What Roast Busters has taught us and why Radio Live! is making it worse

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roasters

I am horrified by the amount of mindless sexist clowns claiming it’s the girls fault in these ‘Roast Buster’ cases, as if teenage girls who are too drunk to give consent are somehow responsible for what happens to them at the hands of sober males who then brag about their actions on social media. If this is the rape culture we’ve created, we needed 50-50 gender quotas in Political Parties a hell of a lot sooner than the Labour Party conference last weekend!

I’m so sick of hearing, “I’m not defending the Roast Busters, but”, from people, because whatever comes after that ‘but’ tends to be the most ludicrous, sexist victim blaming garbage I’ve ever had the displeasure of hearing.

I really had no idea how utterly warped our views on rape were until I heard two dying dinosaurs on air manage to embarrass themselves beyond belief. I have a soft spot for Willie Jackson and John Tamihere, but their interview on Radio Live yesterday effectively blaming the girls for the actions of the boys was a journey back in time that was as offensive as it was ignorant.

I’m not sure how RadioLive! will justify them remaining on air.

While half the population were trying to blame the victims involved, the other half were going berserk in social media screaming for a lynching.

‘Vigilante Justice’ is as corrupt as Roast Buster misogyny & Police inaction – can some of our leaders please step up and start leading?

We now have this farcical situation where Police won’t tolerate violent incitement against Roast Busters, but they will tolerate Roast Busters rape bragging for 2 years?

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The fact that one of the boys happens to be the son of a Police Officer doesn’t help when combined with the recent history of a sado-masochistic pack rape culture within the NZ Police force.

Passing questionable cyber laws in the wake of public disgust at the behavior of these two isn’t the solution – it’s Police misogyny that needs changing, (I wonder if Judith Collins will use her new cyber bully rules on her pet attack dog Whaleoil?).

The gross, warped ignorance raised by adults in this case is as disturbing as the juvenile warped behavior that caused it.

The country needs to pause and ask what the hell is going on here because the response to this is as unacceptable as the actions.

50 COMMENTS

  1. I really want to know why the words Paedophiles and predators have not been used concerning these young Men. Is it because ones father is a cop, and the others father is Anthony Ray Parker? These young men are a misguided disgrace to the human race if they think what they are doing is so funny and cool. If they were my sons I would be so ashamed of them. I read that one mother came forward and said her son had left the roast busters 6 months ago, like that makes everything just fine and dandy. In the mean time Anthony Ray Parker is a no comment and his people have come forward saying Joseph had to go into hiding because of death threats. What did they expect…. predators who get young underage girls drugged and drunk, rape them, then name and shame them on line….. Then we get silly young girls who say the roast busters are good boys and sure what they did was wrong but the 13 year olds were asking for it. Big lessons coming up for those girls 🙁 Rant over.

    • Well you just did.

      You’re part of the “berserk in social media screaming for a lynching”.

      You might want to watch that – pre-judgment by the media might be grounds for a mis-trial.

      What actual facts do we have? As far as I can see, we are really light on evidence here. We’ve got exactly the sort of story that gets people going berserk, screaming for a lynching… and the media are milking it for all it’s worth, and the police are under a huge amount of pressure to “punish someone”…

      … but the evidence is really light. It’s teenage boys (who let’s face it, are prone to exaggeration) bragging, drunken teenage sex which may or may not be legal, may or may not be consensual… fuck, there might even be black-magic and murder involved – but until someone formally complains, all there really is, is a “story” of the type that generates online lynch mobs.

      Like you.

      • Exactly, and that’s all Martyn seems to have done, fear mongering and childish generalizations about the Police.

        And let me guess the “recent” history he refers to, actually took place back in 1984 involving the sum total of … two cops….

        Yet it’s still the Polices fault in this case for not simply inventing laws to charge these idiots under, despite the fact that the law society themselves have agreed with the Police position that they couldn’t prosecute.

        Trial by media alright.

