Richardson roadside shrine removed - Good or bad thing?

Gloria Jeans is a franchise that is often owned by some local people, I have friends that own one in the Sydney suburbs. The head company is owned by a couple in Sydney. The confusion up often happens because Gloria Jeans sponsors the Hillsong Church amongst other organiszations and gets the acknowledgement / advertising that comes as a result.

I really don’t think that it’s important how they’re connected with Hillsong – just the fact that they are. That’s enough for me.

Beserk Keyboard Warrior said :

Clown Killer said :

quote]

Gloria Jeans is owned by the Hill$ong Church/Cult. For every Latte sold, another kid is brainwashed. Good enough reason for ya?

That’s why I avoid it!

Gloria Jeans is a franchise that is often owned by some local people, I have friends that own one in the Sydney suburbs. The head company is owned by a couple in Sydney. The confusion up often happens because Gloria Jeans sponsors the Hillsong Church amongst other organiszations and gets the acknowledgement / advertising that comes as a result.

BerraBoy68 said :

For what it’s worth, I think those that joined the group as a sincere effort to sign a petition make should be left alone, regardless of how uninformed they were on the actual situation. However, those that left hate messages, threats towards the homeowner, etc.. need to reconsider their comments which have left the homeowner and his family very, very distressed. If they don’t do this then I tend to support JB.

Also, I’ve read Crystals apology and it does seem sincere. A much more mature approach and perhaps a valuable lesson has been learned.

I agree.

Gloria Jeans is owned by the Hill$ong Church/Cult. For every Latte sold, another kid is brainwashed. Good enough reason for ya?

Thanks for that BKW! I have long put credence in the advice of William Burroughs who once said “Never do business with a religious son-of-a-bitch, you’ve got enough troubles in this world without the good lord screwing you over as well …”

Woody Mann-Caruso said :

I don’t know who are bigger w.nkers – the people getting carried away on the Facebook site, or the impotent school prefects on this site so keen to take names.

Good call Woody. At least the morons on the Facebook site have youthful naivety as an excuse.

Clown Killer said :

OK JB I accept Crystal’s apology as an honest declaration of her regret and remorse with respect to her earlier, more hot-blooded comments. My only problem now is that I will need another reason to boycot Gloria Jeans unfortunate take on the coffee bean.

Gloria Jeans is owned by the Hill$ong Church/Cult. For every Latte sold, another kid is brainwashed. Good enough reason for ya?

Why not have a system whereby flowers, etc can be put at an accident site for a certain period. Then, the government puts up an ‘accident blackspot’ sign, like the one on Kingsford Smith drive in Belconnen with ‘in memory of *insert name(s)* ‘ on it.

That way there is a warning about the road and also a lasting memory.

jessieduck said :

I have brought this to the attention of a number of friends who are teachers and encouraged them to bring the droup to school administraters attention.

If you have a friend who is a high school teacher, or is a parent of a highschooler- bring it to their attention so they don’t get lumped with the bad apples.

Good call Jessie. We recently had an issue with bullying of our daughter via BeBo and unfortunately it got to the point where the police were involved (it wasn’t me who alerted them but a parent from another school). I don’t think these kids realise that once they’ve committed this rubbish to print they can’t really take it back.

Here’s an idea for the friends and family involed, After the death of two close friends just out of high school we had a tree planted outside the school we all attended (with approval from school)this was a reminder to us and other of the danger of teens and cars.

I have personally lost too many friends to cars and bikes and myself and friends never carried on this way, GROW UP how would your friends who died feel about all of this.

Again I hope all you that are threating the homeowner feel great shame in time.

Your not the first and won’t be the last to lose friends.

OK JB I accept Crystal’s apology as an honest declaration of her regret and remorse with respect to her earlier, more hot-blooded comments. My only problem now is that I will need another reason to boycot Gloria Jeans unfortunate take on the coffee bean.

It looks like the Facebook hate site has now been removed.

just wondering, i’ve joined that group. i joined because i do feel it was wrong to take down a memorial but that was before i found out all the information. i haven’t left even ONE comment on the group, yet my name is being put down on some ‘list’ to jepordise my job? how is that fair to people who haven’t left any comments .. people who haven’t done anything. did you think through YOUR actions while critising everyone elses?

I don’t know who are bigger w.nkers – the people getting carried away on the Facebook site, or the impotent school prefects on this site so keen to take names.

Steady on CK, the girl’s made a pretty comprehensive apology:

Crystal Wheeler wrote
at 8:27pm
If people would read the comments being left at the following website http://the-riotact.com/?p=12271#comment-209136
I agree with Brendan, we have all shown such an ugly side to ourselves, including myself. And this group is picking up attention for all the wrong reasons. We all say crude things when we are upset or angry but sometimes its those horrible words that stand out from all the good things.
It is my understanding that the home owners are coming to agreements with the families. Sam and Karla if you could shed some light on that, it would be appreciated.
As someone whos name has now been tainted along with many others including Brendan and Cory, I’m ashamed.
I never joined this group to be looked down upon. And I feel terrible that I’ve lowered myself to that degree.
Maybe if we all took a step back we’d remember what we’re here for, which is not slander and threats.

The poster here has just named one of the culprits (who is entitled to their opinion, whether misguided or not), as well as let everyone know where they work!?!

It’s unfortunate that now Gloria Jeans will lose my custom because of the foolish actions of one of their employees. It’s just another example of people not thinking things through, of not being prepared to take responsibility for their actions. Glib apologies are too easy to sprout off after the event and I don’t accept them.

The sudden loss of friends and loved ones is something that we will all have to deal with at some time of our lives, it’s one of life’s tougher lessons – whether or not you chose to make a complete twat of yourself in the course of that lesson is another thing entirely.

Hi, Writting from personal experience as a home owner and renter, I find it a bit rich for a large group of young (mostly) Canberrans to get onto a forum such as Facebook, and start crying about how the caretakers of a block of land that they reside on (taking into account crown land discussion) have removed an eyesaw from the said land, yet it is generally they the Canberra youth who are responsible for most of the growing vandalism we see around the city. Road works and safety barriers ripped down daily, sign posts run down, peoples gardens trampled on, rubbish brazenly discarded in carparks, burnouts in suburban streets, letterboxes blown up by fireworks, palm trees set on fire, cars vandalised, graffiti hear there and everywhere including of all places sacred, schools and churches, and I could go on. Isnt it more a case of Karma. Can’t these youngsters not see the irony of the whole situation.

Pandy, I think I was the one who mistakenly referred to TP as one of the group’s admins after they asked how to go about deleting a FB group. It looks like I may have been mistaken in that assumption.

Berra, TP was called an admin of the site. From what I can deduce, he supports his girls to be on that hate site. If either point is true, I stand by my statement and support JB in name and shame.

BerraBoy68 said :

Also, I’ve read Crystals apology and it does seem sincere. A much more mature approach and perhaps a valuable lesson has been learned.

I also read the apology and see that she is contrite however the kids apologising on both forums have not left the group and Crystal actually had a fairly revolting comment on her own page calling calling people heartless c-nts. She could delete that commemnt, she could also leave the group. That is why I popped in the bit about where she works. Not very mature of me but maybe, but the info is there for all to see, it’s not rocket science.

Perspective people.
Johnboy would not be “naming and shaming” he would be transcribing the names of people who signed up to a hate filled facebook group.

That is not “naming and shaming” but merely keeping a record of the association. If you don’t like that, then it’s up to you to think before you put your name onto a public website.

If I came here and started a thread on “we think the white power movement is a good thing, let’s lynch black people”, and people were foolish enough to sign up to it, who would be in the wrong, the people who took note of the signatures, or the people who lodged their names in agreement with it?

To those who are claiming they signed up to this hatefest in error; well you’ve just learned a handy life lesson.

For what it’s worth, I think those that joined the group as a sincere effort to sign a petition make should be left alone, regardless of how uninformed they were on the actual situation. However, those that left hate messages, threats towards the homeowner, etc.. need to reconsider their comments which have left the homeowner and his family very, very distressed. If they don’t do this then I tend to support JB.

Also, I’ve read Crystals apology and it does seem sincere. A much more mature approach and perhaps a valuable lesson has been learned.

does anyone know if this is a record for the amount of blogs posted on the riotact? i’d sure like to know!!!!!

Pandy said :

Your decision as a dad TP 3000. Wish you good have been a better dad.

Unfair Pandy. It’s below the belt to criticise someone’s parenting skills based on one issue esp. as we have no evidence TP’s kids made any nasty comments on the FB page.

Why in god’s name does Riot Act feel compelled to tar and feather an entire group to shame a few *kids* who made, you know, immature comments? Funny how kids do that, eh? Frankly, I think there are some moral questions to ask when a moderator is so blatantly biased. When I went to the FB site in question, I did not find “1,396 angry youngsters threatening to… burn down the house of the family who tried to save their friends lives,” as JohnBoy alleges.

Apart from his dire issues with punctuation and capitalisation, Facebook hate site administrator Brendon Bassett clearly isn’t particularly diligent (or perhaps it is the site creator Samantha Minney who is letting down the team).

Anyway, a spooked Brendon has hoovered up some of the worst comments but there are plenty of stand-outs there.

All of the following are from just one page of Brendon Bassett’s and Samantha Minney’s internet hate site targeting a blameless family who administered first aid to their dying friends. Bear in mind these people are posting on a site with an opening page that describes the householder as “disgraceful, disrespectful and is definatley (sic) not a compassionate, humane” person.

One example is this lass (apparently the “BESTY”) who is advocating violence:

Xenia Harpas wrote
at 7:46pm on May 27th, 2009
OMG THIS IS FUKD UP… how bout i smack him in the nose with the cross, see how he likes those apple’s.
if his daughter, son, sister,brother was killed like that he would want some where to go to….

And another with a less-than-charitable view of someone who tried to help dying people:

Lauren Carey wrote
at 9:52pm on May 27th, 2009
this person must seriously not have a soul …

Of course, there’s spelling-challenged Angela Reynolds who simply urges everyone to continually harass the hapless family:

Angela Reynolds wrote
at 10:23pm on May 27th, 2009
i like Lisa’s idea – go accross the road as a big group and pay our respects one nite, then two nites later, then the next………….

Then there’s Lisa who inspired Angela:

Lisa Ashford wrote
at 9:48pm on May 27th, 2009
What an outrage!!! That’s disgusting, i can’t believe that someone could be so heartless about something like that!! What a wanker….I reckon we should organise a group visit to the site with heaps and heaps of people and sit out there for quite some time paying respects to steve and megan every couple of days and see how they like that!!!

And Bruno, who incidentally is very proud of an impressively tattooed back and apparently has the numberplate “UGANGA” (the tattoo is in the shape of a large cross, for those who are interested):

Bruno Antunes wrote
at 10:48pm on May 27th, 2009
they cant stop us we will just keep putting stuff there they will eventually get the point

A small sample from just one page of the hate site administered by Brendon Bassett and Samantha Minney. There are quite a few more pages in a similar vein. Given the “moderation” applied so far, it must be assumed these comments are OK with the site admins.

ahappychappy said :

… on this list and forwarding it to recruitment teams within the ACT…

who said anyone would be forwarding this to recruitment teams in the ACT? The names would be posted here.

I’m just catching up with this epic thread.

xyro said :

unfortunately stupidity is not a crime – or all you kids would be screwed….

Haha. I also enjoyed all the people threatening to sue for defamation. Perhaps you should read this http://www.efa.org.au/Issues/Censor/defamation.html

Real life is not like law and order, clowns.

johnboy said :

It’s not actually possible to defame the dead you know?

