The leftward and other blatherings of Span (now with Snaps!)

Sunday, April 03, 2005

uneasy

I've been reading the blog froth about Graham Capill, in particular the comments in response to DPF's post, and I'm feeling uneasy.

Yes he's scum. (Although frankly I thought he was pretty heinous before this.) And I feel incredibly sad and upset about the little girl who is the victim in this case.

But I also feel quite distressed for Mr Capill. I think there is something wrong with me.

On Friday night TV3 late news played the footage of that guy belting him at least three times. Each time we heard Capill squealing with pain and no doubt shame, and watched him writhing on the ground while people filmed or stood around and NO ONE helped.

Are we Kiwis now that kind of people that when someone is attacked on the street we don't even help them up? At that time Capill had not plead guilty.

I must be getting soft in my old age. I don't for a minute agree with what Capill did. I think it is a despicable crime and my heart really does go out to the little girl - without significant help (and possibly even despite that) her experiences at the hands of Mr Capill could well ruin her life. She definitely deserved to be raised in safety. No eight year old is in any way sexually attractive to anyone who is a healthy human being.

Capill should go to prison for what he did (and he should also be treated and rehabilitated so that he doesn't do it again and understands the full ramifications of his actions for his victim). That will be getting what he deserves, not the beating he received outside the court before he had even plead guilty.

I have heard that the guy who hit him was in fact mistaken and had meant to hit another paedophile. In a lot of ways I can understand his actions. But I cannot understand the actions of people who would watch and/or stand by and film and not help a man up from the ground, when he was still innocent until proven guilty.

Am I going mad?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree, there are some rather sick comments on the DF blog re Capill.

The problem is the way people react to paedophilia accusations. Look at the hysteria surrounding michael jackson, and even Jim Peron who clearly despite what his views may or may not be has not engaged in any act of paedophilia.

I understand the concern, i was victim to a priest as a child and have no love for paedophiles. Lynley Hoods book re the Christchurch Civic Creche is good reading for anyone wanting to understand the dangers of presuming guilt.

We are however as you rightly point out living in a country where you are innocent until proven guilty (except under the proceeds of Crime Act). This presumption is only fair.

It is of concern that on many blogs I have seen people tout violence as a fit punishment for a paedophile. Violence is not a fit punishment for anything. Allowing violence to occur is also not fitting, as you raised, with folk standing by when the assault occurred.

When you live in a society where violence on the sport field is accepted, law enforcement authorities often use violence, and brawling is commonplace what else can you expect.

Will de Cleene said...

Everybody needs somebody to hate.

David Farrar said...

I felt sorry for him also when he got punched to the ground. And I have felt disquiet over the TV coverage of it and him whimpering.

However Capill has done one of the most hypocritical things in political history. For ten years he has campaigned against lifestyles of various NZers. No-one asked him to - he appointed himself as the moral guardian of what is good for NZ.

I like Christians who live good lives. I have less time for those who constantly tell everyone else how they should live their lives.

To have been campaigning against gays as morally unfit etc while abusing an eight year old girl is disgusting. Abusing an 8 year old girl fullstop is disgusting.

I hope his fall from grace will be a warning to other self appointe moral leaders.

Having said all that, I am not sure he should go to prison, and may be suitable for home detention. He has lost all respect, his job no doubt, and all standing. I am unsure one can punish him muich more than he has been.

maps said...

I think people were struck by Capill's over-reaction to the attack. He's a big bloke, and his attacker was a much smaller guy, whose punches actually just glanced the side of his head. To fall over, lie on the ground, and start crying and wailing for the cops looked pretty pathetic, coming from someone who had liked to pose as some sort of Big Man. For me, it all just reinforced the guy's abject hypocrisy, and I certainly wasn't the only one having a good laugh in front of our TV. Capill should be left alone to live out his life in deserved obscurity now. He's a busted flush. The real question is: what the hell is Brian Tamaki up to?
These fundys all tend to have an unhealthy obsession with sex.