        • 300 woman complained about sexual misconduct by the police in that time in the Bazely report, and the report remains critical of the Police culture of sexism – remind me where i made that up Sam?

      • Hi Nicki,

        I have to say I found your post disappointing. Firstly the girls in question are underage. So that is a crime. Secondly my understanding is the police have contacted these victims, who are too distressed to come forward and lay a complaint. It isn’t just boys “bragging’ on facebook, there are real people involved who are highly distressed. If you had any idea of the impact that rape has on people you would understand the lynch mob mentality. I am not condoning lynch mobs btw.

        Rates of PTSD a very nasty mental disorder, which is hard to treat are extremely high in rape victims. So these girls, some of whom are children have a very difficult path ahead of them.

        As far as I have heard, none of the boys have said it didn’t happen it was bravado. It happened. Believe you me.

        I think the police should have charged them anyway, even if the charges fell over, because it just may have stopped them

      • “… but the evidence is really light. It’s teenage boys (who let’s face it, are prone to exaggeration) bragging”

        It’s also girls giving statements to the police and to media – both victims and the boys’ friends (maybe it doesn’t count if it’s only girls saying it rather than boys?).

        And none of this was a reason not to bother seeking that evidence two or three years ago. If they’d executed search warrants back then, they’d probably have the evidence.

  2. Right on Martyn – but Radio Live will do NOTHING – its all about using controversy to bring in the advertising dollar- no deeper understanding in there at all let alone any personal insight as to what dinosaurs they are

  3. @ Martyn . My solution is to sell my house . Then I’m moving to a country where I can’t speak or read the language for a curative one year of not knowing what the fuck is going on .
    Those boys are designer sociopaths born from thirty years of soul destroying neo liberal economic policies and honed by a vile media allowing the most horrible , dehumanizing representations of sex that can be witnessed by anyone with access to the internet or TV . Has anyone else watched the gut churning shenanigans of David Duchovny on Californicaton ?
    Internet porn sites are not just images of people fucking . It’s the phraseology that’s toe curling . Ads that advertise ” Fuck a Slut Tonight ! ” has all the promise of a candle lit dinner , followed by a moon lit stroll then some Barry White crooning from the ipod as wine is sipped as cloths are dropped to the floor … Not . That phraseology is present in music , film and gaming too and is glorified and emulated by it’s followers . The jump it’s taken from fiction , fantasy and in some cases , art into real time society is propelled by greed . Market forces decide as Gosman would argue perhaps .
    If an innocent , ignorant young mind saw some of the ghastly horrors to be freely seen there , then add alcohol , peer pressure and the sex drive it’s no wonder that the dysfunction that is inevitable is going to pop up in the profit driven media .
    I think these kinds of ‘ problems ‘ are best sorted by parents , peer group intervention and the police if necessary ( Yeah right ) . Laying it out in the public glare is very , very dangerous in my opinion because the public are , in fact , fucked in the head and I wouldn’t let ‘ public opinion ‘ any where near my kids . ‘ Whaleoil ‘ and talk back radio are sound arguments for that view .
    Sadly , there’s no quick fix for the tide of dysfunction that’s on its way . Thank you roger douglas . Thank you . You da man . Who da man ? You da man .

    I’d like to see a ban on all TV advertising during the News and a complete and total ban on all advertising between the hours of 3.00pm and 8.30 pm on week days and all weekend and public holidays . I’d like to see certain ‘ shows ‘ start with a mental health warning that’s more effective than what is present now . Parental guidance recommended my arse . More like ‘ Don’t watch this shit or it’ll fuck your head up ! ‘
    Selling advertising during reportage of societal horrors is sick and evil .

    • If you want a ban on advertising during these hours, then TV in NZ would go out of business. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but that is what would happen.

      Furthermore, do you think this would affect young people who get their entertainment predominately from the internet these days?

      • Thanks very much for posting this DWH, it’s a great piece.

        I think this is key:

        “The whole idea of masculinity and what it means to be a man in our society has to be looked at.”