It may not be possible to defame the dead, but some of the comments that were thrown towards that man were absolutely disgusting. I personally did not know Jamie, however I know that even I felt disgusted reading some of those things. I just wanted to point out that if you believe that these young adults should be moderating comments/beliefs of members of the public which are threatening, out of line and invasive then the comments that are threatening, out of line and invasive should also be moderated and not tolerated.

I can also reference the naming and posting of photographs of Mr Peisley’s friends on this public forum along with accusations and links to court findings. Should they not also be moderated?

A young girl has been named above, along with the place she works! How is that not as bad as the young girl’s original comment? Anyone can now go down to her workplace and know exactly who she is by her nametag!

I am NOT trying to defend any of the individuals in the wrong here, I am just trying to point out that Riot-ACT is no angel in these types of situations, and is in no way helping the situation. It is merely pouring petrol on the fire to see how many reactions can be stirred up.

Finally, there are people like ahappychappy that have joined this discussion. Thank you

It’s not actually possible to defame the dead you know?

well said DMD

Evening all,

Sorry – I’ve been trying to get my head around this for the past hour or so jumping from the Facebook petition to Riot-ACT. I myself (unfortunately) cannot see the difference in maturity levels between some of the posters on each website.

I am personally a member of this petition, and knew both the deceased and the other passenger that made it out okay. I joined the petition as I support that a memorial (something like a nice, classy cross or something that ISN’T an eyesore) should be in place. It was a tragic accident, and some people do find a memorial is a much easier place to mourn than a cemetary (whether the posters here agree with that or not).

JB, I believe you are treading a very very fine line… There is a difference between naming and shaming the posters of such horrible comments, and naming and shaming everyone who has rallied behind their lost loved ones and their families. Some of the comments on the facebook group are incredibly insensitve, and the threats made towards the home owners are disgusting. However, I still support the cause.

Having said the above, some of the comments on Riot-ACT have also been very insensitive, immature and downright disgusting. One poster here even named where one of the individuals (who is in the wrong) works! How is that any different to the facebook comments? The poster here has just named one of the culprits (who is entitled to their opinion, whether misguided or not), as well as let everyone know where they work!?! I had hoped to have thought that many of the posters here had a bit more maturity and social awareness…

You say that 24 hours is ample warning for everyone to go and remove themselves from this petition before they are named? What about some of the people who do not even know this website exists, do they deserve to be punished? As far as I can tell the majority of posters and readers here are well over the age of 21 (maturity levels could’ve fooled me), and the majority of those on the facebook petition are under 21! Why should one of the deceased’s family members or close friends be punished at a future date when going for a job interview, because they stood up for what they believed in? It’s not their fault that some young twat (and those who made those horrible threats are exactly that) who believes in the same cause made a derogatory threat without knowledge of the situation… That is like saying that all Muslims are “terrorists” as some Muslims have an extremist view? Or that all Indigenous Australians support the extremist views portrayed by certain Indigenous elders… I myself had not even looked at the petition site until today when I saw this thread. I had no idea of the situation, and therefore I should be punished at a later date?

Unfortunately, I believe if you go through with this list of shaming, you will be losing the respect of many of the Riot-ACT’s posters and readers, as well as showing just how pathetic this public forum can get on occasion. If we use an example of one of the above posts, is this public forum moderated as strictly as you ask the facebook petition be? Does an admin here remove any public threat or defamation of an individual? I for one remember the multiple comments about the above mentioned Jamie Peisley of which many were defamatory, and downright disgusting. The posters of these comments did not know the individual, nor the circumstances around that situation. Were they moderated by our mature and grown up moderator? If you expect a group of teenagers to be able to moderate insensitive posts I also think the shoe fits here. I also believe that the comment above referencing one of the young females and their employers should be moderated and removed. But that again is only if the shoe fits.

I look foward to seeing the outcome of this utter crap… and Davo111/JB, if you would like to speak with me further about you posting both my name, and many of my friends/family’s names, on this list and forwarding it to recruitment teams within the ACT, I would be happy for you to pass me your full name, and we can deal with the matter in person or away from the trolls that seem to live on this website. I believe you are only stooping to a new low if you continue with your plan.

I look forward to the always exciting and intelligent comment quotes and references typical to this forum.

TP 3000 said :

I’ll let everyone go on like this when I die, I plan on going out with a bang. But not for quite a while, unless someone does something that pushes me closer & closer to the edge…..

Have a cup of tea and sit down in the lounge for a while, seriously.

What’s happening here is that everyone is overreacting. This is an awful tragedy, yes, but it does not involve everyone in the wider community to the extent where they should feel they should dole out vigilante justice. Unfortunately, both sides, the Facebook group and Riot-Act are trying to do that. This is creating unnecessary drama that can only be hurting those at the centre of this tragedy.

The Facebook group is sorting itself out, as they usually tend to do. Even when we had the firebug groups calling for the bloke who started the Gippsland fires to be killed, there were people who joined and applied reason to the idiots. That’s whats happening with the memorial group. It’s unnecessary to call for violence, and people can see that, so they add voices of reason.

All the Riot-act is doing is fanning the flames. Some people on the group are directly affected by the tragedy and are looking for blame in a blameless situation, some are simply vigilante-obsessed, looking for targets to direct their anger at events in the community. The Riot-Act is directly antagonizing these people and I honestly don’t see a good solution arising from this.

Everyone needs to cool down and look at exactly what they’re doing – exacerbating a tragedy. Will someone spare a thought for the people involved, instead of letting their egos run wild?

jessieduck said :

These kids are pretty tech savy. It’s not as if they have to dial a land-line to get the word out. All it would take would be an email from the admin to all of the members saying they are closing it down, please leave the group etc etc… but that hasn’t happened….

I feel dreadful for the homeowners.

I feel dreadful for them too. Not all the people signed on there are kids/teenagers or from that peer group.

(not directed at you jessieduck -> ) Oh and No, I am not one of the people signed up to that group, at any time. Just in case some people may think I am.

^ ?

I’ll let everyone go on like this when I die, I plan on going out with a bang. But not for quite a while, unless someone does something that pushes me closer & closer to the edge…..

These kids are pretty tech savy. It’s not as if they have to dial a land-line to get the word out. All it would take would be an email from the admin to all of the members saying they are closing it down, please leave the group etc etc… but that hasn’t happened….

I feel dreadful for the homeowners.

jessieduck said :

Agreed Spidey dog but you’d think the word would spread? Even the kids who have appeared contrite on here and the fb page are still members…

In that instance, Yes I agree. Those continuing to post on the FB and RiotAct pages are aware and should carefully consider their association with that particular petition.

But we can’t rely on word of mouth alone to alert all of what is going on and the future possible action being taken. i do believe there will be innocent people in that list who were acting in good faith.

I don’t mean anything against any particular person here by the way, I just don’t agree on some things being said and done, as would some about me.

SheepGroper said :

Toofar said :

These are kids who made mistakes.

Kids who drink on stranger’s nature strips in the wee hours after having driven there? They’re no children.

What sort of boring child were you?

We are allowed to agree now and again DMD 😉

Pandy said :

Your decision as a dad TP 3000. Wish you good have been a better dad. As it is your grrls will be pinished for ever when they are Googlefied on this wen site.

Actually I did Google their names when the list was up, RiotACT wasn’t there for the first 2 pages for all of us.

Agreed Spidey dog but you’d think the word would spread? Even the kids who have appeared contrite on here and the fb page are still members…

Pandy said :

Well, CHANGE THE FRACKING intro then Spideydog!!!

I am not associated with the FB group in any manner. I support the home owner ffs. I do not agree with the tone of the expanded description either. My point is that alot of people MAY not have seen the threats made and have not seen the group description when they clicked “join group” based on the fairly innocent title description.

Toofar said :

These are kids who made mistakes.

Kids who drink on stranger’s nature strips in the wee hours after having driven there? They’re no children.

johnboy said :

They will be named if they’re still associated at midday tomorrow.

You have decisions to make, they have decisions to make.

Life’s all about the decisions.

As I said earlier, there will be people unaware of what is going on, your intended action and the threats etc made on that group.

Groups that your friends have joined, appear to the right on your FB page with just the title of the group. It is entirely possible people have joined the group in good faith on the title description and not visited since.

johnboy said :

Life’s all about the decisions.

Yes Grandpa, it is way past your bed time & you shouldn’t of had so much whiskey today.

Well, CHANGE THE FRACKING intro then Spideydog!!!

Naming particular people and where they work definitely is. Publishing all the names of the people who joined the group is tarnishing ALL with the same brush JB which is not fair.

What are you trying to accomplish by publishing all their names ?? It appears to be a reverse witch hunt to me ??

As I said, I support the home owners in what has been a horrible turn of events.

Your decision as a dad TP 3000. Wish you good have been a better dad. As it is your grrls will be pinished for ever when they are Googlefied on this wen site.

Why don’t you start a new group. One for the memorial that doesn’t throw incorrect accusations at innocent people.

Spideydog said :

I don’t think the answer is a “reverse” witch hunt. It will make us as bad as them.

One of the few times I will say +1 Spideydog (against orcs)

I sincerely doubt this will end simply with the names being posted. There could be consequences that may put The-RiotAct in a very bad light. I hope that doesn’t happen.

They will be named if they’re still associated at midday tomorrow.

You have decisions to make, they have decisions to make.

Life’s all about the decisions.

TP 3000 said :

It has been stated about 10 times before, not everyone thinks that!!

But that’s what the description of the petition says!! That is what they’ve signed up for!!

Spideydog said :

I don’t think the answer is a “reverse” witch hunt. It will make us as bad as them.

Publishing the names of people who have joined a petition is hardly a witch hunt.

You do not know what they have gone through over the past few months & why should they be punished because of a few twats? My girls are not in the wrong & they WILL NOT be punished

TP 3000 said :

Deckard said :

If you delete the group there are still 1600 people who think the owner is a heartless bastard. They all need to be told it’s not the case.

It has been stated about 10 times before, not everyone thinks that!!

And yet every time a post in defence of the homeowners goes up, it’s deleted.

TP, if you’re an admin, you can at least change the wording of the group’s description to something less inflamtory.

Well maybe your girls should leave the group if you consider the association harmful.

Deckard said :

If you delete the group there are still 1600 people who think the owner is a heartless bastard. They all need to be told it’s not the case.

It has been stated about 10 times before, not everyone thinks that!!

Ozhair said :

TP, you need to delete all members until you’re the last one left. Then you click “Leave Group” for yourself. When the group has no more members, it’s deleted by Facebook.

Why are you picking on Lake Tuggeranong Dog Park?

But after going through the list of the Steve & Megan memorial members, what is planned on being done here tomorrow better not affect the lives of some people or you lot are worst then arsonists. As NO ONE hurts my girls

Closing the group down isn’t enough though. If you delete the group there are still 1600 people who think the owner is a heartless bastard. They all need to be told it’s not the case.

johnboy said :

jessieduck said :

Crystal Wheeler works at Gloria Jeans in Tuggers- those lucky lucky employers and coffee drinkers.

Crystal’s also shown a lot of contrition on consideration. At the end of the process I think she comes out showing considerable promise as a human being.

She still using the c word on her profile page- she can easily delete that if she wanted to.

I don’t think the answer is a “reverse” witch hunt. It will make us as bad as them.

Publish their names!

RiotACT shows up at the top of most google searches. 🙂

jessieduck said :

Crystal Wheeler works at Gloria Jeans in Tuggers- those lucky lucky employers and coffee drinkers.

Crystal’s also shown a lot of contrition on consideration. At the end of the process I think she comes out showing considerable promise as a human being.

TP, you need to delete all members until you’re the last one left. Then you click “Leave Group” for yourself. When the group has no more members, it’s deleted by Facebook.

Crappy system. You’d think they’d have a “Delete Group” button.

