Another year is about to come to an end...on the 27th
Jan 2013 it will have been 4 years since Jordan Herewini’s life was horrifically
taken from him. My beautiful friend Anita has not been in the world for two
years. I still grieve intensely for both of them. I stopped posting on my blog a
while ago and haven’t really returned to it until today. Mostly because I felt
that there was nothing to say. Being me I questioned what I was saying, believing
that what I was wrote about was already being said so why bother? I have felt
for a while that I was pushing shit up hill. Still do not feel amazing so much
pain and sadness in the world and so much work to be done to change it…but I have
meet some amazing people over the past year. People committed to a different way
of living and being in the world. So I will start writing again because it
takes all our voices to bring about change…
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Thursday, September 15, 2011
McVicars Your are either with us or against us
Garth McVicar’s is a baboon there is not other way to say and it is great that he and his ‘ghost writer’ produced a book that reiterates this.
In another discussion McVicar argued that people like me “turn everything into a race issue!” When challenged to read articles that showed how indigeneity influences sentencing McVicar vanishes into his redneck hole.
Another display of McVicar’s far right opinions involved the event which saw a 15-year-old schoolboy stab a 17 year old intruder in Auckland earlier this year. He argued that the boy should be given “
One of the things I have learnt about this man is his inability to think outside the square – everything is black and white and those in the black are criminals and according to him predominantly Maori or Pacific Island peoples as the following shows.
“Mr McVicar also took a swipe at Green MP Keith Locke and Mana’s Annette Sykes who said Tasers were being used disproportionately on Maori and Pacific Islanders. Mr Locke and Ms Sykes seem to conveniently overlook the fact that a corresponding 'disproportionate' number of Maori and Pacific Islanders are also committing the crime."
McVicar is also unable to take on challenge from anyone – in his book he argues that he has had to take develop a thick skin to cope with insults from those who oppose him – this is funny really as McVicar has no problem about throwing insults round when he wants – calling people who want different outcomes from him the ‘P C brigade’ and arguing that “Their stupidity knows no bounds!!” In another discussion McVicar argued that people like me “turn everything into a race issue!” When challenged to read articles that showed how indigeneity influences sentencing McVicar vanishes into his redneck hole.
Another display of McVicar’s far right opinions involved the event which saw a 15-year-old schoolboy stab a 17 year old intruder in Auckland earlier this year. He argued that the boy should be given “
Emery stating that he was “a decent hard working citizen [who] is facing a murder charge because of his frustration…” and that “The Sensible Sentencing Trust ... wanted to see the killer of a teenage tagger set free, because he was forced to take the law into his own hands”.
This is in fact wrong many in SST did not and still do not support McVicar’s comments about Pihema or in fact about the young man who stabbed the 17 year old intruder. As the discussion and challenges unfolded McVicar came out screaming and told members of Justice Hot Tub who had challenged him that
“… if this low life wasn't terrorising some innocent citizen he wouldn't have got stabbed, is that so dificult to understand? My family, my home is MY castle and NOBODY has the right to trespass. Don't make excuses, don't tell me he was on drugs or didn't get his mothers breast milk or some other pathetic excuse. If you don't understand that go start some pathetic 'loosers' group”.
This on a site where discussion and debate is encouraged by the administrators and most importantly by a man (McVicar) who wants to bring a halt to murder in New Zealand.
Another worrisome aspect about McVicar and the objectives of SST is how they reach their objectives. One would think that a lobby group that wants to influence policy changes on crime and punishment would do so with robust discussion and sound information. Instead it appears that McVicar was more interested in taking a leading court case as his starting point and demand changes from here. This of course involved the provocation law which he points out that he and Gil Elliot
“…successfully harangued Justice Minister Simon Power to have the provocation law removed from the statute books. A win for SST, then…even thought we wanted to get rid of provocation as a defence, and have done so, I now understand the need for its actually being in the law…I’m not 100 per cent sure that getting rid of provocation was the answer…”
This from a man who harangues the left or anyone that does not agree with him for ill thought out policy on crime and punishment.
Worse still that after making this statement in his book he goes on to congratulate the government for ridding the country of the ill thought out law that allowed the Waihopai protestors to defend themselves against prosecution with the “greater need” defence. He goes on to state that “the judge erred by allowing it to run, so we get a law change. Immediately, the opponents were saying “knee-jerk reaction”.
