Posts by Russell Brown
-
Hard News: Angry and thrilled about Arie, in reply to merc,
It would be kind of cool if TV1 interviewed Erasmus as to why he put the frighteners on them.
It would be cool if Erasmus just deigned to be interviewed.
-
Hard News: Angry and thrilled about Arie, in reply to Hilary Stace,
There is apparently a follow up programme on TV1’s Sunday on Sunday.
It's a more general programme about autism that they've been working on for a while.
-
Hard News: Angry and thrilled about Arie, in reply to chris,
I must take issue with this. Arie’s condition was a mitigating factor, but it is one of a myriad of potentially mitigating factors in such an instance. To argue that he should be treated differently by the law due to his condition is to espouse something other than a fair and equal justice system.
No one is saying that. All anyone is asking is that he be treated fairly and reasonably.
Focusing on Arie’s condition too much simply obscures and abets the administration of this authoritarian brutality on other New Zealanders.
His condition -- or, rather, his particular neurological wiring -- was, however, a significant factor in his actions. Most people don't enter damaged buildings to rescue light bulbs.
It simply bears noting that his thinking was not that of a looter.
-
I should note that I'm not particularly interested in Judith Collins resigning or anything. I'd just like for the madness to stop and Arie and Michael be allowed to get on with their lives.
And also for Inspector Erasmus to be given a talking-to by a grown-up.
-
Field Theory: Bicycle Race, in reply to Emma Hart,
A friend of mine usually takes the duration of Le Tour off work to sit and and watch it. I don’t really get it, but I can see that the slowness has the same hypnotic appeal as test cricket, which I love.
Ditto. Readers may have noticed that I quite like riding my bike, but I don't really grasp watching the Tour as sport, as opposed to a chance to look at pretty parts of France.
-
Hard News: Angry and thrilled about Arie, in reply to Sacha,
if Labour decided that having Cosgrove stand up at Question Time
It might make more sense to have someone like Robertson doing that
Agreed. Robertson has a longstanding investment in the disability sector. Cosgrove asking the same question would simply look political and I would not see it as some sort of welching if he didn't ask the question. I'd actually prefer Robertson doing it.
-
Up Front: P.A. Story, in reply to Emma Hart,
He was telling me last night that every time, he reads the tag as #pastry.
Worryingly, I keep thinking of pastors.
-
Hard News: Angry and thrilled about Arie, in reply to Hilary Stace,
To be fair to Grant, he has taken a long time interest in this situation, as he has in autism-related injustices generally, so just because he has not made public statements in the last few days, does not mean he is not strategising ibehind the scenes.
That’s good to hear. But it does seem that asking Collins some questions was an obvious public move to make. I'm glad Keith Locke's done it.
-
Hard News: Angry and thrilled about Arie, in reply to Steve Barnes,
Diversion can only be offered after a guilty plea and Voorkamp changed his plea to not guilty. The reason for the not guilty plea was, imho, to force a trial so the police have to pay the consequences for Arie’s treatment, 11 days in jail, it’s a lawyers game now.
Nope. My impression is the plea was changed after the cops made it clear they wouldn't countenance diversion. And there's no way they're not aware of an "informed admission of guilt".
Keith Locke has submitted some written questions to the Minister of Police seeking clarification of the investigation into the Sunday programme, and police procedures relating to people with autism.
Where fuck are the Labour MPs on this? Grant Robertson, you're letting me down.
-
Just a note -- when I can get permissions turned on, Emma will also be able to accept submitted images via the sexy file-upload button in this forum. So bear that in mind.