Did you read my last line or not Clown Killer ??

Spideydog said :

I actually think it was irresponsible of the CT to print the story, especially portrayed in a favour it showed. In my view any person/journo would have known that the story would have provoked very emotional people and that would most likely be directed towards the home owners.

I thought that as well. It wasn’t until Saturday that they put the owners point of view in another article.

This was all from the cutdown online version of course. No idea what was in the printed version.

Crystal Wheeler works at Gloria Jeans in Tuggers- those lucky lucky employers and coffee drinkers.

Oh yeah – lets blame the newspaper for teenage dipsh!t bogans who cant control their emotions … Oooh you naught, naughty newspaper …

I actually think it was irresponsible of the CT to print the story, especially portrayed in a favour it showed. In my view any person/journo would have known that the story would have provoked very emotional people and that would most likely be directed towards the home owners.

Very irresponsible CT. But this does not condone the actions of persons in the FB group either.

Better get cracking then sunshine …

I would love to know how can you delete a Facebook group? I have created a group & can see no where I can delete my group.

But I do have the option to delete members &/or make it a private group. This may be the best option.

When these homeowners have to move and thus incur financial losses as well as the emotional trauma they have been put through by the threats made against them, I trust the facebook group owners are prepared to put their hands in their pockets and face a civil action.

At this stage, the damage to these homeowners has been done and documented. They have already had to put up with enough garbage from “grieving youth” and having their home and thus their security and their family threatened.

They have had to take time off work to protect their home and their children due to threats being made against them. Essentially, they are “in hiding”.

Even if and when Samantha finds the time to delete the group from facebook, it is too late. The damage has been done to this family. The threats have been made. And of course, everybody knows where they live – just see the CT. They don’t have the relative anonymity that the teenagers that threaten their home and family have.

One more thing- Do you know it could well be defamation if you post a list of people’s names associating them with things written that they had no knowledge about? If you really do intend on doing this, I will be advising the police and seeking legal advice. Cheers

Yawn. I’m bored with you people now. Don’t you have school tomorrow? I don’t need legal advice to know that the admins of the FB group ahve already placed themselves in an unenviable legal position. I’d happily bankroll a legal action against them if the motivation was there …

Toofar said :

It is not fair to 98% of the people to send this list. Think about them and dont be so petty. These are kids who made mistakes. Be the adult in this situation and the journalist, John Griffiths.

Well aren’t you the super sleuth Toofar! jb is pretty open with his identity what with the TV appearances and radio shows….

Nice work Padawan.

el said :

And someone obviously had the ability to delete the (reposted for the second time) comments from the residents of the affected house.

That may be due to Facebook removing comments of those who leave the group. Not 100% sure that’s what happens but it was mentioned in one of the posts above.

And someone obviously had the ability to delete the (reposted for the second time) comments from the residents of the affected house.

I do agree the opening paragragh is accusatory.

9:39pm and Samantah STILL canno get the time to delete the site.

But Brendan, you as an adminstrator have the abiulity to chnage the wording of the introductory paragragph. Why are you not doing it?

I think the petition should be allowed to stay, as long as it’s not falsely accusing the owners – which it is in it’s current form with the opening para.

Toofar said :

The wording in the description should have been worded better however, it was not threatening. The reason for the list of names being sent out in the first place were due to the few threats made against the homeowners, not the opinion that they are inhumane.

It is not fair to 98% of the people to send this list. Think about them and dont be so petty. These are kids who made mistakes. Be the adult in this situation and the journalist, John Griffiths.

*be the adult and not the journalist

Ari said :

If you put your name to a petition, it’s your responsibility to ensure you understand the issue.

So now we have become the “lynching squad”. We are starting to look as bad as they are.

The owners of the group can very easily send a message to all of the group memebrs telling them about JBs ultimatium.

The wording in the description should have been worded better however, it was not threatening. The reason for the list of names being sent out in the first place were due to the few threats made against the homeowners, not the opinion that they are inhumane.

It is not fair to 98% of the people to send this list. Think about them and dont be so petty. These are kids who made mistakes. Be the adult in this situation and the journalist, John Griffiths.

The groups title is “PETITION 2 KEEP MEGAN & STEVE’S MEMORIAL SITE!!!” how is this inciting or insinuating hate for those that don’t go into the group to see the threats etc ???? People see that their friends have joined and then they join without seeing what has been going on.

If you put your name to a petition, it’s your responsibility to ensure you understand the issue.

Ari said :

The nastiness was there from a very early stage, from the group description itself and early posts on the site well before the CT article.

No get-out clause there.

You don’t have to be in the group and viewing what has been written to join, If one of your friends has joined all you see is the heading description and you can just click “join cause”, some people may support it without knowing what is going on in the back ground. So yes, there is a “get out clause”

I don’t agree with what this group has done and I support the home owners, they have right to have a say and they were the first responders and helped these kids including the ones that survived. Thanks is what they all should be doing. not attacking. BUT, I do see there are some not in line with those DISGRACEFUL ones making threats,etc and some even not knowing what has been going on, but may be on the list.

The nastiness was there from a very early stage, from the group description itself and early posts on the site well before the CT article.

No get-out clause there.

johnboy said :

Remaining a member of the group is to be seen to support a hateful message to an undeserving party.

At noon tomorrow if the group is still there I will simply be compiling and publishing a list of those willing to count as being in support of the messages.

If you don’t like it I suggest you leave the group.

Having said that I think we’ve already caused a number of those involved to reconsider their statements and I think that’s been a positive thing.

JB – some of those on the site may have joined early and have not gone back since the “nastyness”. I think it is unfair to judge that ALL the people still on the list are aware and support the posts/threats that are on there now.

j-lee said :

All of this needs to be left and those who have had no part in what has occured, need to take a step back and think by naming all those who are part of the petition, to keep the memorial of the lives of good friends lost, if that is really going to help the situation.

As for “Isn’t it a criminal offense to incite others to commit a crime?” to do with Cory’s quote, might i also add that defamation is also a criminal offence…

1. Defamation is not a criminal offence – civil law
2. I have no doubts that CT’s twists stories to it’s benefit

And most importantly, When a public “petition” is started, it makes it the business of the public. I find it very unfair that you would suggest the issue be left to “your group” and the “home owners” From what I have seen, the home owners need all the support they can get, and rightly so in my opinion.

I do respect your condemnation of those spreading hate on the FB site. I am sincerely sorry you have lost your friends and I hope things get better for you.

bored, nasty, heartless people.

Like those inciting others to burn the householder’s home down?

might i also add that defamation is also a criminal offence…

Umm, no. Only in very select cases. It’s generally a civil offence.

But this also raises the question of whether calling the home owner “disgraceful, disrespectful and definatley (sic) not a compassionate, humane” person is defamatory.

The courts can decide.

That is all that needs to be said.

Nope.

See you on the list, kid.

Remaining a member of the group is to be seen to support a hateful message to an undeserving party.

At noon tomorrow if the group is still there I will simply be compiling and publishing a list of those willing to count as being in support of the messages.

If you don’t like it I suggest you leave the group.

Having said that I think we’ve already caused a number of those involved to reconsider their statements and I think that’s been a positive thing.

j-lee said :

defamation is also a criminal offence…

Over 1500 people joined your facebook petition after being told that

‘this is a disgraceful, disrespectful and is definatley not a compassionate, humane move on his (the home owner’s) behalf! ‘

If anyone has been defamed it’s the people that live in that house.

I think your petition needs a message out to all people that signed up to let them know that the home owner was the one who tried to save your friends lives, and that they’ve been looking after the current memorial and had even suggested having a permanent memorial on the site.

They don’t deserve to be branded disgraceful and to have people abuse them as they drive past. Sending out a message to all these people who have signed up might go some way to fixing this.

And for gods sake change the opening spiel on your front page!!

Words mean nothing without the group being shut down.

unfortunately stupidity is not a crime – or all you kids would be screwed….If the guys are truly sorry for their remarks, I am sure the poor homeowner would love to hear (or read) some heart felt apologies from them.

if you are fair dinkum, go slap your mates sayin the silly shit in the ear and tell them to think about it.

i didn’t know the kids that died, but like most feel for them and their friends and families. one of my mates knew them. I saw how upset he was… but he isn’t getting blind out the front of the house or carrying on with the facebook garbage… cause he has more respect…. good on ya mate!

Firstly let me start by saying that i do feel for the home owners, i am a part of the petition for the memorial site and also a friend of Steve’s. But i need to say as someone that was presnet at the Canberra Times report that the story has been twisted and turned and relayed to us differently than what the home owners had suggested about the site. Now as a result there are a lot of angry upset friends of Steve and Megan who mean no harm to the home owners, and have stupidly used the Facebook page as an outlet for their greif.

All of this needs to be left and those who have had no part in what has occured, need to take a step back and think by naming all those who are part of the petition, to keep the memorial of the lives of good friends lost, if that is really going to help the situation. The person who wants to name us all really needs to back off, you have no right to sit on the side line and judge a group of kids that have lost great friends so tragically and abruptly. Greiving alone is hard enough with out being judged by such people who have nothing to do with it, bored, nasty, heartless people.

The ones who have made bad comments know that it wasn’t right (see cory’s post!) and i am sure are sorry. We are kids trying to greive for our friends please just leave us alone and stop JUDGING, you dont have the right. No one but us knows what has happened and how the story has been twisted. I am sorry to the home owners about all of this trouble caused, we are grateful for the help you gave to our friends that night and as i said we have been relayed the story differently.

As for “Isn’t it a criminal offense to incite others to commit a crime?” to do with Cory’s quote, might i also add that defamation is also a criminal offence…if you want to be like that!To say that someone quote ‘is at best a selfish, stupid moron’, just shows that you have nothing better to do than whinge and bitch about something that has nothing to do with you!!! Honestly. Find another hobby that you know something about!

That is all that needs to be said.

To quote Toofar:

Sam Minney had no intention to cause trouble for the home owners …

The group will be deleted when Sam gets around to it.

Nah, there was no intention to cause trouble. Calling the home owner “disgraceful, disrespectful and definatley (sic) not a compassionate, humane” person in the group description was simply providing impartial background info to spark animated discussion.

Of course it’s par for the course to allow horrendous threats against the home owner to stay on the site for days (with bonus added abuse for those who questioned them), until public scrutiny gets too much.

Extra points for repeatedly deleting the home owner’s comments when they snuck through the iron curtain.

But at least it’s nice to know Samantha Minney will clean up this offensive dungheap when she “gets around to it”.

Toofar, you seem to have an awful lot of faith in the goodwill of Samantha Minney, chief administrator of an internet hate site, along with her sidekick (and Summernats burnout champion) Brendon Bassett.

Personally, I have somewhat less confidence that this faith is warranted.

My mother died two months ago, but I also watched her deteriorate into a shell of her former self. I’d rather have the memory of a healthy person in my head than the ones I have now.

Count yourselves lucky and grow up. My high school students act more mature.

BerraBoy68 said :

I’ve reported several individuals, TP.

That’s good to hear, as reporting individuals is smarter then getting everyone in trouble

TP 3000 said :

I am wondering if anyone has reported this group to Facebook with their claims?

I’ve reported several individuals, TP.

I’ve already said who I am. Why would I report my own group when I would get the blame?

my comment was directed @ tp300 with his/her comment. (post #215)

Reply

Davo111 said :

So you are either Samantha or Brendan, have you thought of closing the group and redirecting everyone to the other RIP facebook groups instead of writing here??

I am neither Samantha Nor Brendan. As stated before I am a parent of a teenager who is very upset that all this is happening. I feel for the kids and the homeowners and I beleive this should stop immediatley!

Ari said :

The re-posted comment from the home owner has been cut yet again from the Facebook hate site.