        This kind of sexual violence and the misogyny it stems from will never be solved by women alone.

        Can the men who love their mothers and their sisters and their daughters and their female friends please stand up? We need you.

        And while I have the floor – sex = 2 (or more) conscious people actively and enthusiastically exchanging in sexual contact. Anything less than this is sexual assault. Is it really that hard to get our heads around? And can we please lose the expression “take advantage of” – it doesn’t help the conversation.

  4. I totally agree with you @Redgal. Also why didn’t the police if they couldn’t do anything else at least alert the media and public 2 years ago of what these young idiots were doing. The public, like now are onto it, and would have been able to stop it by public pressure on them to shut down. Also if these young guys are pulled up individually they will run away and hide as some of them probably are doing now with the public against them. Obviously many young people just don’t have a clue between cool and very uncool, like the music they like it is all rubbish. It is embarrassing to watch culture and all this sexual shit behaviour slide down a very long greasy poll. Looks like this could all become some sick new normal, not that surprising with all the trashy stuff online they are all watching and mimicking. Sad sad sad.

  5. Sad thiough it is I dont think there is anything new in this behaviour. As in these lost young girls ready to be exploited, the boys ready to exploit them, the other girls condoning the boys behaviour and adults going into panic mode or blaming mode. I think the only difference from thirty or forty years ago is the availability of abortion and contraceptives meaning these activities are not leading to babies and the use of social media. Against all the horrors of social media bullying etc. this furore has shown how this type of anti social activity is exposed today by the perpetrators – vainly outing themselves, rather than by an irrate grandfather (to be) demanding a shot gun marriage or the girl strategicaly disappearing for a while and a new baby available to the, then, adoption industry.
    Everything changes but everything remains the same!

  6. The comments of Radio Live’s Willie Jackson and John Tamihere were disgraceful. Blaming victims is indicative of the fact there is indeed a disturbing rape culture still thriving out there, pointing to a decadent and uncivilized society, seemingly blind to the alcohol and drug fueled anti social behaviour by youths and adults alike!

    The police holding out until the victims of the Roast Busters come forward, is not acceptable, considering the young men involved have boastfully confessed to their activities online.

    Some being underage, the girls will not only be scared, but also embarrassed by what they possibly interpret as their fault, which isn’t the case at all. They need the support to realize this fact and be encouraged to speak out.

    I sincerely hope the fact that one of the perpetrators having a close connection to a serving police officer, has not been influential in delaying police action.

  7. the girls obviously didn’t take care of themselves.
    if they were deliberate given alcohol or other chemical to make them rape-able then why have the NZ Police not stepped in with “stupefy” accusations? Such laws apply even to adults with legal drugs if the purpose or result was to render them incapacitated.

    I would also like to know from the original poster what the heck all this has to do with putting lesser quality women politicians into parliament just to meet a completely unrelated ovary quota. Politicians gender is not reason or excuse, why the heck are the dicks already there not doing the job, and why aren’t the police people held to public view of “justice not being done” in this case. Are they too busy checking regos and seat belts and shaking down marijuana carriers?

    • ovary quota – the reality is half the population are women and this needs urgently to be reflected in many of our organisations including parliament, where often men promote men (their buddies). Maybe then females could have a breather from having to put up with older men (read dinosaurs) having too much influence on social and political policies, including law.

      • I was dead against the idea of a quota a week or two ago. I’ve completely changed my opinion in the last week.

  8. To all the “well what did those girls expect when they put themselves in that situation” people out there: you STILL don’t seem to understand, and this is very frustrating for reasonable people, so I’ll put it in capital letters:

    CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL DOES NOT MAKE IT A FREE-FOR-ALL ON SOMEONE’S VAGINA.

    • Well clearly it does, otherwise it wouldn’t happen.

      That’s why these girls should watch how much they drink if they really want ti avoid it happening.