So should I leave this site and leave McVicar to carry on lording his racists views – NO I will not allow this man to blather on with his bullshit – I might not be changing minds but I will continue to poke this idiot with a long sensible stick!!!!! Hell its sport really!!!!
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Gangs and Restorative justice
This is written by Jordan's mum February 18, 2010
Its public so I think it's ok to share it again - personally i do not want her words lost in the internet highways and byways so this is what Jordan's mum has to say on gangs - restorative justice -and the murder of her son Jordan Herewini.
After losing a son, barely 16, to senseless, brutal murder (murder is mostly senseless and brutal), a lot of things that were once ‘political’ are now intensely personal. Restorative justice? There’s nothing to restore. Can it bring back my son? Jordan’s murderer was not part of my ‘community’ and I have no wish to be around gang members. Of course he has shown absolutely no remorse – quite the opposite. He and his supporters have shown nothing but contempt. The comment by ahurewa is right. They are laughing at us. They think it’s funny that my son is dead. According to one of them he “shouldn’t have got in the way”. In the way of what? A murderous rampage? They brag about it in the public gallery in court. But of course the murderer is pleading not guilty. They are pathetic. They do act like children – extremely dysfunctional children – and their mentality is just staggering.
The ‘justice’ system won’t be able to punish this man, or the others involved in Jordan’s murder. Prison is part of their lives. A second home. So yes, use all the forces available to wipe them off. Let’s start again with some decent social policy so the children of today don’t become the gangs of tomorrow. It’s too late for the seasoned gang members now. Especially the ones of this particular gang who thought nothing of cruelly taking a young life they knew nothing about.
Are some gangs ‘better’ than others? Maybe there are degrees. But a gang can’t exist without a rival, a ‘demonic other’. So red is pitted against blue and yellow. Good grief, save us all. It is more understandable when you see children acting this way. But these grown men? Why do we have to wait until they’re in their 50s or 60s and too tired and jaded to fight anymore or until they find god? They need dealing with now. And so do the teenage boys who are heading to join their ranks.
But no, we’ll have to wait until there’s another murder, where there will be more hand-wringing by politicians and members of the public who don’t have to live anywhere near the spectre of gangs. Then nothing will happen. Where are the new policies? Why aren’t the police using the powers they already have? Too hard basket.
Actually, there was another gang-related murder. A 17-year-old was murdered in Murupara in October last year, in the name of ‘red’ and ‘yellow’. Following that there was an attempt at the local level to send a message that violence was unacceptable. Anything at the governmental level? Still waiting. Are these boys’ lives not valued because they happened to be in small, seemingly ‘dysfunctional’ towns that just don’t register with the nation until something bad happens? Because they happened to be Maori and were seen to be involved in gangs themselves, therefore, hey, sad, but was to be expected? Jordan was not a gang member, nor a prospect. As far as I know, neither was the other boy who was murdered. They had futures – ones that didn’t involve gangs. Now they’re forever consigned, in the public imagination, to ‘gang-related fatalities’.
Its public so I think it's ok to share it again - personally i do not want her words lost in the internet highways and byways so this is what Jordan's mum has to say on gangs - restorative justice -and the murder of her son Jordan Herewini.
After losing a son, barely 16, to senseless, brutal murder (murder is mostly senseless and brutal), a lot of things that were once ‘political’ are now intensely personal. Restorative justice? There’s nothing to restore. Can it bring back my son? Jordan’s murderer was not part of my ‘community’ and I have no wish to be around gang members. Of course he has shown absolutely no remorse – quite the opposite. He and his supporters have shown nothing but contempt. The comment by ahurewa is right. They are laughing at us. They think it’s funny that my son is dead. According to one of them he “shouldn’t have got in the way”. In the way of what? A murderous rampage? They brag about it in the public gallery in court. But of course the murderer is pleading not guilty. They are pathetic. They do act like children – extremely dysfunctional children – and their mentality is just staggering.
