Comments on: So many different things to mourn

By: weez

weez — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:48:54 +0000

Helen, aren’t you asking a bit much from young Tiffany?

If she doesn’t think the SCS are/were (their MySpaz page went *poof*) racist, Tiffie is either a very bad liar or wouldn’t know racism if it jumped up and bit her on the left butt cheek.

Tiff sez: “please dont always beilive wat you read. ”

Well, what’s the point of words on a webpage if one should take them to mean anything other than what they say?

By: Helen

Helen — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 18:35:11 +0000

Tiffany, please read before you comment. My last comment but one shows I was aware of the loss of his father. But many kids, including me, have lost parents so it’s not a sufficient explanation.

SCS are clearly racist. You may be using some way of defining that away but for the rest of us, it’s pretty clear.

*checks MySpace page submitted with comment*
*Rolls eyes*
*Sighs*

By: tiffany willetts

tiffany willetts — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 14:19:50 +0000

umm for 1..you state did his parents…if you had accualy paid attention you would now if father passed away a few years ago. the poor boy never fully got over it..losing a parent so young.

2. the SCS are not racist..nor neo nazis…i AM a Southern Cross Soldier..i love australia..just like you..my partnern and i are planning on having a baby..and i want them to grow up in a free beautiful country.

please dont always beilive wat you read.

By: weez

weez — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 23:39:42 +0000

Helen, sad to say it, but the combination of absent/dysfunctional father and boys age 14-16 is par for the course with the youngsters who get caught up in gangs, in particular xenophobic/neo-nazi type outfits which we deal with at FDB. These kids need the ‘tough’ image due to deep insecurity. Add that to some drugs like methamphetamine and a liberal dousing of Bundy and you have a recipe for disaster.

By: Helen

Helen — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 01:01:19 +0000

Actually, his Dad died two years ago apparently, so it’s “parent” not “parents”, my mistake. And now I’ve read of her actions prior to the incident, I thought she did pretty well. It’s her statements afterward which I object to, but who’s to say I would be very lucid if my son had just died.

Bernice, apparently he’d started hospitality studies at TAFE recently and was doing OK there. As for your last sentence, that is it exactly.

By: Ariel

Ariel — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 00:09:30 +0000

“That Tyler’s parents don’t seem to be at all concerned about the violent neo-nazi milieu their son got into, and his habitual drinking at 15, instead focusing on making him an anti-police Cause Celebre.”

Agreed. It’s hard for society to do right by a kid if his parents are enabling him. But then again, I don’t know what their situation is, really. I guess they may well have deplored the crowd he was hanging out with and grounded him for drinking. Maybe (though more than likely not) he was out drinking while they thought he was at the movies. And I guess if your child dies you will emphasise your anger at police (especially if you called those police – imagine the guilt they must be feeling) rather than your disappointment with your dead son.

I agree with Bernice over point 1. It is shocking that the police response to an out-of-control 15 year old was to kill him. But I do admit finding the (seeming) lack of parental concern about the crowd he was mixing with to be disturbing, too.

By: Bernice

Bernice — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 23:23:01 +0000

Well I agree with Rita Dobrotka. We argue the toss on the semantics of “assassination” but there has to a full inquiry to which I would like to see the following questions asked:

1. Three uniformed officers facing down an armed 15 yo – what negotiating skills were involved, if any? & if not, why not?
2. What time span did this incident occur over? five minutes, 30 minutes, an hour?
3. re his expulsion from school – what referrals to support services were made? Were they followed through? What engagement did his parents have this situation?
4. Who sells alcohol to 15 yo children? It is illegal. It attracts a $2200 fine for any individual providing the alcohol, and a $5000 for a retailer selling the alcohol.

Appropo of “Its takes a village to raise a child” – we live in “villages” saturated with alcohol, glorifying of violence, and intolerant of difference. Yes this kid was once a “bundle of potential”, potential we all seem to have failed to engage with.

By: Pavlov's Cat

Pavlov's Cat — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 12:13:45 +0000

‘can’t pin it all on Howard, surely?’

Don’t see why not.

By: John

John — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 09:28:26 +0000

I’d just like to point out how hypocritical.

“can exist in my city.”

Labelling us incorrectly as “violent neo-nazi’s”

How is that any different to what you believe to be our “ideals”?

By: phil@vvb

phil@vvb — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 07:38:36 +0000

agreed to all

what’s driving the apparent upsurge in ultra nationalism in young people?

can’t pin it all on Howard, surely?