Thursday, January 10, 2008

Being drunk is no excuse.

There are times, like when I read the stories like this one from the Independent, when I get to feeling rather stabby.
The little bollocks in question was drunk, and this is being used as a factor in his disgusting and violent behaviour.
Yeah right.
Bock the Robber had an excellent post earlier this week about how utterly appalled he was to witness a random an unprovoked violent act on a relatively pleasant night out, and how it threw him for a loop.
His reaction is the right one. He is right to be appalled, he's right to be sickened.
Gay, straight, male, female, black, Polish, American, lesbian, toting a Wicklow accent (fuck you Brendan O'Connor, you boring pig-faced troll) or indeed Brendan O'connor, everyone has a right to walk down the fucking streets of our capital and not be attacked by some jumped up little thug.
The fact that this little shit felt justified in his actions-hey, they're only queers, oops, well yer honor sorry 'bout that, but she looked like a fag-makes me very annoyed.
Where 's the hate coming from? Where did this 16 year old boy develop a hatred for strangers that do him no harm?
I'm going to take a wild and unsubstantiated guess that this apple didn't fall far from the tree. He wasn't acting in a group, and I accept a group dynamic can make even good kids get caught up in the swing of something they later regret. No, this kid acted alone, he approached these people, he demanded they identify themselves as his hated object, and then he launched into an attack, a prolonged attack.
This is unacceptable. The judge in this case needs to send out a very clear and concise message. It is not okay to attack innocent members of the public going about their lawful business. Being 16 is not and excuse, being from a socially deprived area is not an excuse, being poor is not an excuse, having a 'tragic' upbringing is not an excuse, being homophobic is not an excuse, being a vicious thug is not an excuse. Being an L plate thug is not an excuse and last but not least by a long shot, being drunk is not an excuse.

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48 Comments:

Blogger The Bad Ambassador said...

Very well put FMC!

The fact that somebody comes from a broken home, is drunk, stoned or divorced should never excuse such behaviour.... but the "I thought she was a gay man" excuse?

I wonder did the kids lawyer suggest that course of reasoning?

9:46 a.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Some people get lovey with drink. Some people get weepy. Some people get ugly with it every time they sup: they do shitty, crappy things and people say, "Ah but that was only the drink, he's not really like that when you know him."

Bullshit. He was the same arsehole he always was before he ever touched grog to lip. I've got no idea but I reckon there's a good chance this kid was all hated up because he was a little shite who'd been around other hating, ugly personalities and signed on fully.

His behaviour was disgusting and the key should definitely be misplaced for a good long while. I've no idea what the penal system's like in ireland but in the US or the UK he risks coming out worse than he goes in if he's sent to an adult prison though.

I'd love to see a judge say "Hey you're a kid - your parents have some responsibility for you. Where are they in the court today? Ah there you are - you can do half his sentence for him. Sergeant, take 'em down for a year each. Kid, you're going to Borstal where you will be made to learn stuff all day long, you won't get a telly but you will get something else to fill your empty head with other than vitriol and idleness"

Disengaged, under-employed men are the most dangerous people in the world potentially but at 16 he might be redeemable.

His parents, however, should be made to sew teeny, tiny sequins on the costumes for the gay pride march for 20 hours a day in dim light with the sound of Julian Clary laughing on a loop. It might be more complicated than that, course, but if his parents are whence his arsey oikiness comes, then they should take their share.

10:02 a.m.  
Blogger Birchsprite said...

Why on earth would any of those excuses be acceptable! Good grief. At the bottom of that article they seemed to suggest that he should be treated lieniently. The mind boggles.

10:15 a.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yet another argument for breeding licences...

I see the hateful wee spide f**kers on every street corner up here, and my shoulders automatically tense as I walk past them - just waiting for some random act of unprovoked violence.

It doesn't have to be like this - if the gov give me immunity and an AK-47, I could easily sort out the issue...

10:24 a.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Are you completely sure about not making an exception for Brendan O'Connor?

10:54 a.m.  
Blogger Lou said...

There's no excuse for hate crimes. Especially not any of the ones listed in the article... God love that poor couple...

I used to be horrified about some of the punishments doled out when I was living in Singapore, but for a little scumbag like this some of them might be justified!

11:31 a.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Being drunk is definitely not an excuse. I hate when people use that as if it stops what they did from being bad, oh I didn't mean to I was hammered, fuck off, if you were able to walk and be semi coherent you were well aware of what you were doing at the time. I have been very very very drunk in the past, and yes I have lost inhibitions etc, but I will not use it as an excuse because it's such a bollox excuse in the first place. That little shite should be given 40 lashes. I don't understand that mindless unprovoked violence / verbal abuse. Who the fuck do they think they are that they think that is acceptable behaviour for a human being?