Hate group admins Brendon Barrett and Samantha Minney really don’t want to hear anything that contradicts their vile claims, do they?

Samantha Minney shares the same last name as female victim.

The pics of the site in the link posted above were taken just one day after the crash.

To the members of the fb petition group –

Firstly, I find it disgusting that you feel the need to harrass the family that happen to live where your friends died. Perhaps one day when you grow up you will realise that the world does not revolve around you, and that this family have the right to live in their own home in peace, regardless of what happened in their front yard.

Secondly, one thing I don’t understand – why do you feel the need to have a memorial at the site where your friends’ lives ended so tragically?

You obviously have a lot of anger, pain and passion to express. Am I crazy to think that this kind of passion and energy could be redirected into something positive? Is there not a more appropriate way to grieve?

Instead of gathering at the site of their death to mourn, could you instead find or create a place to celebrate their lives and how much you loved them? Could you all individually start to educate everyone you know about the consequences of dangerous driving? Could you use this energy to just be there and help those who are grieving such a terrible loss?

I did not know the deceased, nor anyone connected to them, nor have I lost a friend in a tragic car accident. Even so, I feel I can safely say that if it was me, or someone close to me, I would find this whole drama incredibly disrespectful to the dead and their families.

The re-posted comment from the home owner has been cut yet again from the Facebook hate site.

Hate group admins Brendon Barrett and Samantha Minney really don’t want to hear anything that contradicts their vile claims, do they?

So you are either Samantha or Brendan, have you thought of closing the group and redirecting everyone to the other RIP facebook groups instead of writing here??

Canberra Times Story 30.05.09 “Homeowners at memorial site plea for understanding”

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/homeowners-at-memorial-site-plea-for-understanding/1527420.aspx

Mrs McLennan was among the first on the scene while her husband was inside ringing triple 0.”What I saw that night I would never want any parent to see. I keep playing it over in my head. I’d like to move on, too,” she said.

Mr McLennan asked city rangers at least two weeks ago if the memorial could be taken down, saying it was upsetting his young children.

I have sent a message to the Facebook group, that message did mention what certain RA members are planning on doing tomorrow.

http://www.bicaprolab.com.au/CT_photosales/order/showimages.php?lpn=1&pn=57&d=30&m=March&y=2009&p=canberra%20times&c=30-B-CrashSite

This thread raises two interesting things to my mind….

What you do on the internet can come back to haunt you.

The growing trend of clowns waffling on about their rights and respect, when clearly they mean the terms to be “whatever I want right now”

People should learn what few rights they actually possess under law in this country – that’s something that needs good thought applied. Freedom of speech is not a right in this country unless you are speaking under Parliamentary privilege.

I hope this blows over and the friends, family and those associated with the tragedy can grieve with some dignity. And the homeowners and residents get some peace in their homes.

MWF said :

Toofar said :

I will be taking this matter further if you do not reconsider your actions. It is defAmation of character.

No it’s not. The teenagers who called for violence did so publicly using their own names. They publicised their own calls for violence, no-body else. It just happens that others have copied and pasted and taken screen shots of their violent threats.

The entire facebook group in question is an attempt to bully, threaten, harass and intimidate – all possible grounds for ACT Policing to investigate and charge individuals who have made calls for violence toward these homeowners.

Note Key Word: Individual.

Not the entire group.

MWF said :

Toofar said :

I will be taking this matter further if you do not reconsider your actions. It is defAmation of character.

No it’s not. The teenagers who called for violence did so publicly using their own names. They publicised their own calls for violence, no-body else. It just happens that others have copied and pasted and taken screen shots of their violent threats.

The entire facebook group in question is an attempt to bully, threaten, harass and intimidate – all possible grounds for ACT Policing to investigate and charge individuals who have made calls for violence toward these homeowners.

Yes it is. Like I said in my previous comment, the majority of people who signed up for this group had no intention of making volitile threats to the home owners. I recall only 3 out of the 1500 people in the group making innapropriate comments. How is it anyone elses fault for their doings? No where in the description of the group does it say “we will do harm to the homeowners house if they do not allow this shrine” Sam Minney had no intention to cause trouble for the home owners. Brendon Basset was later added as an admin and he has made no comments in regards to the homeowners. He was angry with people who were joinging the group that were against the group. I do not approve of his anger and Im sure 98% of the people of the group don’t either.

This has gone too far. Leave these people alone! Some people have apologised. To the others who haven’t- that is their own fault. Not everyone checks their facebook to remove their names. Don’t punish them for something they have no control over.

Let Megan and Steve rest in peace! You people are just looking for trouble now. Get a life! You clearly havent gone through the pain of losing a loved one.

The group will be deleted when Sam gets around to it.

I am wondering if anyone has reported this group to Facebook with their claims?

I have brought this to the attention of a number of friends who are teachers and encouraged them to bring the droup to school administraters attention.

If you have a friend who is a high school teacher, or is a parent of a highschooler- bring it to their attention so they don’t get lumped with the bad apples.

Thanks xdave, but I did say Jason Peisley. (ok i before e, except after c)

I guess there is no shrine to Jason Priestley’s career either

Toofar said :

I will be taking this matter further if you do not reconsider your actions. It is defAmation of character.

No it’s not. The teenagers who called for violence did so publicly using their own names. They publicised their own calls for violence, no-body else. It just happens that others have copied and pasted and taken screen shots of their violent threats.

The entire facebook group in question is an attempt to bully, threaten, harass and intimidate – all possible grounds for ACT Policing to investigate and charge individuals who have made calls for violence toward these homeowners.

Post #90 makes an interesting point. “By way of comparison, there is no shrine in Carr Cres for XXXXXXX. I wonder if would still be the case if he died in an accident…”

1. What makes a road accident so different that requires a memorial.

2. If the accident happened right outside either of the victims’ homes, would their friends still be behaving this way

Easy solution then. List goes up on riotact to be taken down when SM takes her hate group down from facebook.

Anna Key post #90,

His name was actually Jamie Piesley.

Jason priestly was the guy from 90210

monomania said :

I’m fortunate enough to have not commented on the group

So my comment should have read,

And Deadmandrinking if you can’t see that then your name should be posted along with the others if you had been unfortunate enough to have posted your name on a site inciting violence and not removed it.

I should be blackmailed for daring to express my opinion in a non-violent manner?

You are a wonderful person.

Jeez, and I make a typo. I guess that’s irony for ya

Try to think of this in another way…

Riot-act has posted stories that have been abusive of particular people who hold various important positions in society. I say abusive because references have been made to their personal lives which have no impact on their professional duties. For example, Andrew Barr and his sexual preference and Terrence Higgins and his domestic issues. Is it not a double standard to attempt to take down a group for the inflammatory comments of a few, when here it is acceptable to suggest kidnapping a Canberra Magistrate?

Of course, the comment I referred to there was one written in jest, no matter how poor the taste is, and that here, we a supposed to ‘get over it’. Why is that different for Facebook? The kid who posted the offending comment apologised, and it should be taken into account, as TP3000 said, that they are very young and this is a huge thing to happen to them at their age (I assume this kid knew the accident victims?).

I would also like to state that I am actually on the homeowner side in regards to the actual issue. I believe that they pursued an acceptable compromise. However, I do not support blackmailing those who don’t support this, or even those who have simply joined to debate the issue, with their personal information. This is a gross misuse of the internet in general, in my opinion.

I will say, too, that I am making these comments because I do actually like the Riot-Act and I have mostly held respect for your journalistic integrity (with a few small exceptions). I understand that this is essentially a personal blog, but you have presented this site as a major alternative Canberran news site, therefore, you should maintain a standard if you wish for it to be viewed that way.

Posting these people’s names with the intention of making them look bad is setting a very low standard, and, quite frankly, that standard can be found on the 7 and 9 networks. I doubt there’s a need for it online. It would be disappointing for me as a reader to see this site fall that far, since I had previously held respect for it.

CLEARLY U CANT READ ENGLISH F*** OFF!!!!!!!

Sorry Brendan, I can. Unfurtunately, you can’t seem to write it. How about you take your own advice

monomania said :

Samantha Minney wrote
at 11:40am
…also just to clarify.. it was not brendon who created anything it was me.. and it will be me who will be deleting this page so that all this ridiculous argueing and slinging of insults T.B.C…

ok, problem solved then, jb may lock this thread [assuming it is deleted by midday tomorrow]

*arguing

I’m fortunate enough to have not commented on the group

So my comment should have read,

And Deadmandrinking if you can’t see that then your name should be posted along with the others if you had been unfortunate enough to have posted your name on a site inciting violence and not removed it.

The group will be deleted as one of the admins stated on the groups wall this afternoon.

Oh, and I almost forgot this classic:

TP 3000 said :

having a whole lot bored oldies picking on people who want to help others.

As opposed to picking on the people who went to the aid of your dying mates, and whose lives have now been made hell by the “friends” of those mates.

Toofar said :

I agree TP 3000.

As for Dave111- there is a group for Megan and Steve saying RIP which was erected 2 months ago.

Why are you bothering with sending this list of people to HR managers? Do you have nothing better to do? You are the one that has caused most of the trouble here. Not these kids. They have appologised.

I will be taking this matter further if you do not reconsider your actions. It is defAmation of character.

*apologised

my list had been moderated, so don’t whinge to me. It’s JBs decision tomorrow if he wants to publish it. I will be supporting him. I have not sent the list to any HR managers.

Furthermore, just delete the group, send everyone to the other RIP group and there will be no issues.

TP 3000 said :

Fine then, but expect violence towards you lot now. You can’t fight fire with fire. You need to cool the fire with water.

I’m glad that this didn’t occur next weekend, having a whole lot bored oldies picking on people who want to help others.

And so the circle continues.

Response of these guys to removal of memorial: Threats of violence.

Response of these guys to a “name and shame” campaign: Threats of violence.

Looks like some of those concerned haven’t learnt a thing from this sorry mess.

That said, I have to state that I’m siding with others in the concern that Johnboy’s “name and shame” will most likely sweep a lot of innocent names into the mix.

TP 3000 said :

Fine then, but expect violence towards you lot now. You can’t fight fire with fire. You need to cool the fire with water.

Davo111 said :

Toofar said :

Finally, if you don’t want your name up here, delete yourself from the group and start a Facebook group “RIP Megan & Steve “. If it had been done that way, with no threats/accusations towards to poor home-owner, none of this would have happened.

johnboy said :

It’s still a petition group describing the homeowner as disrespectful, disgraceful, inhumane, and uncompassionate.

They can delete the whole thing or start over.

Danman said :

If you have so much support, start another FB group

I sympathise with your plight but perhaps there are a few elements that you should distance yourself from if you want to move forward.

TP3000 – can you see a pattern emerging?

I agree TP 3000.

As for Dave111- there is a group for Megan and Steve saying RIP which was erected 2 months ago.

Why are you bothering with sending this list of people to HR managers? Do you have nothing better to do? You are the one that has caused most of the trouble here. Not these kids. They have appologised.

I will be taking this matter further if you do not reconsider your actions. It is defAmation of character.

I agree TP 3000.

As for Dave111- there is a group for Megan and Steve saying RIP which was erected 2 months ago.

Why are you bothering with sending this list of people to HR managers? Do you have nothing better to do? You are the one that has caused most of the trouble here. Not these kids. They have appologised.

I will be taking this matter further if you do not reconsider your actions. It is defAmation of character.

TP 3000 said :

johnboy said :

It’s a petition group DMD, its power comes from its membership. I’m giving notice. Leave the group if you don’t support it.

85% of members that have joined do support some type of memorial for Steve & Megan. While there are 15% of members who want blood.

Why should that 85% be punished? Only the names of those that promote hatred should be punished.