  9. well, i been listening to them this afternoon, they making even more outrageous statements, re blaming the girls. apparently karen hay & andrew faigan were unpleasant too? they always seemed the only normal ppl on the radio.

  10. What if.. …drunken teenage sex was normal? What if it was normal for immature teenage boys to brag about it publicly?

    What if the only things that had really changed in more than 30 years was the visibility of this behaviour on social media and the willingness of the mainstream media to wallow in the prurient details?

    And as to the details – more than one article has contained juicy excerpts from the online postings of these young people both male and female. The postings reveal at least one sex obsessed, immature teenage male full of bravado, and they also reveal quite a few female supporters and active participants in this behaviour.

    None of the publicly available material reveals any proof that underage sex actually occured (other than the bragging of one young man). None of the publicly available material has revealed any proof that females participating in organised group sex did so without consent. If anything, the publicly available material suggests the opposite.

    It may be really challenging for all of us to accept, and it certainly isn’t anything we believe our own daughters would ever do, but at least one of these young ladies went by the online name of “slutstation’. Another one began online conversations with “wana roast” and yet another young woman posted a picture of a roast when asked what she was after.

    What if we are all so disturbed at the attitudes and behaviours of our sons and daughters that we would rather lynch two immature, silly young men than confront the real issues regarding risky and inappropriate teenage sexual behaviour and alcohol misuse?

    What if the reason that the police, after investigating this behaviour for more than two years, haven’t been able to bring a charge is that none of the young people concerned actually believe a crime has occured?

    That would actually be something to get upset about.

    • Nah, sorry. If the police had run a two year investigation and found that it was all piss and wind, with no crimes occurring, they would have said so. Instead, they said none of the girls was brave enough to complain.
      Whether our daughters, our mothers, our sisters, or our wives have been involved in similar things is irrelevant except for what it says about the wider culture.

      • It’s much easier for the police to state that victims have been unwilling to come forward than tell the mums and dads of Auckland what their little darlings are actually up to. This is especially true given the hysteria and moral panic surrounding roast busters.

        My point about our sons and daughters is that it is easier for us to believe that a crime must surely have been committed than believe that our young people consider that drunken, demeaning group-sex is normal and acceptable.

        • I don’t think you actually get it. If the girls wanted to be involved all good, not our business but what we actually had was young men who were going to parties, staying sober, plying underage girls with alcohol and then having sex with them and then bragging about it, that is pre mediated and very disturbing. That dear is completely different to what you are talking about.

      • Good point Heather – although this still doesn’t give the police a lot to work with.

        What would the other males (and perhaps females) in the room say? Would they tell a different story? Would there be video evidence to the contrary?

        I don’t know. But I do know that its really wrong to try and convict young people as “gang rapists” in the media and to threaten their lives without a single shred of hard proof.

    • Well all these comments go out the window now after watching tv3 news tonight. One girl on tv saying she and her family did make a complaint of rape two years ago. The news reader said the police have confirmed this is the case.

      The shit really needs to hit the fan now. Totally unacceptable.

      • some heads need to roll over this! There are a few men in those stations that need to be put out to pasture. Go and spend their days playing golf with their wives because they really are out of touch. Too many dinosaurs in there I think….

    • I like your devils advocate position, but we are too busy being outraged to consider the possibility that this might be bigger than the rape of children crisis we have created with news and opinion pieces and you rob me of my impotent rage when you suggest it might not be what I wanted!

    • “None of the publicly available material reveals any proof that underage sex actually occured (other than the bragging of one young man).”

      Both the perpetrators and the victims have been saying this occurred. Why doesn’t this count?

    • Well said Captain Picard. I think you hit the nail on the head.

      I still wonder what sort of 13 or 14 year old girls get drunk enough to be beyond saying no to sex. I remember most of the girls I went to school with didn’t start getting big into alcohol until they were 16. The only ones drinking at 13 or 14 were the really bad girls who were often wagging, smoking, etc and half of whom ended up pregnant anyway.

