Dear Joe,

As Senator Kristina Keneally pointed out on
Monday night's emotional episode of "Q&A" -

"Anyone who is passing comment on the jury
verdict, unless they were in the room every
day, heard everything the jury heard, had access
to all the information the jury had, they're actually
doing a great disservice."

"They're doing a disservice to our democratic jury
system and I'm quite surprised and distressed that
people like John Howard and Tony Abbott, but
particularly John Howard are running the type of
commentary and providing support publicly for
Cardinal Pell following his conviction."

"I think it's disrespectful of the jury verdict. I
also would reflect it's quite disrespectful of victims."

She went on to stress that the main reason victims often
fail to come forward is because they don't think they're
going to be believed. We have had a legal process. Due
process. A trial. A jury has rendered a decision.
And now we have people out there casting doubt on that
decision because they say they know this man and they
don't believe he could have done it. Some are claiming
lack of evidence yet how do they know what evidence
was presented to the jury. They don't.

We should have faith in the integrity of our legal
system. Of course the Cardinal has a right to lodge
his appeal and we can all believe that it will be
treated appropriately. However as the Senator said -
the disregard that is being shown to the jury and
the disrespect that is being shown to victims by this
public commentary is quite extraordinary.

Well said Foxy.

Interesting that this essay was originally published in The Wanderer.

Saint Jesus of Galilee who was never ever in any sense a Christian was of course a wanderer, and outsider who taught and demonstrated the Spirit-Breathing Way of Truth on the margins of the Jewish culture in which he lived.
He was of course also scathingly critical of both the political and ecclesiastical establishments of his time and place. For which he was then executed by the Roman State as a public "trouble-maker" with the deliberate collusion of the said ecclesiastical "authorities".

Regardless of the justice re George Pell's conviction he is a very senior figure in the worlds largest official institutional "religion".
And like all "catholic" cardinals, and the "catholic" church altogether, he is very much a key player in the powerful political establishments of most countries in today's world (and for the past 1500 years or so.
Political and "religious" power which is wrongly protected by supposedly binding state laws as described here:
http://www.concordatwatch.eu

So what would Saint Jesus have to say about the "religious" and political establishment in which George Pell is a powerful participant?
Would he be in any sense welcome at the Vatican or in any of the palaces in which the cardinals or "princes (ponces) of the church" live (oft times in a sea of wretched poverty).

Foxy,

Is that the same 'Q&A' that the ABC said is just for entertainment and not to be taken seriously?

Steele,

Nok, just insufficient. Imagine some right-wing government which grabbed lefties like you and me off the streets, charged them with, um, something, anything, it wouldn't matter, get some stooge to make some sort of accusation and, bang, bullet in the back of the head. Neo-liberal bastards

Imagine how some genuinely right-wing government could execute any leftists without any actual evidence of wrong-doing. Do you think this hasn't happened before ? Do you remember Pinochet ? The Greek generals ? The Argentine generals ? Chiang Kai-She ? Lon Nol ? Marcos ? Various Arab governments, all fascist but some even claiming to be socialist ? People disappearing without even a phony trial in so many countries ?

Evidence - and surely more was presented at Pell's trial than we are allowed to know about, otherwise it's an obvious travesty - is surely vital, not just hearsay or he-said/he-said ?

'Not proven' would surely have been the most progressive answer ? Even for a turd like Pell ?

Cheers,

Joe

Oh Is Mise

And don't forget Q&A is on "that bad left communist ABC TV"

So any sound, caring, arguments voiced on ABC can be dismissed by OLO's sad band of rightwingers.