While I’m not supporting some of the generalised elitist comments made about people who might have supported the cause to have a memorial of some sort I can see that continuing to remain on a petition that includes the incitement of violence is tacitly supporting that violence. My sympathy is for the homeowner.
The petition is an attempt to bully. There is a difference between a cross on Hindmarsh Drive and a large scale temporary memorial outside someone’s suburban home, particularly a home containing adults and children that have been traumatised by this incident much more than most of of the petitioners on the Facebook site. And Deadmandrinking if you can’t see that then your name should be posted along with the others. You couldn’t use the excuse that “I would have left this group if I had realised that some were advocating violence.”

If you have so much support, start another FB group or even set up an email group in your email program and have a mass exodus – maybe the new group should be moderated to only include those who want to move forward with an appropriate memorial dedicated to their friends..

Surely this sh!tstorm that has been created only makes to delay any kind of positive outcome.

I sympathise with your plight but perhaps there are a few elements that you should distance yourself from if you want to move forward.

Fine then, but expect violence towards you lot now. You can’t fight fire with fire. You need to cool the fire with water.

I’m glad that this didn’t occur next weekend, having a whole lot bored oldies picking on people who want to help others.

It’s still a petition group describing the homeowner as disrespectful, disgraceful, inhumane, and uncompassionate.

They can delete the whole thing or start over.

Otherwise I’m just publishing a list of the petitioners and others can make their own judgments.

Also the top wall post there is a warning about what I plan to do and a link to this page.

So leave the group and tell your friends.

Toofar said :

The majority of the people that you listed Dave111 have done no harm. Not all of them, as you have previously stated, are teenagers.

The group is designed to incite violence in the community, the home owner has done more than enough to be accommodating. you did read the group description right?

Toofar said :

This is defimation of character.

Firstly, it’s spelt “Defamation”. Secondly, i didn’t say “don’t hire them”, i just said “consider this thread”. They can make up their own judgment whether or not you have the responsibility to hold a job.

The names were deleted by JB, and tomorrow midday i support JBs decision to post of their names up there, maybe he want’s to separate the ‘instigators’ of violence, with general members of the group – that’s his choice.

Finally, if you don’t want your name up here, delete yourself from the group and start a Facebook group “RIP Megan & Steve “. If it had been done that way, with no threats/accusations towards to poor home-owner, none of this would have happened.

PS – get all your mates to chip in 10c and get a plaque made for the retaining wall. You’ve got 1500 members so why don’t you put it to good use.

johnboy said :

It’s a petition group DMD, its power comes from its membership. I’m giving notice. Leave the group if you don’t support it.

85% of members that have joined do support some type of memorial for Steve & Megan. While there are 15% of members who want blood.

Why should that 85% be punished? Only the names of those that promote hatred should be punished.

el said :

Cory Mckinnon wrote
at 9:11pm on May 27th, 2009
if they take it down… then we will just have to keep puttin it up untill they get it throgh there thick f***in heads… or mabye we should just burn there f***in house down

The same poster then wrote here:

some people need to remember that and think also how they would feel if roles were reversed.

Oh, the irony.

Fully support your move to name and shame these idiots, JB.

He was apologising. Aren’t you all telling these kids to grow up? I think admitting what they did was wrong and apologising for it is the first step. These kids are young and have probably never gone through pain like this before and they wrote what they felt at the time. Just like someone would do in a personal diary or a blog. However Facebook is a bit more public. I am sure they did not think their actions through.

I congratulate and thank Cory for coming foward and apologising for what he said. We all make mistakes don’t we?

I think a few of you have too much time on your hands.

johnboy said :

Deadmandrinking said :

Johnboy, that is a ridiculous solution I’m sorry. I’m fortunate enough to have not commented on the group, but there are those in that group who have made positive contributions, especially those who berated the idiots who were talking about violence.

Take down the names of the ones who made the offending posts, if you must. Don’t, in a Public Service town, start taking people’s names down and putting them up on the internet with the intention of making them look bad. It is irresponsible journalism at the least. You will lose alot of respect from me, and probably a reasonable amount of Riot-Act readers (especially those who posted on the group telling the idiots what they needed to be told!).

It’s a petition group DMD, its power comes from its membership.

I’m giving notice. Leave the group if you don’t support it.

So…you’re going to post this on the group? How long are you going to give them? And what about the people who support having a memorial there, but do not want to participate in violence or abuse against the owners of the home?

Cory Mckinnon wrote
at 9:11pm on May 27th, 2009
if they take it down… then we will just have to keep puttin it up untill they get it throgh there thick f***in heads… or mabye we should just burn there f***in house down

The same poster then wrote here:

some people need to remember that and think also how they would feel if roles were reversed.

Oh, the irony.

Fully support your move to name and shame these idiots, JB.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy said :

We didn’t mean to incite violence and hate against the very people who helped our dying friends, and allowed us onto their property to grieve. We didn’t meant o scrae their kids and be a public nuisance. We didn’t me to say terrible things – we were sad (we are the first people ever to lose a friend or family member).

Time to grow up.

If you read the group, you would notice that the violent and offensive comments are in a minority.

Deadmandrinking said :

Johnboy, that is a ridiculous solution I’m sorry. I’m fortunate enough to have not commented on the group, but there are those in that group who have made positive contributions, especially those who berated the idiots who were talking about violence.

Take down the names of the ones who made the offending posts, if you must. Don’t, in a Public Service town, start taking people’s names down and putting them up on the internet with the intention of making them look bad. It is irresponsible journalism at the least. You will lose alot of respect from me, and probably a reasonable amount of Riot-Act readers (especially those who posted on the group telling the idiots what they needed to be told!).

It’s a petition group DMD, its power comes from its membership.

I’m giving notice. Leave the group if you don’t support it.

We didn’t mean to incite violence and hate against the very people who helped our dying friends, and allowed us onto their property to grieve. We didn’t meant o scrae their kids and be a public nuisance. We didn’t me to say terrible things – we were sad (we are the first people ever to lose a friend or family member).

Time to grow up.

Johnboy, that is a ridiculous solution I’m sorry. I’m fortunate enough to have not commented on the group, but there are those in that group who have made positive contributions, especially those who berated the idiots who were talking about violence.

Take down the names of the ones who made the offending posts, if you must. Don’t, in a Public Service town, start taking people’s names down and putting them up on the internet with the intention of making them look bad. It is irresponsible journalism at the least. You will lose alot of respect from me, and probably a reasonable amount of Riot-Act readers (especially those who posted on the group telling the idiots what they needed to be told!).

The majority of the people that you listed Dave111 have done no harm. Not all of them, as you have previously stated, are teenagers. There are quite a few parents involved here that were showing there support at the beggining of the the groups establishment that may not have witnessed these comments and that may not have read your threat to publically shame them.

This is defimation of character. If you really want to cause trouble, which is exactly what you are doing, why don’t you name the few people that left innapropriate comments and send it to HR officers. They will probably read your email and wonder why you are even bothering.

Lots of people have left comments saying they feel for the home owners however they do agree that a small cross on the tree would be fair. Others have stressed the need to tell their friends to slow down when driving and that driving a car is like handling a weapon. These individuals have done nothing wrong. These individuals are standing up for what they believe in which is exactly the same thing that you are doing. You say that the people that left these comments are going about it the wrong way. Do you think you may be going about this the wrong way?

I ask you to re think your desicion and perhaps remove the names of people that have done no harm as making threats like these and sending this list to HR officers is the wrong thing to do and is just causing more trouble than needed. Seems as though you have nothing better to do.

Thankyou.

I refer to my early comment in which i stated that we should continue to put the memorial up and that someone should burn the home owners house down. A comment that was never intended as a threat nor an idea to be acted on, it has not been an easy time for any of us, nor the homeowner who we know assisted when the accident happened. I wrote the comment through severe frustration, only just hearing what had happened with the site. I now know the full story of what has happened and i applogise for such a stupid comment.

We know now what the home owner has suggested for the site and i am sorry for commenting before i knew the full story .It is now clear that the story has turned into he said she said and become twisted along the way because nobody knew the truth.

Can i just say that this has been blown out of preportion and taken way to far then it ever should have gone. People are still trying to wrap their heads around the fact that they have lost two close friends at the same time, little own its only been two months and the memorial of those two lives lost is already gone.For most if not all of Steve and Megans friends the crash site is part of our greiving process, some people need to remember that and think also how they would feel if roles were reversed.

Cory

My previous comment may sound weird, but that reply was to a certain RiotACT member who has posted a list of people that are members of this group.

Excuse me, my name is on that thread & I was against the twats. Another one of those members is high up with the Federal Public Service. In fact there are quite a few there that have lost friends in car accidents. You can not just make out that a majority are part of a minority. In fact you doing this type of thing can make others bring threats against you (but I am not this type of person).

But you are lucky that when I Google my name, this page doesn’t come up.

The standard of literacy on the facebook site is shocking. It reflects well the low intelligence of, and lack of insight, that these “Me too! “Me too!” “Me too!” cretins have.

There’s nothing less pleasant to witness, than the mob mentality of the “room temperature IQ” crowd baying for blood.

Tbag – you are right, this has spiralled well out of control. But those responsible are the individuals that went out of their way to establish the FB group in the first instance, to incite the vitriole that has been published, to themselves deny any alternative opinions or points of view on this matter, and that have allowed (actively) the making of statements that border on criminal.

This group goes far beyond just a “memorial” page to the young people who lost their lives – you will note that such a page has already been set up and if people wish to express their condolences, that would be a good place to start.

The homeowners in question have already been very, very accomodating, and there is absolutely no prima facie need for them to have to justify themselves in asking for the memorial’s removal – none whatsoever; and I would challenge you (or anyone) to provide us all with one legitimate reason. The homeowners would have been within their rights to have insisted that no memorial be erected in the first instance; but being good citizens, they did not. On the contrary, they have actually cared for and tended to the memorial and it is not unreasonable that they finally requested it be taken down many weeks later.

The homeowners have been subject to such disgusting displays of harrasment and intimidation, none of it justified, because a couple of people who were not happy with a certain outcome decided to set the wheels in motion to something that they knew would lead to hate filled and offensive comments being broadcast in support of their cause.

I vehemently support Johnboy’s move to publish the names of those that joined the group – he has given plenty of notice to people wanting to remove themselves and I would argue that those that simply pressed ‘accept’ to the group have done so under false pretences.

ATTENTION ALL HR PERSONNEL. You’ve probably found this list through a ‘Google search’. So please have a good read of this thread. The list below is the names of people who joined a facebook group “PETITION 2 KEEP MEGAN & STEVE’S MEMORIAL SITE!!!”, a story of two young kids who died in a car accident in Canberra. The group description is;

“the PERSON who lives @ the house @ the crash site where megan and steve passed away complained to the ranger about the cross and the plaque and had it removed!!! i think that this is disgraceful, disrespectful and is definatley not a compassionate, humane move on his behalf! “

These students joined the group, and many of them threatened violence towards the homeowners and their property – including burning down their house, physical assault, yelling obscenities etc. The homeowner had tried to contact the family and offered to provide a memorial in his retaining wall, but his offers were rejected, and the group continues. The students drive past the house during all hours of the morning, yelling obscenities and honking, depriving the innocent family (and their kids) of their sleep and wellbeing.

To quote the homeowner;

“I never once said there could not be a memorial at all. I just didn’t want crosses and large photo’s of the kids that my family had to look at every day. We don’t need that. I said I would clean up dead flowers as needed and that they could even mount the plaques on the wall of my garden bed. After what our family has been through the last few days with people driving past blasting horns and yelling abuse that these people never have to experience this. Thankyou to those that can at least understand my side of this even if no one else does.”

