Mary:” Adults can be just horrible sometimes, and it makes me very sad and despondent about our humanity. Some of the insensitive comments written are horrid.”

Yep agreed. Guilty of it myself but my perception is slightly warped these days.

This is the first thing I found on a google search…

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/29/2640057.htm

“Community Services Minister Linda Burney says she is disgusted, and has taken a personal interest in the case.”

Be nice if Linda would take an interest in the children currently under the guardianship of her director general.

Maybe if I go on a radio show someone might listen, take notice and help me with a teenage issue I am dealing with?

Oh – now I probably sound like that girls mum…

I’ll just keep it on the down low. Nothing will change but at least no politician will ride on the back of a child continuing to be damaged due to any past sexual abuse.

Hey Anti, shut the hell up.

Dear Antiseptic,

Your last post reminded me of what the author
Bryce Courtenay said about words:

" Ah, yes - let's talk about words.
About loving, touching, reaching out and grabbing
words.

Words that spread smooth as picnic butter.
And words that job hard and suddenly, leaving your
lips stinging and your head ringing.

Words with big, round, soft, open vowels.

And words with tight, hurtful little orifices...
like 'sneak.'"

The words that we have to be careful of are the words
that stick like burrs and punish at a touch. They're
words that become soiled with improper use. The gift of
words is the gift of imagination - they should be used
to lift up - not put down - as Emily Dickinson illustrates:

"He ate and drank the precious words,
His spirit grew robust,
He knew no more that he was poor,
Or that his frame was dust.
He danced along the dingy ways,
And this bequest of wings
Were but kind words...
What liberty
A loosened spirit brings!"

A kind word doesn't cost anything - yet it honours
both the giver and the receiver.

I have to agree with Antiwomen that the spiteful misogynistic drivel he incessantly posts is consistently vile and/or and creepy.

Foxy (quoting Bryce Courtenay):"The words that we have to be careful of are the words that stick like burrs and punish at a touch. They're
words that become soiled with improper use."

And there's the rub, isn't it Foxy? What some call improper use, others call fair comment. I try to craft my words carefully and I must admit that I am a little chuffed with the thought that you felt them sufficiently well formed to comment on them, even though you idn't like the thought they expressed.

I differ from Mr Courtenay in his preference for words that do not offend. I am happy to admit that I take some pride in crafting words that express dissent well. If "social constructionalism" is a reality, then dissent is essential to create change and it is a social service to express it properly.

Whether all others agree with my purpose is neither here nor there, as long as the words express it well. Sometimes even, the purpose is simply to have a vehicle for the words, so where does that leave "improper use"?

CJ we get that you don't like Antiseptic. That's pretty obvious. You might have a think about the vile things you continue to post about him and ask if that's how you really are. Apart from your attacks on Antseptic I generally have a fairly high regard for you and your views (even where I disagree) as with a number of other posters. The whole snipping from the sidelines at Antiseptic does not do you credit.

I've not tried to keep up to thoroughly with who says what about who so I may miss some but my overall impression is that the comments directed at antiseptic are generally more personal, more directly hateful of the him than the stuff he posts about others.

R0bert

I just followed the link posted by TPP to the ABC story. It seems that the major reason for their interest was that the girl "revealed she had been raped" (not "claimed to have been raped" the keen observer will note, so much for "quality" journalism). Add another one to the list of those who wouldn't have given a stuff if she'd not claimed rape.

They quoted a couple of the usual victim-riders, including Karen Wills of the NSWRCC who said "it's actually the second worst crime that you can commit next to murder" (referring to rape, not the general principle of responsibility to juveniles).

Is non-consensual sex (rape) really the "the second worst crime...next to murder"? Why