The ‘justice’ system won’t be able to punish this man, or the others involved in Jordan’s murder. Prison is part of their lives. A second home. So yes, use all the forces available to wipe them off. Let’s start again with some decent social policy so the children of today don’t become the gangs of tomorrow. It’s too late for the seasoned gang members now. Especially the ones of this particular gang who thought nothing of cruelly taking a young life they knew nothing about.
Are some gangs ‘better’ than others? Maybe there are degrees. But a gang can’t exist without a rival, a ‘demonic other’. So red is pitted against blue and yellow. Good grief, save us all. It is more understandable when you see children acting this way. But these grown men? Why do we have to wait until they’re in their 50s or 60s and too tired and jaded to fight anymore or until they find god? They need dealing with now. And so do the teenage boys who are heading to join their ranks.
But no, we’ll have to wait until there’s another murder, where there will be more hand-wringing by politicians and members of the public who don’t have to live anywhere near the spectre of gangs. Then nothing will happen. Where are the new policies? Why aren’t the police using the powers they already have? Too hard basket.
Actually, there was another gang-related murder. A 17-year-old was murdered in Murupara in October last year, in the name of ‘red’ and ‘yellow’. Following that there was an attempt at the local level to send a message that violence was unacceptable. Anything at the governmental level? Still waiting. Are these boys’ lives not valued because they happened to be in small, seemingly ‘dysfunctional’ towns that just don’t register with the nation until something bad happens? Because they happened to be Maori and were seen to be involved in gangs themselves, therefore, hey, sad, but was to be expected? Jordan was not a gang member, nor a prospect. As far as I know, neither was the other boy who was murdered. They had futures – ones that didn’t involve gangs. Now they’re forever consigned, in the public imagination, to ‘gang-related fatalities’.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Living through murder
Agony from the Greek agon – to struggle
And struggle we do as Dylan Thomas says “We rage against the dying of the light”. And we loose. We all loose.
It is estimated that 80+ people will be murdered each year in Aotearoa New Zealand. For each murdered victim there could be up to 240 mothers, fathers, co-parents and siblings who will be directly affected. Then there are all the other family’s members who will be affected. There are also impacts on the communities that the victims mixed in. Local and wider communities and society as a whole will feel the force of these murders. The victims themselves will come from various communities: Maori, Pakeha, Pacifica, Chinese and Indian to name a few. The murdered will be our sons’ daughters, mothers, fathers, caregivers, aunties, kuias, koros, lovers, and friends, the list is endless. And for many family and friends the grief will not ease, it will shift and change but for many of us the very fabric of our lives has been ripped asunder and little will repair our worlds. Some of us will try and forget, some will write, others will turn their grief into a campaign, others will go back to work and watch as their relationships fall apart unable and unwilling to repair the damage. Others still will embrace the grief discourse and find hope and something good to hold onto so as to stay alive and functioning. Whatever survivors of homicide do to survive their nightmare, each and every one of them will wake, each and every day feeling a loss that can never fully be understood by others who have not experienced this particular pain.
On the 27th January 2009, a beautiful warm Kapaiti coast Tuesday evening, I became part of this group of people. On that evening in a small rural town called Murupara in the Bay of Plenty, a 32 year man, which under normal circumstances we, my partner, her daughter and I would never have met, in fact who we never have known about, took the life of my partner’s son Jordan Robert Herewini. On that night Jordan’s life was horrifically stolen, destroyed, and the gates of Hades were torn open and our lives changed forever. This is my story about experiences and understandings of Jordan’s murder and the life that Quentin Pukeroa the murder has forced us to live. This is not a Jordan’s story nor is it Natalie’s story, that story is for Natalie and Natalie’s daughter to tell. Whilst I will talk about Jordan, it will be information that can be found on the internet or from interviews that Natalie did.
So this is my story about how Jordan’s murder and living with such intense grief has changed my life.