This family is hardly the enemy; they offered first aid and called emergency services when the accident had occurred. The homeowners are continually reminded of the terrible accident that took place outside their house.

When you choose to hire these students, please consider this thread. These people are obviously too ‘hot-headed’ and immature to hold a job with any form of responsibility.

These are the names of all members in the group.

…

[ED – names removed, for now. Let’s not jump the gun]

One eminently reasonable comment on the Facebook hate site:

XXXXXXXX wrote
at 10:58pm on May 28th, 2009
Okay I’m just gonna make a quick comment. But firstly I am neither for nor against this so don’t bother attacking me cause it wont phase me.

All of you supporters who are having a go at the people against it. You aren’t being very convincing with aspects of your argument. eg From Crystal down there, “People arent realising what this group is for.. its not for your opinions.. it’s not for arguements”. Now thats a fair point but then in the same comment you have “personally I hope he f***ing rots and gets forgotten by everyone that ever knew him.. If you are defending him then you deserve to rot too”. I think you understand how these might contradict slightly.

Attracted this response from Brendon Basset (admin of the internet hate site along with Samantha Minney):

Brendon Bassett wrote
at 12:17am on May 29th, 2009
[REDACTED] I GUESS YOUR ONE OF THE PEOPLE I WAS TALKING ABOUT IN MY LAST COMMENT WAS THERE ANY NEED FOR THAT COMMENT ARE U LIKE SOCIALLY RETARDED OR SOMETHING WE DONT WANNA F***ING HEAR IT THIS WS MEANT TO BE A SUPPORT GROUP AN ALL WE HAVE HAD TO DO IS F***ING JUSTIFY OURSELVES TO F***ING IDIOTS LIKE YOU, GET A LIFE WE DONT WANNA HEAR IT AND CLEARLY THIS IS A PETITION FOR SAVING THE MEMORIAL SITE N U SAY UR NEITHER FOR NOR AGAINST WELL U JUST MADE A BIGGER IDIOT OF YOURSELF CLEARLY U CANT READ ENGLISH F*** OFF!!!!!!!

Just one example of where Brendon Bassett was made aware of the threats and abuse targeting the home owner. Brendon Bassett had every opportunity to moderate the comments, yet he chose instead to abuse those trying to point them out.

Megan and stevens names do not deserve to be spread like this. All because of a couple of peoples comments which I am sure they now regret. As for the homeowners comments being deleted, there may be another exlanation for it. They may have left the group and as a result their comment is automatically deleted? Who knows.

It just goes to show sites like this (facebook) do no good for anyone. This issue has been discussed enough. It has now been decided that the memorial can be erected on the other side of the road away from the home owners house.

Please let them rest in peace.

It doesn’t matter what the facebook members ‘think’, if they have made threatening comments, and the admins of the page have accepted these, there is potential for legal ramifications. Being sad at losing some friends won’t stop you getting dragged publicly through the courts.

trust me guys, you won’t win this.

The admins of the Facebook hate group (Brendon Bassett and Samantha Minney) seem to have supported the hate speech by not moderating comments advocating violence. It can’t be that they didn’t see them since they took the trouble to abuse people who pointed out it was wrong.

It’s only now that the full consequences of pushing hatred against a blameless family is dawning on them that they are trying to backtrack and be somewhat more conciliatory.

And yet they really don’t seem to get it … deleting the post by the home owner himself does their credibility no good at all.

For those who choose to remain associated with the internet hate group there’s an apt cliche … “if you lie down with dogs you wake up with fleas”.

Ridiculous. If it were outside my home I’d be very distressed, especially if I had children. It needs to be away from these poor people’s house.

I really wonder if any of the ‘mourners’ have stopped to think what they would do if it were outside their house?

Tbag said :

As you can see, they have not made anymore comments towards the homeowners.

Yes, but the home owners own comments on the facebook site defending themselves, as well as explaining how they they’d look after a permanent memorial on their property, were deleted. Is this because it didn’t suit the admin’s agenda of stirring things up??

It is sad for all concerned but don’t you think that the owner has been vilified when all they seem to be doing is wanting to help.

Hi All,

This is getting out of control. I believe the majority of people who joined this facebook group joined because they are supporting the Minney and Rial families. It was a tragic thing to happen to 2 young people full of life. My younger brother (who is not apart of the facebook group)was mates with Megan who passed away and for most of them, the pain is new and they don’t know how to deal with it.

I do not agree with the rude and threatening comments made to the the home owners by only a couple of people out of the 1500 people in the group. I cannot speak for these few people however, I am sure at the time they were just angry and upset about the whole situation and did not think about the consequences of their words.As you can see, they have not made anymore comments towards the homeowners. Some comments have been deleted, yes, but that goes to show that they regret what they wrote.

The families have gone through enough without needing all of this drama following them.

Most if you are saying that the comments on the facebook page are rude and uncalled for. How about those of you commenting on this site who are doing the same thing? Calling everyone in the group bagans and saying Megan Minney looks like the ‘scumbag that robbed my neighbours house last week’ due to the photo of her on the facebook page. That is just as bad! You cannot judge a book by its cover. As for the “bogans” they are simply expressing their views much the same as what you are all doing on this site. I agree, the comments from those few people were wrong and uncalled for but by threatening to make a list of everyones names in this group is also uncalled for. Like you said, most people will not return to the group after joining it so why punish them? I for one will remain in the group for the same reason why I joined- to support the families and respect their decision to want a memorial. Which has now been accomplished.

I do feel for the homeowners as they do not deserve any of this however I do believe they could have waitied a little longer than 9 weeks to take action.

Oops – I see now there was a link. Please ignore previous post.

I must have missed this story. Sounds like a road death(s)? A link to original story would be helpful.

I walk past what I assume is a memorial near the Ainslie All Saints Church most days. I don’t know what happened there, but it always makes me look three ways when I cross the road (just to be sure, to be sure).

Does anyone know?

Roadside memorials are a bit catholicy and orthodoxy, aren’t they? We protestants prefer to hide our feelings under rows of anonymous petunias that may or may not point to a death. All those ‘feelings’…exposed…for ANYONE to see! Errgghh. (How very lower Kambah.)

On the list to be published tomorrow can we highlight a certain Crystal Wheeler. Her comments are amongst the most pathetic recorded on the Facebook sight (or perhaps anyhwere):

I’ve removed the obscenity to avoid RA filter (and going into mod again) but Crystal writes “What f*** wits! How can someone be so selfish! its not interferring with anything of theirs. how can people be so uncompassionate.. those people outta be slapped. its disrespectful and disgusting behaviour. I can’t believe someone would be so rude to A) Steven and Megan B) the people that loved them. We should get a plaque and cement it into the medium strip.. they cant touch it then.. its not their land! What f***ing c**ts, is all I can say!”

Crystal, you are way, way out of your depth little girl. Mummy and daddy must have spoiled you rotten if you think everybody has to give you what you want. Grow up.

Totally in support of the homeowners and will also offer help if need be. As if they haven’t suffered enough through this!

Ozhair is right. If people want a memorial for the deceased, put your money where your mouth is (or your facebook comments) and donate $2 each for a plaque.

and deleting the homeowners post proves that the admins of that page are just looking for a fight.

Fully support your actions JB (clever thinking)

I applaud the homeowners actions and statements on this matter. As somebody mentioned above, you’re not alone and if there’s anything I can do to help, just say the word.

One more thing- Do you know it could well be defamation if you post a list of people’s names associating them with things written that they had no knowledge about? If you really do intend on doing this, I will be advising the police and seeking legal advice. Cheers

Complete nonsense.

(And I’m guessing JB is more up on defo law than you, sunshine.)

bb_09 said :

Not all of the people on facebook who have joined the group have something against the homeowner. I joined as i believe a memorial should be kept whether outside the homeowners house or on the other side of the road.

It must be extremely tough for the family who live there to be treated like this, but it really is not all of the people who joined saying these horrible things and giving the homeowner a hard time.

When you said that you would be naming all of the people that have joined surprised me as we do not all have the same opinion about the whole thing. We just want somewhere to visit them close to where their lives end.
I hope you understand that not everyone is taking this too far and i hope you can see it from my side.

It’s not so much about why you joined, it’s now more about why you’d stay.

Oh and I do agree with the decision to place the memorial across the road, and am ashamed of the young people who abused the homeowner. They give every young person a bad name.

If I belonged to that group, with the original intent of supporting the idea of a long lasting memorial (rather than a witch hunt), I would have left said group as soon as it deteriorated into its current form. Same goes for any other group I belonged to, if they evolved into something I did not support.

Agreed lozenger, that’s why I’m giving 24 hours warning.

Trust me there’s no defamation side to neutrally and accurately listing the names of those who’ve chosen to remain associated.

Not all of the people on facebook who have joined the group have something against the homeowner. I joined as i believe a memorial should be kept whether outside the homeowners house or on the other side of the road.

It must be extremely tough for the family who live there to be treated like this, but it really is not all of the people who joined saying these horrible things and giving the homeowner a hard time.

When you said that you would be naming all of the people that have joined surprised me as we do not all have the same opinion about the whole thing. We just want somewhere to visit them close to where their lives end.
I hope you understand that not everyone is taking this too far and i hope you can see it from my side.

There is something I can do directly so here it goes. At 12 noon tomorrow, 1 June, I’m going to take down the names of all the members of the facebook group and record them here. Let googling future employers make of that what they will. Parents are well advised to do some parenting and the more thoughtful facebookers might want to reconsider their membership of what was well intentioned, but has turned into a lynch mob.

Do you really feel that is fair? I am a member of the group, because I believed that there should be a memorial, but I do not approve of the homeowner being abused. You’re just lumping every person who joined that group into one category. So you’re going to potentially ruin someone’s chances at a job because they joined a facebook group? Many of the people who joined that group would have not gone back onto the page since they clicked ‘accept’ and have no idea of what has been written on the group’s wall.

If you take a look at the group’s wall, Samantha Minney never encouraged violence or abuse towards the homeowner, and is happy with the decision to place the memorial across the road from the site.

One more thing- Do you know it could well be defamation if you post a list of people’s names associating them with things written that they had no knowledge about? If you really do intend on doing this, I will be advising the police and seeking legal advice. Cheers

Someone has now re-posted the comment from the home-owner.

Pathetic, gutless and selfish behaviour from everyone involved in that horrible site.

To the home-owner: You have my full support and sympathy in all this, from the point of witnessing the aftermath of the accident to the ridiculous, childish behaviour exhibited on the Facebook ‘petition’ (aka lynch-mob) group. I’d hazard a guess that most RA readers feel the same way.

Reading through all this, there’s one thing I don’t quite get. Isn’t there already a place with a memorial to these kids where people can go and remember them and pay their respects? I believe it’s called a cemetery.

And assuming that if they were cremated and there is no gravesite, how about if every one of the 1500 “close and dear friends” of the deceased on the Facebook site contributed $2 for a memorial at the crematorium.

Oh, and I think this Brendon guy, with his backtracking and attempts at deleting violence-inciting posts, is fast becoming aware of the great Universal Constant – Actions = Consequences

I’m going to take down the names of all the members of the facebook group and record them here. Let googling future employers make of that what they will.

It’s too late for Brendon Bassett and Samantha Minney, founders of the internet hate site.

They can remove the site, but their tacit support of calls for violence against a totally blameless family will be available through google for quite some time.

Good onya TP.

Welcome back to 777 RiotACT radio, miss admin has deleted this presenters post (me), now I know why I posted it here. Another post supporting the homeowners has been added.

I am now hoping that there is this much internet coverage over where ever I pass on now.