11:36 a.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

The drink is the great excuser in Ireland of all ills, it really is.
Sam put it best, 'as but that was only the drink.' What a load of codology. I like a drink, in fact I like many drinks, but as drunk as I every get -which can be quite drunk indeed- I never think, 'wow, there's someone over there, I think I'll smack the face off them for no reason'.
It takes a certain kind of scumbag to attack a person for no reason or for some perceived slight. And that certain type of scumbag exists already, with or without drink. Drink might be the key needed to unlock the scumbags potential, but the viciousness and intent is already there.
Also, if you know you're a lousy aggressive drunk, don't fucking drink, simple as. Or if you know a certain type of drink doesn't suit you, and I know whisky sets some people up the wrong way, don't drink it, stick to pints or whatever instead.
Either way, the tone of this article is annoying, it wasn't drink that set that little bastard on those innocent people, it was his vicious thuggish self and I hope the Judge throws the book at him.

12:33 p.m.  
Blogger daisy mae said...

sheepworrier - i have long been an advocate of a breeding license. you need a license to drive, own a gun, etc. to adopt an animal from a shelter you go through a long, drawn out process to see if you are a fit individual. of course if there were free, safe, accessible birth control that would also improve things quite a bit as well.

anyway, my personal feelings are that no one is born prejudiced or disposed toward violence. you have to be taught that by someone. it's not an excuse by any means, but perhaps speaks towards our greater societal ills.

12:59 p.m.  
Blogger Rusticissimus maximus said...

So, he 'was not present because of illness', yeah...there's a bit of a knackeritis epidemic going around cities these days alright.

2:07 p.m.  
Blogger Andraste said...

Yeah, 'no present because of illness...'

I bet it's a hangover.

I wonder if his lawyer is going to use stupidity as a defense. Just as reasonable as any of the others listed...

2:15 p.m.  
Blogger Megan McGurk said...

So now women can't have short hair?

Ten bucks that kid is gay and in denial.

2:19 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Wait and see, there will be some song and dance about how his mommie and daddie didn't wub him and nothing was his fault. Fuck that shit, if you're 16 you're old enough to know wrong from bloody right.

2:58 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

He'll get off with a slap on the wrists and a feckin ASBO or something similar...

3:12 p.m.  
Blogger Dr Maroon said...

Sam, you're getting older and no mistake.

FMC, it's probable that the wee guy's just an out and out arsehole. You get them sometimes. Knowing he's going to have to explain himself, he's come up with this pisspoor excuse.

Is he Indian?

3:15 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

I don't believe so Docklington, i believe he's a local born little pinch of turd.

3:22 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Can you say "suspended sentence" - he will get off with three months suspended or some other form of ridiculous sentencing. There is no justice for the victim in Ireland -see rape cases for examples. It is just a shame that forced labour camps are no longer in existence because that is where he and the rest of the scum thugs in this country should be sent. Prison actually only makes them worse and more likely to re-offend.

3:40 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am, Docs, and no mistake.

Funny you should mention Indians. I was watching that Fastest Indian in The World film last night and I thought about you.

3:42 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

You know LG you have a point. I posted on a weekend of vandalism here last year and one of the things I thought was instead of jail or suspended sentences, culprits should be made repay the community. As in spend time doing stuff, be it clearing up litter, replacing glass, scrubbing graffiti off walls and so on, especially younger offenders.
This little shit really needs to understand the magnitude of what he has done, and I'm not sure sticking him in a detention centre with another shower of reprobates will help. I think he should be made go an work for a charity to repay his debt to society, maybe for a charity AGAINST violence. Maybe if he opened his eyes and SAW the damage people like him cause without thinking it might give him pause for future actions. 16 is not a baby, he should be made face up to his actions, but face up to them properly.

4:13 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh I don't know FMC working at a charity would be probably a bit too nice for him, but I see your point. The fact is that these thugs seem to me to totally lack compassion and any basic human empathy. Can you imagine standing on the street and just attacking someone, beating them to the ground for NO reason. Or breaking into someone's house and taking everything, or burning out my sister's car in her driveway! What is wrong with these people cannot be solved by prison or mere community service. These solutions make criminals more resentful of normal society and more inclined to strike again. It would suit these thugs to be the victim for a change, for one of their family members to be attacked - but even then I'm not sure it would change the way they think about the world. I actually think some of them are just fundamentally f**ked up and there is no chance for rehabilitation. My solution -drop them all on a barren island in the middle of the sea and let them fight it out between them.
p.s sorry for the rant

4:29 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Maybe if he opened his eyes and SAW the damage people like him cause without thinking it might give him pause for future actions"

Bit of wishful thinking there FMC, don't ya think? Yes, it would be nice for people to be shown the repercussions of their actions, but do you think it would honestly make a difference?
There's always the exceptions to the rule, but by age 16 I think he may be a lost cause already...

