Tales From NZ - The Land of Idiots

Looking at all this furore over Tony Veitch beating the stuffing out of his partner in 2006, I find one thing very interesting:

Namely, so many people think he is still a "great guy" and that this is no one's business. Furthermore, that he shouldn't be prosecuted because he paid her so much money and has said he is sorry.

I'm sorry, but what freekin' century is this country stuck in?!?! Have we all gone backwards and decided that hitting a woman is OK? How about knocking her to the ground and repeatedly kicking her with such force that she suffers broken vertebrae and head injuries - is that what a "great guy" does??? Or was it the fact that he gave her $100,000 to keep her mouth shut so he wouldn't lose her job? Yeah I guess that was pretty "great"

I am honestly sickened by the reaction by people of this country. On the radio the other night, countless women called in to say that people should just leave him alone and that if she didn't press charges then it must be OK. Yes, I'm sure that's why she didn't press charges - I wouldn't be at all afraid of someone who had just beaten me to the point where I had a broken back and couldn't walk.

The other common argument in his defence is 'If he was just an average guy not on TV then no one would care.'

WRONG! And on so many levels.

Firstly, if he were not on television it would still be reported by police and therefore public knowledge. And a court case that garners public attention, as such a violent crime would, is not going to be attractive to ANY employer.

Secondly, the fact is this guy IS on television every night (and the radio as well) and as such has the public image of his employers at stake. Would you hire Mike Tyson to present your sports news? No. And not just because his speech is mangled and less intelligent than an old man eating a box of marbles. You wouldn't hire him to do that job because it would make your station look completely bogus to have it fronted by a nut job that beats women.

And thirdly, if this was just an average guy from down the road you would all condemn him and expect him to be prosecuted. I hope.


And if it is indeed true that TVNZ knew about this incident long before the public, then someone needs to answer some questions over there too.

Maybe Tony Veitch can place a big rugby ball under his arm and the hell off my TV as well?