I think the fact that they deleted the quite reasonable comment and explanation made by the homeowner speaks volumes about the mindset at work here. They want their way, and they’re not going to let facts or the truth stand in the way 😛

homeowner said :

As I stated in my comment on facebook I thought I had an understanding with the father’s of both Meagan and Steve about all this but obviously not. I never once siad there could not be a memorial at all. I just didn’t want crosses and large photo’s of the kids that my family had to look at every day. We don’t need that. I said I would clean up dead flowers as needed and that they could even mount the plaques on the wall of my garden bed. After what our family has been through the last few days with people driving past blasting horns and yelling abuse that these people never have to experiance this. Thankyou to those that can at least understand my side of this even if no one else does.

For what it’s worth, there are many who sympathise with you. There are people who didn’t witness the tragedy first-hand insisting on a shrine on the front lawn of someone who had to deal directly with the horrific accident, who come and go when they please, are behaving not just inappropriately, but outrageously.

Given the nature of the beast, I can only say that the hysteria surrounding this shrine will probably peter out shortly and a discreet plaque will finally dignify the tragedy.

From the Facebook hate site:

Michael Vacietis wrote
at 12:02pm
How about you bogans grow and learn some respect, it’s NOT all about you, contrary to what you may think.

I give it two minutes.

Now the Facebook group has deleted the post from the home owner.

It was obviously too uncomfortable to have to actually confront the reality of the pain they’ve been inflicting on him and his family.

Gutless.

homeowner said :

As I stated in my comment on facebook I thought I had an understanding with the father’s of both Meagan and Steve about all this but obviously not. I never once siad there could not be a memorial at all. I just didn’t want crosses and large photo’s of the kids that my family had to look at every day. We don’t need that. I said I would clean up dead flowers as needed and that they could even mount the plaques on the wall of my garden bed. After what our family has been through the last few days with people driving past blasting horns and yelling abuse that these people never have to experiance this. Thankyou to those that can at least understand my side of this even if no one else does.

and that is MORE than enough.

ignore the childish ingrates.

homeowner said :

As I stated in my comment on facebook I thought I had an understanding with the father’s of both Meagan and Steve about all this but obviously not. I never once siad there could not be a memorial at all. I just didn’t want crosses and large photo’s of the kids that my family had to look at every day. We don’t need that. I said I would clean up dead flowers as needed and that they could even mount the plaques on the wall of my garden bed. After what our family has been through the last few days with people driving past blasting horns and yelling abuse that these people never have to experiance this. Thankyou to those that can at least understand my side of this even if no one else does.

Homeowner, I think you have more support than you realise. Yuu don’t deserve any of this. I sent you a message today on Facebook but if you need anything, even from a stranger like me, just let me know.

Mr Brendan has certainly changed his tune.

and i completely agree julian i have not once resorted to violence or threats against the owner because that would be stupid that is not going to get us what we want nor going to make things better its jus some of the things they are saying on there are exte\remly rude lke the comment made about the photo of megan its is so rude i do not condone any kind of ciolence to happen to the owner its not what this group was started for and its not like we want some massive shrine just something small.

Also as far as I am aware. I have set the viewing of friends on Facebook to only my friends can see it. Anyone is welcome to confirm that by searching my name.

As I stated in my comment on facebook I thought I had an understanding with the father’s of both Meagan and Steve about all this but obviously not. I never once siad there could not be a memorial at all. I just didn’t want crosses and large photo’s of the kids that my family had to look at every day. We don’t need that. I said I would clean up dead flowers as needed and that they could even mount the plaques on the wall of my garden bed. After what our family has been through the last few days with people driving past blasting horns and yelling abuse that these people never have to experiance this. Thankyou to those that can at least understand my side of this even if no one else does.

but now it’s spiralled out of control

It sure has, and Brendon Bassett has played a large part in that with his Facebook hate site.

It’s clear Brendon Bassett is now starting to realise the seriousness of the position he’s in and is trying to backtrack like crazy.

Keep your fingers crossed Brendon, I’m sure you can rely on those supporters you’ve recruited to act sensibly.

Joy 123 said

joy123 said :

Hi I think the families of the deceased should plant daffodils or something of that nature where the deceased person or persons have died, they do that in England,

That’s a really nice idea. Maybe a nice cross, like the St Eddies one on Hindmarsh, and a sprinking of daffs or flower of choice. Better than a garbage dump of sideshow alley stuffed toys.

The homeowners must be feeling preety uncomfortable right now. They have a public site with 1500-odd angry people snarling about them, and they’d be wondering what’s going to happen next? So they got the shock of a car smashing into their tree, the blood and screaming and horror of the dead and injured, the drawn-out investigation and cleanup, the understandable gatherings of people remembering the dead, but now it’s spiralled out of control. I hope it can be resolved properly, and soon, so they can get on with their lives.

Coming late to this thread.

I’d hate to have a reminder “memorial” (for want of a better word for the errmmm “items*” that people use on these things) of the place my family member or friend died each time I passed there. The memory would be bad enough.

Is this part of Aus’s preponderance of catholics? They are well into tacky iconography. A visit to Northern Ireland is no mean test of self control. It’s a balancing act between wanting to laugh hysterically at the religious tat, and the need to keep a full set of teeth.

* I hesitate to use the words “cheap nasty tat”, out of respect.

I notice Brendon Bassett’s been cleaning up the worst of the comments on the Facebook hate site he established.

It seems the idiot may have finally realised the world of sh*t he is going to be in legally if anything happens to the householder, his family or property due to Brendon’s incitement.

In any case there’s not much Brendon can do about it now. He’d better hope none of his 1500+ horde of fans does anything stupid.

Indeed Ari. I guess Brendon Bassett hasn’t realised that it’s too late for the hateful comments to be removed – the police will already be aware of what was written and who wrote it.

Ari said :

I notice Brendon Bassett’s been cleaning up the worst of the comments on the Facebook hate site he established.

It seems the idiot may have finally realised the world of sh*t he is going to be in legally if anything happens to the householder, his family or property due to Brendon’s incitement.

In any case there’s not much Brendon can do about it now. He’d better hope none of his 1500+ horde of fans does anything stupid.

If this Brendan character was serious Ari, he’d immediately delete a message ‘Crystal wrote at 3:21am on May 28th, 2009’. I’ve reported this message (for whatever that does) but the little idiot involved should be taken out and taught some very hard lessons about life. The parents of this little non-entity must be very proud.

Panhead said :

I’m a member of the group, I didn’t know either of them personally. My sister knew Steve quite well and the way in which he died was terrible, a few of my mates knew the girl. Horrible waste of life.

It certianly is Panhead, it certainly is.

Brendon Bassett wrote
at 9:46pm on May 28th, 2009
WHAT THE F*** IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE IS EVRYONE THAT F****** DUMB WHAT CANT UNDERSTAND F****** ENGLISH THIS IS A F****** PETITION TO KEEP THE MEMORIAL SITE NOT BE SOME F****** LOW LIFE LOSER WHO WANTS TO TAKE AWAY THE ONLY THING WE HAVE LEFT TO CHERISH IF UR NOT INTERESTED IN KEEPING IT THERE REMOVE YOURSELF FROM THE F****** GROUP AND SHUT YOUR MOUTH SERIOUSLY GROW THE F*** UP YOU DONT THINK WE ARE ALL HURTING ENOUGH WITHOUT HAVING TO JUSTIFY OURSELVES TO U F****** IDIOTS ABOUT WHY WE WANT TO HAVE A MEMORIAL SITE TO PAY OUR RESPECTS IF THIS ISNT CLEAR ENOUGH MAYBE GET A DICTIONARY AN LOOK UP THE MEANING OF LOVE AND RESPECT AN MAYBE U WILL F****** UNDERSTAND…….. >:(

Not trying to be flippant, but if you want to make yourself a bit clearer, try using fullstops Brendan, and less use of the f-bomb. We understand that the issue is a very emotional one, but you need to take a deep breath and realise that your message can get lost due to the tone that you’re using.

The face book page has now a new comment! one from the homeowner himself!! I really do feel for them I can only imagine what they would have had to put up with over the weekend! I recall someone posting that they would egg their house every friday night until the homeowners gave up!! This post was removed within 10 mins of it being put up!! It just goes to show the respect people have for these people that didnt chhose to be in this situation!

Based on the apparent behaviour of the ‘mournerss’, distinguishing them from a piece of cat crap… well, you can join the dots here.

WanniAss said :

As an aside, I wonder how many people commenting here about respect for the homowners property are cat owners who happily let their beloved feline loose to crap throughout the neighbourhood?

Because having 2 people die on your front lawn followed by a memorial with mourners appearing at all hours of the morning is almost the same thing as a cat taking a poo on your front lawn.

Have some of these facebook morons forgotten that two people survived this accident, and maybe this was directly as a result of local residents assisting and calling emergency services.

It is easy enough here to see the various points of view. I would add that the time to be concerned about peoples lives is when they are alive. I remember north of Perth on the main road from Wanneroo to Yanchep – which was through bush mainly – there were “official” markers at accident sites.

As an aside, I wonder how many people commenting here about respect for the homowners property are cat owners who happily let their beloved feline loose to crap throughout the neighbourhood?

I notice Brendon Bassett’s been cleaning up the worst of the comments on the Facebook hate site he established.

It seems the idiot may have finally realised the world of sh*t he is going to be in legally if anything happens to the householder, his family or property due to Brendon’s incitement.

In any case there’s not much Brendon can do about it now. He’d better hope none of his 1500+ horde of fans does anything stupid.

To the families and friends of the deceased persons, I am so sorry for your loss, I know what you are going through, there is a site that you can go to and put a memorial on for your loved ones, its called gonetoosoon.org

Hi I think the families of the deceased should plant daffodils or something of that nature where the deceased person or persons have died, they do that in England, and yes there was to be markers where people had died as a reminder of those who have died and also a warning to motorists, we do have cemeteries where people are buried or cremated, they are only the deceased body, not the spirit, as the spirit lives on.

TP 3000 said :

I have just posted what I believe to be approriate

fair enough mate, just so you know, your ‘private’ account still displays your photo, and your friends.

davo

Davo111 said :

BerraBoy68 said :

Davo111 – I though about sending Brendan a message on Facebook explaining a few things. I didn’t as, due to his previous post and the wording of the post you quote, he’s being inconsistent in what he say’s and, to be honest, he appears to be one of the main instigators of abuse to the home-owner.

BerraBoy, i completely agree with you, i nearly messaged him myself on Facebook, but i believe he would just resort to violence/threats/abuse etc.

I have just posted what I believe to be approriate

Brendan B., the members of The RiotACT forum aren’t calling every member of this group bogans. They are mainly annoyed at those that are threatening the members of the public that had an issue with the memorial. There are genuine mourners of Steve & Megan & there are those that didn’t know Steve or Megan but are upset over the accident.

Then there are those that are just being twats & are threatening members of the public with some serious things. They are the ones that are being called bogans. Now I may only being one of those that are upset over what happened. But violence is not the way, when you have other people that are trying their hardest to fix things up (legally).

Threats can be made on that wall, but my privacy is set to private, so they can’t find me (& I’ll have their full name so AVO here I come if threats are made).

I’m a member of the group, I didn’t know either of them personally. My sister knew Steve quite well and the way in which he died was terrible, a few of my mates knew the girl. Horrible waste of life.

ant said :

From the amendment to the OP: “and (at the time of writing) 1,396 angry youngsters threatening to (amongst other things) burn down the house of the family who tried to save their friends lives”

hang on, what, these two people had 1396 friends? Really?! Bollocks! Sounds like a Bandwagon of Bogans to me.

I disagree. There are plenty of hate filled, absolutely despicable posts there, but there are plenty of people there also, that I think just feel the shrine should stay and have shown support. Do I agree, well, I have made my opinion clear in previous posts, so I’m not going there again. But to say they are all bogans, I think is a little short sighted. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, just some there have chosen to be thugs, that have obviously given them all a bad name. Just as some have probably done here I suspect to a certain degree.

