My comments in blue italic in response to Rattlers missive (which follows) in Toady 2/7/08. It attracted one response from Scott compared to PerthofYesteryear of over 1200 postings.
Brothers Matthew Indich (15), Benjamin Nannup (11) and Jeremy Nannup (10) have paid the ultimate price for their adventure with their 17-year-old cousin Quentin Humes.
Their lives and his are over, after he lost control of a stolen car that slammed into a tree at 130kmh and was cut in half by a power pole near Pinjarra.
Their families and friends are understandably devastated by their premature deaths and are searching for explanations.
Thank goodness no innocent bystanders were maimed or lost their lives during their high speed escapade.
A 10 and 11 year old aren’t in effect innocent bystanders !?
This latest in a long history of similar tragedies in WA has reignited public divisions and created a smokescreen for those of us seeking solutions.
Gibberish
In the immediate aftermath there is the understandable call for compassion for the mother of the three brothers, who it’s said has already paid a monumental price for her lack of supervision.
Fair enough. She is entitled to her period of grieving.
You don’t seem to think she does.
But her trauma cannot dictate there be no debate on the issue of parental responsibility that is at the heart of this horrible event.
With parenthood comes values, discipline, vigilance and love. That includes teaching respect for self, others and their property – right and wrong – protective regimes and providing ultimate safe havens.
Kids who have been offered and embraced all these life skills do not normally sneak out of their homes late at night, do not steal, and do not assault and terrorise the community.
Now in this instance do you know that they sneaked out of their homes ? Their mother said that they did occassionally, but we don’t know the circumstances here for sure. Had they previously been suspected of stealing or assault. You don’t know that.
Parents who have achieved this level of rapport would move mountains if they found youngsters missing from their beds at such hours.
What is also missing from today’s society – and this is where the broader community has a role to play – is the regular influence of extended families.
Absent from almost every grouping is a collection of grandparents, uncles and aunties who used to be on hand as the backstops when unintended consequences forced mother or father from the daily scene.
Dysfunctionality is the order of the day as adults prioritise their own activities ahead of the younger generation, or waft away into a booze- and drug-addicted world of make-believe.
Now do you know the parents were drunk in this instance ?
The Pinjarra tragedy a wake up call for the whole community that wherever parental responsibility is allowed to take a back seat, similar events are waiting to happen.
Discussion on what happened and how to prevent a repetition should not be allowed to be sidetracked by arguments about race and socially-engineered blame games.
“socially-engineered blame games.” What in the F does that mean
Parenting, an undertaking that requires us to guide our children at least into adulthood, is a universal responsibility.
July 3, 2008 at 12:05 am |
The man is, was and, it seems, continues to be, marginally deluded.
He’s one of the reasons that I could never have faith in the rectitude of his employers, nor the editors who defend him and his particular brand of ‘creative’ commentary.
In a nutshell; the idiot has no idea what he’s writing about so he allows his imagination to invent scenarios that fit with his preconceptions and prejudices.
July 3, 2008 at 2:43 am |
I see in the news today that Alan Jones has fallen victim to a particularly nasty form of prostate cancer known as ‘karma’
perhaps Sattler needs to stick his finger up his arse to check for… no, just stick his finger up his arse.
July 3, 2008 at 3:27 am |
He’s actually had one more response to his column as well :
[
* Two Sides to Every Coin
* July 03, 2008
* 09:21 AM
Both Scott and Howard make very good points. I returned to Perth some few years ago from the East and was horrified at the racism towards the aboriginal community here in Perth. Then, within 2 weeks, had a home invasion by a very very large aboriginal person at 10pm - I was sitting up awake at the time.... Truely horrifying experience. Following various other bad and uninvited experiences at the hands of aborigines since that time, I understand why there is so much racism. Having said that, yes they have traditionally had a hard time and therefor see all white people as a group to be attacked both verbally and physically and to laugh about after. If the adults are not prepared to teach the young ones a sense of self respect, honesty, aboriginal tradition - which does not include violence, stealing etc. then this pattern will continue generation after generation. Yes society needs to work towards improving things but the basics start at home.]
At least these comments are more rational than from Perth Of Yesteryear
July 3, 2008 at 3:32 am |
[Kids who have been offered and embraced all these life skills do not normally sneak out of their homes late at night, do not steal, and do not assault and terrorise the community.]
Allegedly, they stole the car so they could attend an 18th Birthday Party in Mandurah.
BTW, note that The West via Inside Cover are getting all upset because Carps has blackbanned 6PR. I don’t blame him, if Sattler and Beaumont are the best they can offer.
July 3, 2008 at 9:55 pm |
Skink,
The prattler is so adept at putting his foot in it that perhaps it’s time he learned to put a sock in it