You can not but be affected when yet another report appears on television news of the latest attack by young offenders, often with the victim losing their life.
We react with horror and disbelief, questioning why.
Then the politicians come out pointing the finger at each others alleged failures and proposing all manner of remedies.
Experts offer all sorts of analytical explanations and advocates provide their views.
I would have to concede that the reasons why young people commit such violent acts are varied and complex, the solutions are potentially many, changing and bound to lack any consensus.
However, we have gone beyond saying enough is enough; we now need to act firmly, decisively and without hesitation.
I would dare to suggest that there are a number of pragmatic steps society should take.
Firstly we start with the gangs. Any organisation that’s sole purpose is proven criminal activity should be outlawed, disbanded and its assets seized.
All gang members and their partners should be sterilized to bring an end to the ongoing breeding cycle of future prospects.
Murderers, regardless of age should receive a mandatory life sentence without parole; their sentence must include hard labour in an industry that returns some benefit to society.
There should be no differentiation between criminals on the basis of age; whether you are ten or ninety, if you commit a criminal act, you do so willingly and therefore accept that there are consequences.
Now while these measures may deal with outcomes following criminal actively, there are steps that we have to take that will seek to change the culture of violence and individualism, over the collective wellbeing of society.
The culture of violence has been created by the free flow of desensitising and objectionable material, particularly in movies, videos games and music. Ban the lot; it adds nothing to our cultural development as a nation.
Aotearoa needs to get hard and fight this cancer full on; we need to do so with the gloves off. Only after we have attacked obvious outcomes and causes, can we then move to a phase of healing and prevention.
Well and Happy New Year to you too Dean! If it wasn't for the picture I would have thought this was written by your like-minded namesake Rodney!
After reading this, I think you should run for Parliament in the next election Dean – you could help them with sterilizing all gang members and their wives "to bring an end to the ongoing breeding cycle of future prospects." Nothing like a bit of Ethnic cleansing to finish the job!
Move over Sensible Sentencing Trust: Dean Hyde has taken up the sword/machete/steriliser and if his vision comes true, most of our errant teens will be safely locked up in Pareremoremo so they'll never breed anyway!
Perhaps the only sensible thing about the blog is the last sentence.
How are you going to " attack obvious outcomes and causes, Dean? There's no effective violent strategy (like yours) short of military rule – we won't make society a better place by chucking our errant youth into prisons where all their models are hardened criminals!
Our kids deserve our support, not incarceration. Why are they offending? What are the background factors that lead up to this? And what are we, the adults, doing to address the causes of crime – poverty, mental illness, child abuse, dysfunctional family life – which predispose them to becoming a criminal?
This article is not from the horses mouth, Baybuzz: it's from the other end of that particular animal.
Happy Waitangi Day to you all! See you at Clive!
Hit a raw nerve did I Maxine? I'm sure your view advocating aviodance will be more than welcomed by the many victims of violent crime.
Mind you I suppose holding a seminar teaching the benefits of navel gazing, whilst holding hands singing 'I'd like to build the world a home…' will do our society a world of good.
I support the idea of what Dean is saying. I may not fully support your methods Dean, but I do agree that something has to be done and as citizens we have take back control of our Towns and Cities to such an extent that people are not afraid to go out of their front door in the evening for fear of being attacked.
Why can't gangs be disbanded or made illegal. They intimidate, do criminal activity, damage property etc. There must be some way to control the people who make up their membership.
What has happened to teaching children respect for their elders, other people and property. It seems to me that the gang members seem to think they can take what ever they want with out having to work for it.
I also believe that if any person murders they should be given a mandatory life sentence with no parole. Too often recently we have seen where criminals are on parole, or are waiting to go to court on some crime still offend again against society. If they were behind bars they could not do this.
Where has society gone wrong? I believe that it stems back to changes in the education system, lack of parental control, changes to thing like the drinking age being lowered, people as youngsters not having to work for what they want but by being indulged by doting parents. This may sound harsh but the best thing we can do for our children (who are the future rulers of our society) is to give them good rules to live by and to lead them by our example. Is this happening today. No it is not.
While I find your views rather black and white I do tend to agree with you Dean.
A lot of the problems we have today are directly attributed to the breakdown in Society which has occured over the last twenty or thirty years.
We have had Governments both past and present that openly practice reverse racism, and that combined with the promotion of softcock governmental policy, the breakdown of the family unit,lack of strong Male leadership etc. have contributed to the current situation.
We have one hell of an outdated Welfare system which has created a huge pool of totaly dependant people which gives the Government more control, "hence more votes".
Until we get people in power that are prepared to stand up and whatever the cost, treat all New Zealanders equally, put the Family back as priority number one and dump the current Wefare system nothing is going to change.
Because we have a good standard of living overall which in turn creates apathy I cannot not see this happening.
Lastly I do not agree with your "Castration" policy. It smells of 1939-1945 Adolf Hitler (one short of Ethnic Cleansing). Remember your Grandfather along with many other brave men and women fought against such violations.