  11. The best thing we can do is focus on how to change the perception that intoxication is a green light for sex, that a girl who does not say no is saying yes….neither are correct. Consent to sex must be an absolute verbal yes. It is not implied. This goes for spouses too.

    Someone yesterday recommended NZ fire up the Don’t be THAT guy campaign that has taken off overseas – I think this issue is proof enough that we need something like this here. See http://www.theviolencestopshere.ca/dbtg.php

    Clearly the children’s parents are MIA as usual so lets have faith that these kids are intelligent & receptive to developing the emotional & sexual maturity their parents clearly don’t have.

    And yes, without a doubt, a 17 year old or older have sex with 13 year old – whether they say they want to or not, is a pedophile. 13 year olds cannot give consent. That is why they are minors, that is why the legal age for sex is 16.

    The fact that the police have not been able to charge on this basis, despite knowing who some of the victims are, is shameful & indicative of a very broken justice system.

    And no surprises of course that Collins is silent – interferes when she wants (Bain issue) & is apparently the big crusader against cyber bullying (the irony of this is particularly amusing given the company she keeps) yet allows the police to sit on their laurels on this issue.

    Vigilantism is wrong – absolutely, but rape is MUCH more so.

    Police, Collins et al need to start making justice about those who have been harmed rather than only protecting the rights of those who cause the harm.

  12. I strongly believe that ngati poaka could have done something much more than open a file and complain how none of the girls were brave enough to make a complaint. They chose to do nothing and my question is why? Normally when they have a situation of public outrage and do nothing, it’s because they want an extension of the already draconian powers they have. They claim their hands are tied, existing law doesn’t cover the situation, whatever……….Judith Collins and the rest of Aotearoa will give them new and more draconian laws, when the real answer would be to sack every poaka involved for being a manipulative and cynical piece of shit who is prepared to sacrifice young girls to achieve their ends.
    Of course, the fact that there are those within ngati poaka who would struggle to see what was wrong with this behaviour also has a role to play. I can already foresee Clint Rickard’s funeral, with a high ranking idiot speaking of a man of great integrity, a mighty kauri who was cut down before his prime. We really do live in a dysfunctional society.

  13. I know the girls that defended these men and they are messed up, not just for defending the boys, they really are messed up. The guys intentionally get underage girls drunk to gang rape them when the girls are not in any state to consent. This is totally wrong and how people can justify this is beyond me. The men are also completely sober!. They pissed and came on one girl and rubbed her period blood on her at a party and left her there!!. They are very sick individuals!

  14. I think the police are CORRUPT! A girl comes forward saying she already did make a compliant 2 years ago. And they didn’t do anything about it, they made her re-enact what happened with dolls, videod the interview and STILL did not proceed with charges against those scum. What more evidence do you need? Im HIGHLY appauled at the police’s actions. AND the fact they had the nerve to make the girl feel as if its her fault. QUOTE: “”They said that I didn’t have enough evidence to show, because I went out in clothes that was pretty much asking for it. […] I was asked a lot of questions about what I was wearing, and I went out in a skirt.” DISGUSTING lack of empathy for a female rape victim!

  15. National got themselves elected in 2008 by crying “feminazi, pc gone made” and promising a post feminist utopia where sexist, racist homophobic old men would once again reclaim their rightful place as leaders of society.
    One where they could say and do whatever they liked.
    Fast forward five years and we see a new generation of young men displaying these same appalling attitudes towards young girls and taking it one step further.
    If we make sexism ok on any level, what did they think was going to happen?

