fasgnadh
I'm not sure how Alan Jones got into this discussion. I think you missed my opening line. I've loved it if the Parrot was off the air waves but unfortunately I don't see it happening.
Please see my previous posts to aus.politics confronting racist and bigoted views.
Hmmm....I don't think you can deny the events of December 12.
Relax, I think I have one.
Claims of the mishandling of gangs such as the Telepoea Street boys goes way back before December 11, and before September 11 2001. These claims come from former cops on both sides of politics. One of the more comprehensive pieces I have read on this topic was in John Birmingham's Leviathan (2000) that deals with Sydney's gangs and racism in a very even handed fashion. Worth a look that's the second time I've said that, he should be giving me royalties.
I'm not advocating vigilante mobs. The scenes I saw on TV at Cronulla disgusted me and in no way were the actions justified. Again, please refer to my first post on in this thead.
The police have arrested and prosecuted some of those who they consider at the forefront of the violence. If you know anything about mob behaviour you'll know that a crowd attracts a crowd. I think a lot of people down there at the time were spectators. You may also know of the bystander phenomenon that can occur in such events.
Be careful who you call prejudiced. You have jumped all over me on the buttumption that I hold such views. All I have advocated is the application of the law in an even handed manner. I was careful to state that the evidence was ancedotal because that it all I have read. Having said that, when you see similiar comments from different sources with different agendas you should probably start taking notice. I have also questioned the role of ethnic crime squads in the NSW police force and have wondered aloud if Task Force Gain should be a more permanent fixture. I thought this was going to be a slightly more controversial topic but it's probably beyond a Usenet discussion.
There are questions being asked by politicians and media commentators about the police force's handling of those who gathered at Punchbowl and Lakemba on December the 12th and went on to buttault people and cause damage to property. I think they are fair questions.
In the end, I was trying to have a rational discussion on this topic but it appears people are too bigoted or too sensitive and I shouldn't have bothered.