A little about me:
I have always seemed to identify with the tarot card the ‘fool’. Whenever I see that card I see myself stepping of the precipice unaware – unafraid of what exactly is below – ignoring the warnings of those beside me. Head in the air I embraced the adventure of life chaos over order – impulse over rationality. Yet like the fool card there was my hidden side the side I shared only with partners this was the reverse of all that I was as the fool. Secretly I feared the unknown, took way to many risks and often had little clarity to the point of being impulsive and reckless and some times I was completely irresponsible – at the age of 47 I was far more aware of the diversity the constant flux and conflictual nature of my personality. For this reason the small dog stayed beside me as a reminder of the possibility of the outcome of stepping over the precipice no matter what excitement there was to be had and how spontaneous I wished to be I never shun the reminder. Life up until Jordan’ murder was a journey not always a pleasant one and never a straightforward one. Many of my friends and ex-partners would give testimony to the kaos that is Kyro. But mostly they would do it lovingly. Born in 1960 I was the end of the baby boom. An illegitimate child I grew up in a regimental closed family who put religion and hard work over and above all other things. I know there was little hope for me from and early time in my life – I was tainted with ‘bad blood’ and this in turn would lead me into temptation. I suffered at the hands of abusive parents and at the age of 16 ½ left home to begin my journey. And journey it has been over the last 33 odd years I have wandered New Zealand making my mark – leaving behind kaos and forging a life that at the age of 47 would lead me safely into new era. I was happy free educated and on the road – less foolish more aware but still looking for adventure. My partner was beside me and whilst our relationship would not have been given the harmonious award of the year – it was a solid and exciting relationship – two educated working-class women on a journey to new new possibilities. Again like the fool card that followed my every step I was looking for new opportunities following my heart and being somewhat spontaneous.
So meeting Nat and moving into her place within a week of knowing her was my spontaneity taking over gain and again I loved it.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Time is running out
I attended the Costs of Crime Conference yesterday in Wellington. I want to thank Rethinking Crime and Punishment for organising the day. It was brilliant. One of the key speakers was Simon Powell our Minister of Justice. As he spoke he talked about the importance of getting policy on crime ‘right’. This meant, government conducting sound ‘research’ and rigorous community consultation. Calls from the floor pointed out that there has been ‘sound’ research, and ‘rigorous’ community consultation that it is now time for action. However, Powell stated that this will take time as the national party want to get their policy on crime ‘right’ before implementing anything.
Sadly victims of homicide do not have time – many people in this country are running out of time. Only yesterday Sandra Rachel Brown’s time ran out. Sandra was murdered, while attempting to protect her daughter Kate from being attacked in her home in Tauranga early yesterday. A pity her killer couldn’t have held out until Powell had undertaken his sound research and rigorous community consultation to find out why, what and who murder. As one man from the alcohol and drug sector pointed out, sound and rigorous research on the interconnectedness of alcohol and crime had been undertaken. It findings called for the government to increase the age limit as well as other initiatives that would be able to address this issue.
Calls for bipartisan approaches to crime were also proffered by people attending. I want to reiterate the point I made yesterday - people in this country are running out of time and some such as Jordan Herewini, Kaine Lewis, Pihema Cameron, Ranjeeta Sharma, Emma Agnew, Jane Young, Hannah Rossiter, Jhia Harmony Te Tua to name only a handful of people whose time has ran out need more than ideologically speak. Violent crime is political however the answers must be bipartisan and not quick speak or populist answers to complex issues.
Its election year people so let’s demand bipartisan approach to addressing all crime.
Sadly victims of homicide do not have time – many people in this country are running out of time. Only yesterday Sandra Rachel Brown’s time ran out. Sandra was murdered, while attempting to protect her daughter Kate from being attacked in her home in Tauranga early yesterday. A pity her killer couldn’t have held out until Powell had undertaken his sound research and rigorous community consultation to find out why, what and who murder. As one man from the alcohol and drug sector pointed out, sound and rigorous research on the interconnectedness of alcohol and crime had been undertaken. It findings called for the government to increase the age limit as well as other initiatives that would be able to address this issue.
Calls for bipartisan approaches to crime were also proffered by people attending. I want to reiterate the point I made yesterday - people in this country are running out of time and some such as Jordan Herewini, Kaine Lewis, Pihema Cameron, Ranjeeta Sharma, Emma Agnew, Jane Young, Hannah Rossiter, Jhia Harmony Te Tua to name only a handful of people whose time has ran out need more than ideologically speak. Violent crime is political however the answers must be bipartisan and not quick speak or populist answers to complex issues.
Its election year people so let’s demand bipartisan approach to addressing all crime.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
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