Where did it all start going wrong?

By Ed's View | View Archive April 9th, 2009, 6:52 pm

What kind of country do we live in?

This week we have seen the bashing of two elderly men and a five-month-old baby dominate the news.

All three stories disgust me.

A 27-year-old student in Auckland bashed a 78-year-old man in an apparent road rage incident after a "minor crash".

This was bad enough but then the poor innocent victim died in hospital.

Bio O'Brien has appeared in the Auckland District Court facing assault charges for beating up Jashmatbei Patel, a grandfather from Te Atatu.

Further charges are a possibility.

The alleged crime has dominated the news and our Yahoo!Xtra Message Boards.

As the matter is before the courts there is no more that can be said.

Early this morning I received an email from the Police detailing a domestic incident that had occurred late on Thursday night.

Consequently an ambulance was dispatched after it emerged a 5-month-old baby had been assaulted.

A 28-year-old woman has been charged with assaulting a child as a result.

And then mid-morning today it emerged an 85-year-old man was bashed unconscious by a home invader on Thursday night.

Louis Watts, a war veteran, was left battered, bruised and bleeding in hospital after he was set upon in a retirement village in South Auckland last night.

What kind of gutless wonders beat up babies and the elderly?

Watts' son-in-law Keith Oddy hit the nail on the head with his comments to NZPA tonight.

"We need to get back to where this country was, because it has gone down the tubes a little bit as far as I'm concerned," he said.

Where is this country heading?

So far I see no real response from the "new" National led government that comes close to trying to sort this situation out.

What has happened to the plans they and ACT spoke of when they campaigned to be elected?

But more to the point where did the country go wrong?

How did we get to a point where people think it's OK to beat up kids and the elderly?

And more to the point when did it become OK to think it's OK to smash someone just because you want to?

This is where we're at right now in my opinion.

Kids are growing up without having to face any form of responsibility.

Parents and teachers alike have been disempowered by legal jargon.

And criminals are learning the system can be quickly adapted for their benefit.

The problem started a long time ago, so you can't point the finger at John Key and Rodney Hide and their respective parties.

But it's time to get it sorted out.

Comments

nclegg View Profile
Consequences. That is what these children need to grow up to be worthy law-abiding adults. As a parent and a teacher, I know that firm boundaries and consistent consequences for when the boundaries are crossed do work. All of this can be done without the need for smacking children, but NOT without the need for educated parents.
Apr 11 07:03 pm
rainbowcolouredstars View Profile
Consequenses! all kids need is a good clip round the ear when theyve done something wrong and they wont do it again!

We need to get back to where this country was, back when I was a kid, when time out was acceptable, a smack on the hand was quite fine! government cant just dig a hole thow us in and complain because we are doing it all wrong!
what ever happened to respecting eachother, respect of elders, and the disabled and the young? "old fashion" values you hardly see these days
Apr 14 03:16 pm
scubaalnz View Profile
My 2 cents worth - It is about time we quit the namby pamby methods of the bleeding heart liberals and get tough on our young and even some of the not so young! How does the saying go... "Idle hands are the Devil's playthings"? Well enough is enough! Build prisons, fill them up, build some more!!
Apr 15 11:34 am
mothership View Profile
Yup beautiful NZ his going down the gurgler. But all is not lost. Drop the PC crap. Socialist do-gooders piss off and do something useful. You do wrong, you get punished. And I don't mean by being put up in a cushy prison cell with underfloor heating and SKYTV. Arghhh Chain gangs. Breaking rocks. Anything but namby pamby handling. Good NZ'ers unite! Save our country or it'll all turn to Shit. Come on John Key. We're waiting.
Apr 15 07:40 pm
scarfie20 View Profile
There needs to be targeted education campaign to change the acceptability of violence with a huge focus on the Pacific Island community. We have health/employment/language programs for all sorts of ethic groups but when NZ needs to focus on a negative everyone seems to go into denial that there is a problem. As long we ignore this more people will be bashed, more people will go to jail and racism towards PI communities will just increase.
Apr 15 07:45 pm