4:36 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

It probably is a bit of wishful thinking Sheepie, but sticking youths into a detection centre doesn't seem to do anything other than introduce them to other youths who may be worse. Certainly some of them wear detention like a badge of honor, and some of them come from homes so fucked up detention centres are an improvement. Maybe-and I accept I'm reaching- if they had to work and pay off their crimes it might work better.
LG no apologies, feel free, better out than in.

4:45 p.m.  
Blogger Megan McGurk said...

Right, FMC, locking them up only teaches them how to be a better thug or criminal.
It's like when Johnny Depp's character George says in "Blow" that he went into jail with a Bachelor's in pot and came out with a Ph.D. in cocaine.

5:26 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Fuck, over here locking them up seems to mean free medical attention, full time access to a gym, daily access to a computer, three squares a day, plasma screen in your cell, complete unfettered mobile phone access and as much drugs as you need or want. Who wouldn't mind being locked up?

5:29 p.m.  
Blogger daisy mae said...

i worked for a bit in juvenile detention and was really taken aback at why the majority of kids were brought in - usually it was something petty so that they could get out of an abusive home, or actually have a roof over their heads along with three meals. we did lock them in cells, and they had to earn the privileges of being in a common room. no tv, phone, and absolutely impossible to get their hands on drugs. many a kid was forced to quit cold turkey in lock-up, hence 24 hour medical presence.

granted, there were also plenty there for violent crimes, gang involvement, etc. what was interesting to me was when they started talking about their families/parents/friends, either present or absent. i'm not trying to absolve these kids of their actions, but a serious failing on the part of their immediate community network always seemed to be a common denominator.

no one thing makes a kid 'bad' - there are so many contributing factors. the problem is that by the time people sit up and take notice the kid has gone so far that it's hard to reverse any behaviour except by removing them from the situation and putting them in an extensive treatment program.

seeing as we're funding a war in iraq at the moment, i don't see putting the welfare of the nation's children at the forefront - unless to fill the ranks.

5:42 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

A long time ago I used to work with an outreach group who dealt with a group of kids from Ballymun. I have never met a funnier, but more feral bunch of young kids in my life (12-15 year olds).
They expected nothing from adults, not a kind word, not help, not praise, nada zip. Everything was deflected with a joke or a smart comment, totally unreachable most of them, but one or two you could see with even a smidgen of care and a bit of attention you might just eke a decent human out of what was there.
It was a real eye opener for little ol' privileged me from the country I can tell you. One of the group leaders was telling me some of the kids had been left to fend for themselves, the parents just fucked off and left them in council houses and flats that were in arrears and no electricity. Most of them had been to court numerous times for petty crime, stealing and shop lifting.
I was in my early twenties and even then I remember thinking what bloody hope did they have if even their own bloody parents won't be there for them when they go home. Pretty blood awful way to live.

5:59 p.m.  
Blogger Megan McGurk said...

Off topic, FMC, but did you see the story about Oscar and Arthur that Michael K posted?
How long can you say "awwwww"?

8:18 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

I saw it, I awwwwed. I awwwed big time.

8:23 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I don't think anyone is saying that some of these kids don't come from broken homes and really bad environments - But there is always a choice, like the choice NOT to attack an innocent couple on the street

9:30 p.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Oh for sure, don't get me wrong I:m not defending the little shits when they attack people or burn out cars, balls to that. But I blame some of their asshole parents too.

9:44 p.m.  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I may have mentioned this before, but a friend of mine teaches in one of belfast's less reputable schools - he believes alot of the kids deliberately cause havoc in school just to get detention so they don't have to go home to abusive/uncaring parents.

10:25 a.m.  
Blogger fatmammycat said...

Really? That's awful too. Although I must say I hated Friday's in the boarding school because I'd have to return home to the lilac couch and I never knew what sort of humour she'd be in, sometimes she'd be great, other times a fucking evil bitch.
I used to get a pain in my stomach sometime around lunchtime on Friday and it wouldn't go until I'd got home, changed out of my uniform and left the house again. VIle. I can remember it right now in fact, almost as though it was yesterday.

10:36 a.m.  
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