Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Violence in the streets

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  • Robyn Gallagher,

    The way some media reports were first angled, it almost seemed as if they reckoned Jesse Ryder had got really drunk and beaten himself up.

    Since Nov 2006 • 1946 posts Report Reply

  • Sue,

    I'm becoming concerned that blaming the victim what we do these days. In some stupid wrong way some members of society think both of these things are true

    1. A woman wearing a short dress is asking to be raped
    2. Jesse Ryder having a drink is asking to be punched

    both are wrong and both put the blame for violence the hands of the victim.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 527 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Campbell,

    yes not new - I was dragged out of my car (a 1946 Austin 8 with doors that wouldn't lock) at the lights late one night in 1974 by a bunch of hoons and left lying bleeding in the middle of the street - luckily 1 block from A&E - we do seem to have some in society who somehow confuse violence and sport, fun things to do on a saturday .

    I think the behaviour is learned in high school and is tied up with the whole macho school sport thing

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    I found myself yelling at the TV about this.
    A famous "rugby player" gets beaten up in Christchurch, a city no stranger to white supremacist bashings for years, and the Media goes into a trenzy not knowing whether to highlight the players fondness for his sponsors product or the fact that this kind of Neanderthal behaviour is still prevalent in the city of Christ.
    Within what seemed like hours the perpetrators have been identified and let out on bail.
    A man past retirement age but still working on Highways of National's Impotence, gets callously shot to death while attempting to ensure the safety of others and the police drag their collective feet in tracking down the killer, "we are building a database of likely vehicles" they say. WTF? we have a register of vehicles in this country already, go take a look Sherlock.
    It seems that if there is Rugby connection all stops are pulled out and no stone is left unturned but if you are old, brown and working on a low wage then forget it, you don't count for squat.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    Within what seemed like hours the perpetrators have been identified and let out on bail.

    Because they were easily identifiable. There were witnesses, cctv and a home address courtesy of the taxi company. They've been charged -- a charge which will withut any doubt be upgraded, depending on how Jesse fares.

    A man past retirement age but still working on Highways of National’s Impotence, gets callously shot to death while attempting to ensure the safety of others and the police drag their collective feet in tracking down the killer, “we are building a database of likely vehicles” they say. WTF? we have a register of vehicles in this country already, go take a look Sherlock.

    Because it's a mystery. It still seems very unclear what happened. There's no vehicle, weapon, motive or likely suspect identified so far. But the cops are interviewing people as far afield as Auckland. I see no indication that they're not taking it seriously.

    Also, Jesse Ryder plays cricket, not rugby.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    This story is interesting:

    New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Steve Tew says players just can not be the same as those outside of the sporting world

    “All of our teams have pretty well-considered protocols and it is increasingly difficult for our guys to go out and have normal lives, and that’s just part and parcel of being professional sports people.’’

    Former All Blacks coach Graham Henry told Newstalk ZB’s Tony Veitch All Black players are not allowed into bars without security.

    Because there’ll always be some creep who wants to have a pop at you. I don’t envy these young guys that, at all.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Jarno van der Linden,

    I was thoroughly confused when I turned on the radio and the lead item on RNZ was a long soundbite by the PM about how terrible it was someone I never heard of got beaten up somewhere.

    Really media? Is the Prime Minister going to be asked his personal opinion on every instance of violent crime in the country now?

    Nelson • Since Oct 2007 • 82 posts Report Reply

  • phil a,

    I understand the feeling of being blamed by some when being the victim of an unprovoked attack. It's totally unfair, unhelpful, & hurtful.

    Auckland • Since Dec 2006 • 4 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to phil a,

    I understand the feeling of being blamed by some when being the victim of an unprovoked attack. It’s totally unfair, unhelpful, & hurtful.

    I thought about you when I wrote this, bro. I thought about you.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    And meanwhile, in the Complete Fucking Moron News, Scribe has weighed in on Jesse Ryder's assault.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Jarno van der Linden,

    Really media? Is the Prime Minister going to be asked his personal opinion on every instance of violent crime in the country now?

    Well they sure don’t like asking him his opinion of anything important… he won’t recall but he will be relaxed… no news value there.

    Ditto Russ, I thought of Phil too.
    Hi Phil, love to yer family an all.. ;-)

    ETA. Oh Cricket, the one with the round balls.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Chris Waugh, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Because there’ll always be some creep who wants to have a pop at you. I don’t envy these young guys that, at all.