  16. Yes , that’s it really @ Lerind_
    It’s the spreading lack of empathy that is deeply worrying . Not only towards women but to other members of society AND animals so I’m told , with a terrifying increase in animal sexual abuse . ( I’m not kidding ! )
    Ten years ago , when I went through a clubbing phase I met more then a few young people , men particularly who sent a chill up my spine . Their demeanor was that of the media popularized serial killer . Those young guys were cold and in our ‘ culture ‘ what ever that is , being cold and dangerous is cool to some , while to others , it’s not a choice . It’s who they’ve become .
    Lacking empathy is the absence of an emotion . It’s like cold as being the absence of heat . Dark as being the absence of light .
    As I write , I hear tv3 reporting on new laws being mooted for this and that as a knee jerk reaction to this latest round of spot the psycho . They can create as many laws as they like , it’ll not stop the sociopath , it’ll just fill the prisons and fatten lawyers . Oh , lets not forget the insurance scum .
    More than thirty years of neo liberalism has seen us come to this . That’s where the script is for this terrible and growing problem and that script has to be re written immediately . Vengeance-seeking , punish-fetishist laws . ( No matter how we’d like to tie those two smug , narcissistic , ego maniacal little punks up and let their now sober victims go at them with a pair of pliers and a few liters of sulfuric acid . ) will fix what roger douglas et al have kick started for their profit .

    As for my add free tv idea and it’s impact . So , let them go broke then . Who would care ? They’re all crap . They show crap , sell crap , sound like crap , look like crap . Therefore , they’re crappy . TV one should be add free and free to air and paid for with our tax money . We already pay for Casinos , boat races and increases in worthless politicians salaries so as they can be available to be lobbied by corporate swindlers to warp the minds of our young people . Good riddance to commercials saturated TV . It’d be a dream come true for me .

  17. If nothing else at least this has become a forum to bring the shameful victim blaming attitude in this country into light. Sadly this has been no surprise to me or my family. When my sister was 16, six months after my mother separated from our -then- step-father, she finally spoke up about the years of hideous sexual abuse she suffered at his hand since the age of 8 years old. This man ruined her childhood and her life. When we tried to take him through the court system and she was put on the stand she suffered the pointed finger of misogynistic, victim blaming bullshit from the defence and her name was dragged through the mud when the focus should have been on her abuser. They went so far as to label her a ‘P’ dealer in court to try and smear her credibility with the jury, an out-right lie. These asshole lawyers did all they could to pull my sister down, a girl who’d already suffered so much. Instead of justice an abusive and manipulative man got away with ruining my sisters life, and was acquitted of the offences bought against him. It’s the kind of thing that my sister went through in the court room that makes women fear to come out and point the finger at their abusers. And this country’s attitude lets those men get away with it.

    It’s about time this can of worms of our rape culture and victim blaming is bought into the light. Well past time.

  18. I thought people were innocent till prove guilty ?..the lynch mob mentality/ threats of death/ violence toward these young guys is disturbing..the media is whipping the public into a frenzy over this…if they did wrong, charge them, jail them..enough going on and on and on about them everyday on and on and on in the front page news..it’s sickening..I’m sick of reading about it..its the media salivating over the purient alleged details.

    • Then don’t read it. As far as I am concerned as long as the cops do nothing the people need to do for themselves. Personally I hope the little mutts get what they deserve. Innocent till guilty mate you must be joking this is NZ after all?

      The just sux system in NZ is rooted. These budding little pedophiles have been openly boasting about raping drunken under aged children and they get away with it? How does that work? The media will push it along because no one else is. The Police should be doing something but to date they have proven themselves ineffective and disinterested.

      Lynch mob mentality yep fair comment but so what, in this case maybe thats the answer. If the police did their job you would not have people wanting to take the law into their own hands? The police and the courts do not take into account the views of the ordinary person in the street? Victims rights, what f*** rights would that be???

      • I agree Gary.

        And I’d like to say to this charlie Boss: You don’t know exactly what happened, and the fact you’re willing to take matters into your own hands without hearing the full story only paints a poor picture of you.
        How do you know if any of what these clowns bragged about was even true? There could be a good reason for the police inaction.
        Although your spelling and sentence structure is also indicative.

  19. if men are going to use the excuse of “physical attributes” and “situations” and “dress” of the affected underage girls as why they raped them, then they forget that their causing negative connotations to attach to their behavior making men sound like their animals and have uncontrollable sex drives…
    we all know this isn’t the case.
    be careful about the excuses you put on rapists actions.. they may be fatal to the neurological idea of mens capability to control their so called ‘second brain’.

