Second chances
Second chances are for people who honestly acknowledge their previous misdeeds and sincerely commit to change.
Second chances are not for people whose apologies contain the phrase “I make no excuses … except to say …” followed by a list of excuses.
Second chances are not for people who act like their treatment by the courts is not almost certainly affected by the fact that they have famous friends, and are white, and have money.*
Second chances are not for people who use character reference statements given under apparently false pretences in order to get their sentence lessened.**
Second chances are not for people who did, in fact, injure another person’s spine by kicking them as they lay on the ground but do, in fact, think they’re the victim because a broadcaster said the kick was to the head.
Second chances are not for people whose principal concerns appear to be hiring media handlers and carefully character-assassinating the victim of their “cracking” “out of character” violent assault.
I fully believe in second chances. I fully believe in people’s capacity to change and redeem. Tony Veitch, on the other hand, seems to fully believe in his right to mouth empty apologies and pretend this never happened, and calling his actions “getting on with his life”. So no. He does not*** deserve a second chance.
Run On Hamster Wheels For Eternity In Hell Honorable Mentions:
Judge Jan Doogue, for assuming that only what gets proved in court is actually real, and for apparently thinking that what a person’s mates say about them is a better measure of their previous behaviour than the crime they’ve just been convicted of. May the words “single act” haunt you for the rest of your life, ma’am.
ETA: Holy crap on a shitstick, LudditeJourno has more on Ms Doogue. I’m off to find a brick wall to smack my head against.
Graham Henry, for not wanting to be “misconstrued” about that whole “Tony must be good because he didn’t say meanie-poo things about the World Cup” character reference thing. One, RELEVANCE, GET YOU SOME and two, GET THE FUCK OVER THE FUCKING WORLD CUP ALREADY.
And Stuart Grieves QC, for saying, of the prospect of defending his client against charges involving horrific violence against another person, “I was ready to brawl in court.” FUCK YOU, AND GOOD NIGHT.
Ideologically Impure 
Hear, hear, Queen of Thorns. As usual your rage delights me in its eloquence
🙂
Perfectly put, thank you. And I love your tags.
Thanks LJ and Lita!
Hi, I am just wondering how many children you have and how old they are?
I enjoyed reading some of the stuff on “The Yes Vote” link.
I can’t get over how that site is not using NZ statistics and research. NZ is not another country. Our people are not another culture.
Do you have a better site you can refer me to?
Thank-you.
I do not have any children of my own, mareika. If your intent with that enquiry is to call into question my ability to comment on parenting or child discipline, go right ahead.
No, NZ is not “another country”. But the use of international statistics is valid, unless we’re going to assume that New Zealand parents, out of all the parents in all the countries and cultures of the world, are the only ones magically able to make a smack not assault.
I totally agree
That was perfect. The best post on that waste of space I’ve seen. Thank-you.
I wonder how having children makes you qualified to comment on smacking? The ability to have a child doesn’t mean you automatically know how to parent one.