July 15, 2003

MEDIA ACTS FAIRLY

In accordance with the wishes of former Anti-Discrimination Board president Chris Puplick, no religion is mentioned until 300 words into this story.

Trial begins in September.

Posted by Tim Blair at July 15, 2003 01:44 PM
Comments

absolutely disgusting

Posted by: Mr. Bingley at July 15, 2003 at 01:55 PM

this is unbearable to read or think about. Words fail me...Are these guys in prison or out on bail..? Does anyone know?

Posted by: debbie at July 15, 2003 at 02:24 PM

I was thinking "not again", but then realised that the time the rapes occurred was before when the 55-year jail sentence was handed down.

Remember that the religion and ethnicity was largely mentioned after the trial 55-year-jail trial, not during it, and I expect the same pattern to occur here.

Posted by: Andjam at July 15, 2003 at 04:25 PM

They're the ones who brought religion into it, by asking for a Muslim adviser. What's he going to advise on? How to cope with 55 years in jail? Which way is Mecca when you're praying in the jail yard?

Posted by: Rob at July 15, 2003 at 05:30 PM

Whereas some really decent journalism the way tim would like to see it would have the headline "Girls raped by Muslims" and the religion of the offenders in the opening sentence.

Because religion really has a lot to do with it, doesnt it Tim?

Posted by: Tom at July 15, 2003 at 10:09 PM

Actually, I was serious when I wrote that the mention of religion was fair. The post was to indicate that the press isn't as Muslim-opposed as some would believe.

Posted by: tim at July 15, 2003 at 11:17 PM

So no dripping sarcasm in that one?

Typically a Tim Blair headline entitled Media Acts Fairly would be suggesting some sort of lefty bias....My apologies

Posted by: Tom at July 16, 2003 at 12:23 AM

As much my fault as yours. The sarcasm does tend to overwhelm.

Posted by: tim at July 16, 2003 at 02:15 AM

Yes, Tom, religion (or at least cultural background) does seem to have a lot to do with it. Heard of any Christian rape gangs prowling Sydney lately? Hindu? Jewish? Socialist? Buddhist? Falun Gong? Atheist? Jedi? Compare with Europe, where the same sorts of creatures are behaving in the same sorts of ways, and not just with regard to gang rape.

Posted by: Clem Snide at July 16, 2003 at 03:14 AM

Y'know, the Romans (yeah, yeah, evil imperialists, yadda yadda. STFU) had a punishment to fit the crime of rape. Recidivisim rate: 0%

Hint: it involved a knife and a torch.

Posted by: mojo at July 16, 2003 at 06:30 AM

Clem - As opposed to those of cultures who follow the teachings of jesus who have never commited gang rapes, mass murders, clinic-bombings, lynchings and all the rest of it.

these gang rape arseholes nothing to do with islam or lebanese culture

Posted by: Tom at July 16, 2003 at 09:38 PM

Of course they had nothing to do with islam, Tom. It's pure co-incidence that muslims in Europe behave in exactly the same way. Today, that is, not 100 years ago, just to clarify the time frame.

Posted by: Clem Snide at July 17, 2003 at 12:04 AM