to the end to say:

    F**k of John. I'm so sick of you, you small-minded, conservative, amoral, opportunistic petty little man. I can't wait to see the back of you. I've been here five years and you're leadership has been appalling - goodbye.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Your constuct of a demographic will say when white nuclear families beat their children it's not serious by their virtue of being white.

    And/or, mean that we should conduct close surveillance on all people who fit the demographic (umm, brown people on welfare with previous convictions?) while we wait for them complete their inevitable assault on their children.

    Neither's at all good.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Steve, I'm not saying there shouldn't have been a link, for the reasons you suggest. But a twit like this guy will be reveling in his page impression count going over 30. Probably made his day.

    My wife is Catholic and doesn't believe in smacking. I certainly don't. It is obviously very tempting when you lose your temper, but that makes it all the more insidious. It's more of an argument against losing your temper. Being bad-tempered is a bad excuse for bad behaviour.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    The police have pushed back against happy-smacker brigade:

    The prosecutor in the case, Sergeant Garry Wilson, said police evidence included photos of bruises on the boy's shoulder and buttocks.

    "It irritates me to hear about people being criminalised about light smacking. These were heavy smacks that had a traumatic effect on the child. And the family members were sufficiently concerned to contact police.

    "The family have said that it wasn't the first time," he added.

    Clarifies things a little.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • simon g,

    Yes, the story had a full day's coverage reinforcing fears, with little attention paid to the details, which were there from the start if anyone bothered to look. Is it too much to ask the media to value information above commentary?

    "So Bob, what are the facts of this case?"
    "Well, I don't know, but the point is ...
    "Bye then"

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report Reply

  • simon g,

    I mean, this is just feeble from the Dom-Post. They get four quotes: Richard Lewis (Destiny), Gordon Copeland, Bob McCoskrie and the guy from Barnardos. It's like one of those council/corporate PR jobs, where they chuck in one token critical comment just to make it look less like advertising.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/4284749a11.html

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report Reply

  • Emma Hart,

    Your constuct of a demographic will say when white nuclear families beat their children it's not serious by their virtue of being white.

    And/or, mean that we should conduct close surveillance on all people who fit the demographic (umm, brown people on welfare with previous convictions?) while we wait for them complete their inevitable assault on their children.

    Neither's at all good.

    Well, if Kevin's talking about prevention, and that's the word he used, you can remove the 'previous convictions' bit. But he did never mention race, to be fair, and we don't actually need to point to the elephant for this logic to be bloody scary.

    People are more likely to recognise domestic violence when it looks like they expect it to look, so the more you tell them it's only deadbeat welfare spongers who beat their kids, the less likely they are to recognise abuse in a nice middle-class white family. IMO, anyway. I may be a little touchy, having been both a welfare parent who didn't hit her kids, and a kid watching a guy with a good job and no record of violence* pushing my brother down a two-storey exterior staircase.

    "Close surveillance" doesn't happen without devoting huge resources to it, and those resources have to come from somewhere.

    *No official record of violence. Never reported because you didn't do that.

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 4651 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole,

    not only charged underthe old law, convicted under it too

    Oh really, Dave? You're sure about that? Remember, we're talking about a defence that saw people get off after taking to their children with riding crops, vacuum-cleaner pipes, and fence palings. I, personally, wouldn't have wanted to bet on a conviction, given the things that juries have allowed as "reasonable force" in the past.

    The law changed ensured that a conviction resulted in this case (though the father's guilty plea does make it a moot point), rather than making it a total crap-shoot that could have been thrown by a single demented clown who thinks that you can't possibly love your kids unless you beat them frequently.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Shep Cheyenne,

    But he did never mention race, to be fair, and we don't actually need to point to the elephant for this logic to be bloody scary.


    Fair point Emma

    Since Oct 2007 • 927 posts Report Reply

  • Margaret B,

    Did anyone see the Nightline TV3 coverage of this most recent case last night? It was misleading to say the least, very disappointing. They did a voiceover that completely misrepresented the facts of the case, with pictures of people lightly smacking children on the hand or bottom. Definitely gave the impression that was the case here, when clearly it was not.

    I find this whole issue about closely "supervising" those in the right (wrong?) demographic a bit worrying. It seems to me that some of those arguing for this monitoring are also those fundamentally opposed to any thing of the kind for people in their own demographic. It's a "privilege" they only want to apply to those who are Other...