    Me neither. I think it was about the time Jonah Lomu hit superstardom and then his melt down. It's as if sports stars are public property and nothing more than proxies for our own frustrated childhood dreams of athletic success, and therefore fair game for whatever insecurities people want to dump on them. It would be nice if we could see them for what they are - great athletes and perfectly ordinary people just like the rest of us - and treat them as such.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    Anyway, Steve, sorry if I seemed snappy there, but I really can’t see any evidence that one case has been prioritised over another.

    As to why people might care about Jesse Ryder, it’s like this: he’s a rough, unbelievably gifted character whose father abandoned him when he was 14. He’s had consistent struggles with alcohol – although he was never, as far as I know, a danger to anyone but himself. (If he'd been good with a guitar rather than a cricket bat, I suspect his life would have been easier.)

    The way the public relates to him is weird, as if people feel they own him. He’s the last guy who needs random strangers giving him grief, but that’s what happens. I really objected to Dylan Cleaver’s contention that that should mean he never gets to go out in public. It’s not his problem, it’s ours.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Chris Waugh,

    It’s as if sports stars are public property and nothing more than proxies for our own frustrated childhood dreams of athletic success

    Snap.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Because it’s a mystery. It still seems very unclear what happened. There’s no vehicle, weapon, motive or likely suspect identified so far. But the cops are interviewing people as far afield as Auckland. I see no indication that they’re not taking it seriously.

    I think you dismiss my concerns too readily.
    Yes it is a mystery as far as the public are concerned but we are not the ones entrusted to solve these mysteries.
    First, there was a vehicle type identified, a Blue Jeep Cherokee.
    As for suspect, I would think that a suspect would be found by deductive reasoning, thus.
    We should assume in the first instance that there was some sort of motive as it would seem unlikely that this was a random shooting insomuch as there was only one victim, therefore we could deduce that the suspect is, more than likely, local.,
    A search of vehicles matching the description that have been, in the recent past, registered in the vicinity, especially vehicles stolen, dropped from the register or recently sold and not re-registered.
    Then, after morning tea, we could match those vehicles with reported sightings of gun toting crims in the area, like the one reported at the same time as the shooting.
    Or, we could put up a cordon, restrict public access to whatever we feel like and have another cup of tea.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Chris Waugh, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    Armchair sleuthing is very easy, isn't it?

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Chris Waugh,

    Armchair sleuthing is very easy, isn’t it?

    Yes indeed, speshly whilst playing the violin and wearing a deerstalker hat.
    Not to mention the cocaine.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Russell Brown,

    Anyway, Steve, sorry if I seemed snappy there, but I really can’t see any evidence that one case has been prioritised over another.

    They hide some evidence well eh?.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • andin, in reply to Russell Brown,

    It’s as if sports stars are public property and nothing more than proxies for our own frustrated childhood dreams of athletic success

    Snap.

    Never had those dreams, Dreams of an easy life yes!
    dreams are no longer free

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    But Cantabrians would never bash a visitor without good reason - just ask Scribe.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Scott A,

    When I was young I wanted to be young and famous. But now I'm older and not remotely famous I look at what the public eye brings to these young men and women - including the requirement to not just be well behaved, but better behaved than their peers, then I'm glad I never found that fame.

    The wilds of Kingston, We… • Since May 2009 • 133 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    I know a lot of dudes who go on like this.
    How many?
    Too many.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Chris Miller,

    As an interesting piece of trivia, celebrity culture was born during the reign of Henry VIII. His marital issues had the right combination of scandal and relevance (the religious beliefs of whoever he was currently in love with, for example, had a huge impact on who was likely to be victimised) to get people's interests and they haven't stopped since.

    More to the point, Christchurch has ALWAYS had this problem and it will continue, and probably get worse over the next few years. The idea that he isn't allowed to celebrate with his team is ludicrous. Why the fuck should he have to stay at home while his teammates go out? Unfortunately it's just easier to blame him, since criticising celebrities is already part of the culture, than it is to change the behaviour of all the overly-macho dispossessed men in Christchurch (and in the rest of the country) who think the only thing they can do to have some power over their lives is to smash up other people.

    Otautahi, Aotearoa • Since Nov 2011 • 17 posts Report Reply

  • BenWilson,

    Damn. Last post in reply to Sacha. Droiding.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Chris Miller, in reply to Sacha,

    Funny, coz my only experience with the justice system was after a completely random bashing when I was waiting for a bus. They didn't even ping my danger sensors as they were walking towards me, they just looked like they were heading down the street as normal. Anyone who doesn't think this shit happens needs to get their head out of their arse.

    Otautahi, Aotearoa • Since Nov 2011 • 17 posts Report Reply

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