    • Mai it sounds to me as though you hate men and are in denial about yourself and can’t take responsibility for your own actions.
      Nobody is forcing these girls to go to these parties and drink too much and get themselves in the situation to be taken advantage of.
      There will always be sleazy people of both genders who take advantage of others and it’s up to their peers of these girls to make them aware of that and not put themselves in the situation.

  20. Excuse me Mr Martyn Bradbury.
    So with all of the tales teenagers are told at schools about partying and the perils of getting too drunk, how are the girls irresponsible of what might happen when they actually get too drunk? We were all teenagers partying once upon a time were we not? You can’t convince me that there isn’t some part of teenage girls that doesn’t want to have sex with these boys and the alcohol is removing the inhibitions. Some of these girls were reportedly only 13 or 14, what sort of girls are getting too drunk at those ages?
    Every year at almost every high school in NZ, there will always be a few popular boys who get to have sexual intercourse with a large number of teenaged girls at that school and a few neighboring schools). This Beraiah Hales was just stupid and naive enough to brag about it on facebook.

    Could it be that only one girl ever came forward with a rape complaint because many of the girls were actually willing sexual partners?
    And do we know if the one rape complaint was against this Beraiah Hales or Joseph Parker? It could’ve been against some loose associate of theirs.

    And that’s if any of these stories from the “roast busters” were actually true and not just a case of immature, misogynistic teenage boys lying or exaggerating.

    No I’m not defending them. That Beraiah Hales seems like an utter moron who’s set himself up for a huge fall and that Joseph Parker looks like he should’ve kept in a better crowd. But I am unimpressed with the media hysteria and village style witchhunt.
    Wait until a girl comes forward and rape charges are pressed and let the law handle it.

  21. I wonder if we started a group dedicated to raping incapacitated men, how long it would take for the cops to take action? Just a thought experiment…

  22. Kim.com says we’re mediocre? I’ll tell you what’s been mediocre…
    (In this country recently it’s been totally SUB-mediocre -embarrassing to be here right now.)
    I mean the fearful, rabid, unbridled, sanctimonious clamour over the Facebook bragging of the Roast Busters boys.

    I thought the airwave/online lynch Mob was bad with Aaron Gilmore’s head-in-stocks case – but an ugly new level of Media-fuelled hysteria has been reached this month.

    And clearly the over-the-top scapegoating of afternoon talk-radio hosts Willie Jackson and John Tamihere amounts to a shafting by a blind public lynch-mob blind with pound-of-flesh – hungry outrage. They need their pound of flesh, right or wrong – “Just let me hit it!”-type thing.

    Stoked by a busy keyboard-fingers happy bedroom blogger cold-calling advertisers – a completely unfair, perverse if you will, outcome is landed on.

    I still don’t have a clear picture of the nature of these dodgy booze-fuelled parties the oversexed boasting Facebook braggers spoke of.
    All the sexting, Facebooking, snapchatting and whatever else. – I don’t engage in that online activity. Like the two radio hosts concerned, I don’t have a Facebook account or go to similar parties…

    I’m none the wiser about the environment these date-rapes and group-sex gatherings occurred. A radio interview on the subject was hysterically shunned out of PC fear. And ever since, if anyone else ventures any questions on both sets of partying teenage protagonists in the scandal, they’re shot down instantly as promoting “Rape Culture”..?! It’s just not true.

    Clearly date-rape is illegal – as goes underage sex. Drink spiking also wrong and web-shaming equally reprehensible. The alleged offences may well be not just alleged. I hope we can actually find out. But the Mediocre media-fuelled NZ public reaction to this teenage party chaos we’ve been hearing about on Facebook by these young so-called ‘Roast Busters’ is a depressing soul-deflating shock. Just too much. The wrong people have been condemned.

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