    Since Oct 2007 • 59 posts Report Reply

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Well, if Kevin's talking about prevention, and that's the word he used, you can remove the 'previous convictions' bit.

    I was taking that from his original post which had in it:

    Multiple violent offending - unknown but permanent name suppression would suggest not
    [welfare dependence] - he came home from work
    Dysfunctional family/home situation - doesn’t sound like it
    Alcohol and/or drug dependence - unknown
    Intergenerational criminal behaviour/family violence - unknown
    Multiple cyfs intervention - unknown

    There's two mentions there of 'violent offending' and 'criminal behaviour'. Though as you note, nothing about race.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Did anyone see the Nightline TV3 coverage of this most recent case last night? It was misleading to say the least, very disappointing. They did a voiceover that completely misrepresented the facts of the case, with pictures of people lightly smacking children on the hand or bottom. Definitely gave the impression that was the case here, when clearly it was not.

    WTF is up with that? If they took that approach to any other court case there'd be hell to pay.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • InternationalObserver,

    Michael Laws on Radio Live this morning said he was changing his opinion on this prosecution as more detail emerged. Turns out the dad has numerous assault convictions, and is 'known to the Police'. Maybe the Smacking Bill isn't so wrong afterall, he mused.

    I presume he reserves the right to flip flop again if a white middle class 'family values' type is ever arrested for smacking.

    Since Jun 2007 • 909 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    I've not desire to thread-jack but am still utterly obsessed by the prospect that we will soon be a Howard-less-land over here in the West Island. I can't vote sadly but am doing my bit such as it is.

    I thought PA readers might want to follow the election, if so can I recommend the ABC site which is here:

    http://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2007/

    And includes this whizzy interactive google-map

    http://www.abc.net.au/elections/federal/2007/guide/map.htm

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Paul, how soon are we really going to know the outcome, though? Is counting a lot faster if it's a landslide?

    I'll be pretty happy if Bad King John is dethroned.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    I'm kinda hoping it's not all over before it begins like last election - the ABC have an analyst, Anthony Green, who has a habit of calling elections early and being right.

    I think this one should be pretty clear cut however - all the polling is consistent and has been for months. That said, assuming it is a pretty comprehensive victory for Labor, there'll still be lots of interesting battles for particular seats including Bennelong, the PM's seat, which, if he does lose it, will very close.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    I think this one should be pretty clear cut however - all the polling is consistent and has been for months.

    Yeah, what a shame the Aussie media can't be voted out of office - or at least required to undergo remedial journalism training. I can only imagine what the coverage would have been like if a fraction of the resources and energy spent on polls, and poll-driven punditry had been expended on... say, some actual skeptical analysis of the 60 billion plus in new spending promises from Labour and the Coalition, coupled with a deficit of actual policy.

    Oh well, I guess the one thing about a democracy is that you get what you deserve - in the end.

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

  • Deborah,

    Michael Laws on Radio Live this morning said he was changing his opinion on this prosecution as more detail emerged. .... I presume he reserves the right to flip flop again if a white middle class 'family values' type is ever arrested for smacking.

    So it would have been better if he had just stuck to his original opinion despite the new information?!!!

    It's people who won't change their minds, no matter what the evidence or argument, that I find offensive, and frightening.

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report Reply

  • Deborah,

    And given that I'm moving to Australia in just 36 days now, I'm rather hoping that Howard will be out. It looks hopeful.

    Of course, once the federal government goes Labor, it's likely that the state governments will turn Liberal over the next few years. It's one of the finer checks on power that seems to operate in the Australian federal system, with people sorting out the government they want overall, over time.

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark,

    And given that I'm moving to Australia in just 36 days now, I'm rather hoping that Howard will be out. It looks hopeful.

    Noooo! One of the 40,000?

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • Deborah,

    Yes.... I have been writing about it on my own blog - here and here and here and here.

    Don't. Ever. Move.

    Not just one of the 40,000 either. There's five of us going.

    New Lynn • Since Nov 2006 • 1447 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Of course, once the federal government goes Labor, it's likely that the state governments will turn Liberal over the next few years.

    Don't know about that... the NSW Liberals seemed determined to hand an unpopular and incompetent Labour Government another term by... well, running a campaign so piss-poor I wouldn't trust the people responsible to run a cake stall. Politics is a funny thing - though its often hard to tell whether you talking about funny ha-ha, funny peculiar or some kinky hybrid of the two.

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

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