From the amendment to the OP: “and (at the time of writing) 1,396 angry youngsters threatening to (amongst other things) burn down the house of the family who tried to save their friends lives”

hang on, what, these two people had 1396 friends? Really?! Bollocks! Sounds like a Bandwagon of Bogans to me.

Well at least if those idiots do anything to the poor owners or their house they have a complete list of the full names of suspects. I’m sure all their parents would be impressed when the the police come knocking, but then I’m sure judging by some of the moronic comments on facebook, it would probably run in the family.

BerraBoy68 said :

One poor misguided sole even said the tree outside the house is where the dead are resting in peace. How does that work?

Why the hell would they be in the tree? By that reasoning (too much Ghost Whisperer watching by the Bogans, evidently), they would actually be in the car they were driving. So why don’t they head down to the wrecker’s yard and worship the remains of teh car?

And I defy anyone to ‘rest in peace” with bogans hanging around, because no matter what they’re doing, bogans are ALWAYS loud about it.

BerraBoy68 said :

Davo111 – I though about sending Brendan a message on Facebook explaining a few things. I didn’t as, due to his previous post and the wording of the post you quote, he’s being inconsistent in what he say’s and, to be honest, he appears to be one of the main instigators of abuse to the home-owner.

BerraBoy, i completely agree with you, i nearly messaged him myself on Facebook, but i believe he would just resort to violence/threats/abuse etc.

He just needs to have a good read of the “constructive” posts here, and understand that not everyone in the community wants a sea of teddies, rotting flowers, cards, pictures sprayed over the lawn. It’s not about being disrespectful to the dead, its about finding a suitable alternative for the whole community.
<3 peace
Davo

I hate roadside memorials. (I also hate most of the public “art” in ACT).

If these people had died from choking on a chicken bone at dinner, would their friends erect a permanent memorial in the kitchen, complete with crosses, photos, faded plastic flowers and teddy bears on the kitchen table for the next 10 years??

If you want/need a memorial, buy a plot or memorial space at the cemetery. Don’t foist your need to remember that these people plowed into a tree on the rest of the community.

Davo111 – I though about sending Brendan a message on Facebook explaining a few things. I didn’t as, due to his previous post and the wording of the post you quote, he’s being inconsistent in what he say’s and, to be honest, he appears to be one of the main instigators of abuse to the home-owner.

He also misses the point that members of his so-called petition (read ‘disorganised rant’)are responding in-kind to his own earlier allegations and insults towards he home-owner. Now he say’s it’s only ever been about grieving. What he fails to understand is that everybody ‘gets’ grieving and is OK with this (as they should be). What people are not happy with here are his and his mates demands to get their own way and hurling unfair insults at the home-owners.

BerraBoy68 said :

monomania said :

Cory Mckinnon wrote
at 9:11pm on May 27th, 2009
if they take it down… then we will just have to keep puttin it up untill they get it throgh there thick f***in heads… or mabye we should just burn there f***in house down

Isn’t it a criminal offense to incite others to commit a crime?

His post on Facebook indicates he is at best a selfish, stupid moron. I sincerely feel for the homeowner and his family, as well as the families of the deceased. Having to put up with the crap they are getting on that site must be awful. I also find it odd that people are saying they visit the memorial because that’s where the deceased are. I think the dead would have better things to do that stay where they died. One poor misguided sole even said the tree outside the house is where the dead are resting in peace. How does that work?

I’d say Cory is just another internet ‘hard man’. Grief and sadness is one thing. Lacking emotional intelligence and coping through rage and threats is not only immature but unhealthy

Brendan Bassett – bear in mind that police frequent this site, and I’m sure threats will be taken seriously. I’d encourage you and your friends to take a sensible view, and consider the needs of others.

As far as i recall Brendon was the one making the threats???

My Fiancee Eddie was the man who passed away on melrose drive in phillip this is outside a business but if it was outside a residence I would not expect them to have a shrine outside their house, I wouldnt like to have one outside my house i know that. And it is discraceful some of the comments that have been made on facebook regarding threats to the family of the house. It goes to ghow some preople are heartless! these people did not chose to have ppl crash in the middle of the night outside their house and now do not deserve how they are being treated! I hope these young ppl doing this stuff wake up and realise if it was their house would they like having ppl outside at all hours drinking and carrying on! Do u think the ppl that died would want them to be doing that!!

Brendan Bassett wrote @ 5pm today

rottweiler said :

guys please if u can all take the time to go to this website http://the-riotact.com/?p=12271 and take a look at what they are saying about all of os because of some of the sily things people are saying be mindful this is a public group and as much we all have a lot to say sometimes we need to bite our tounges especially not making threats damaging property is only going to make our casue worse beacause it makes us look like bad people when we are trying to prove how compasionate we are this is why we want this in the first place, clearly as it states on that site we are being spoke of us bogans i dont know how ppl that just want to grieve for the family friends or loved ones are bogans but f thats the cause im a one thonged ripped shirt vb drinking bogan any day

Brendan, you look at this as an “us VS them” argument. Plant a small tree at the crash site that symbolises the life of the lost. That’s both compassionate and respectful to the people who have died, and to the rest of the community. Memorials are not about the size/fanfare that can be displayed on the side of the road, it’s a reminder to the people who knew them.

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy said :

I think that if there are drunk teens at night littering and making twats of themselves, and death threats, then it’s time the police were called in. Most of us have lost friends and family along the way. These kids aren’t the first and won’t be the last.

Time to grow up a bit.

+1

I hope these kids look back on all this when they become parents or a home owner themselves and think how sillythey’re carring on and feel some shame or even remorse for these people who tried to help their friends and have lived in hell for quiet some time and will never forget those images from that morning.

This thing has made me so angry- I just want to shake these kids and tell them that being selfish and morose is no way to remember their friends. Death cults are a bad scene for teenagers- they get stuck and it’s so hard to move on.

The owners of the house are between a rock and a hard place aren’t they? They tried to save these kids and now their friends are painting them as the bad guys just because they don’t want their front lawn turned into a Parisian cemetary. My heart breaks for them because, let’s face it, they probably want to move now don’t they?

Spideydog said :

I find it very sad that these people in that house were apparently first on the scene, helped the kids in that car and them themselves will have to live with their own visions of that fateful night, yet they are being attacked.

These people should be getting their heartfelt thanks, not attacks. DISGRACEFUL.

It is their house and they have a right to move on and have a say on the shrine being there. As I have said before, simple and discreet plaque or alike would be a suitable compromise.

I agree too.

Spideydog said :

I find it very sad that these people in that house were apparently first on the scene, helped the kids in that car and them themselves will have to live with their own visions of that fateful night, yet they are being attacked.

These people should be getting their heartfelt thanks, not attacks. DISGRACEFUL.

It is their house and they have a right to move on and have a say on the shrine being there. As I have said before, simple and discreet plaque or alike would be a suitable compromise.

Agreed.

I find it very sad that these people in that house were apparently first on the scene, helped the kids in that car and them themselves will have to live with their own visions of that fateful night, yet they are being attacked.

These people should be getting their heartfelt thanks, not attacks. DISGRACEFUL.

It is their house and they have a right to move on and have a say on the shrine being there. As I have said before, simple and discreet plaque or alike would be a suitable compromise.

monomania said :

Cory Mckinnon wrote
at 9:11pm on May 27th, 2009
if they take it down… then we will just have to keep puttin it up untill they get it throgh there thick f***in heads… or mabye we should just burn there f***in house down

Isn’t it a criminal offense to incite others to commit a crime?

His post on Facebook indicates he is at best a selfish, stupid moron. I sincerely feel for the homeowner and his family, as well as the families of the deceased. Having to put up with the crap they are getting on that site must be awful. I also find it odd that people are saying they visit the memorial because that’s where the deceased are. I think the dead would have better things to do that stay where they died. One poor misguided sole even said the tree outside the house is where the dead are resting in peace. How does that work?

Cory Mckinnon wrote
at 9:11pm on May 27th, 2009
if they take it down… then we will just have to keep puttin it up untill they get it throgh there thick f***in heads… or mabye we should just burn there f***in house down

Isn’t it a criminal offense to incite others to commit a crime?

Hmmm.. I didn’t see it in 2007. Maybe it wasn’t there or my griefometer was playing up..

I’ve seen it, Thumper. Tacky doesn’t even begin to explain this memorial. I’d liket o see the newly unveiled statue though. I wonder if it’s been designed sot that Di just happens to be wearing an engagement ring?!

OT – someone has kindly provides a link to this page in the relevant Facebook thread. I hate to say this but I’m guessing the first flame is imminent.

That’s what happens when illiterate bogans get a DSL line

Do they think a lame Facebook ‘petition’ full of illiterate bogan ramblings and abuse will make any difference at all?

Some of the comments on there are disgraceful.

Gobbo said :

Postalgeek said :

There exists no more gaudier site to the deaths of Dodi and Diana than that established at the bottom of the Egyptian Escalator in Harrods by Mohamed Al-Fayed.

It consists of the glasses the two were allegedly using prior to getting into the car.

The reason I use allegedly is because I have never seen two more rancid glasses. To leave that amount of cream and lipstick all over the glass I am guessing that Diana had plunged head first into her mains and desert before using her glass.

Tacky.

I understand he has unveiled a statue of them both since I last visited.

I can’t wait to go see. 🙂

Yes, it is something quite special. If grief porn aficionados have a Mecca, that is it.

I would roll over in my grave if i found a facebook group like that about me.

Postalgeek said :

I was just thinking that the reactions of some of the respondents on the Facebook site reminded me of the death cult that surrounded Diana.

The thought of mini ‘Diana’ public grief sites, and associated gaudy decay and hysteria, everywhere is a depressing one, especially if they sprout up in front of private residences.

There exists no more gaudier site to the deaths of Dodi and Diana than that established at the bottom of the Egyptian Escalator in Harrods by Mohamed Al-Fayed.

It consists of the glasses the two were allegedly using prior to getting into the car.

The reason I use allegedly is because I have never seen two more rancid glasses. To leave that amount of cream and lipstick all over the glass I am guessing that Diana had plunged head first into her mains and desert before using her glass.

Tacky.

I understand he has unveiled a statue of them both since I last visited.

I can’t wait to go see. 🙂

I think that if there are drunk teens at night littering and making twats of themselves, and death threats, then it’s time the police were called in. Most of us have lost friends and family along the way. These kids aren’t the first and won’t be the last.

Time to grow up a bit.

From the Facebook site: “if they take it down… then we will just have to keep puttin it up untill they get it throgh there thick f***in heads… or mabye we should just burn there f***in house down.”

Pandy said :

Flowers around memorials really arose around 6 Septermber 1997

I was just thinking that the reactions of some of the respondents on the Facebook site reminded me of the death cult that surrounded Diana. The thought of mini ‘Diana’ public grief sites, and associated gaudy decay and hysteria, everywhere is a depressing one, especially if they sprout up in front of private residences.

By way of comparison, there is no shrine in Carr Cres for Jason Peisley (just to use a recent example). I wonder if would still be the case if he died in an accident while he or his mates were doing 100kph up the street like they usually did, rather than bashed in his own home

In this case the problem wasn’t so much as a memorial, it was the amount of empty bottles and kids hanging out in the middle of the night drinking.

The residents probably had a gut full of drunk teens through the night, leaving their garbage behind for the last 9 weeks.

There is always going to be high emotion when kids are killed, but the these teens and their parents need to discuss this and find a better way of dealing with their grief.

BerraBoy68 said :

I spent some time looking at this facebook site.

Sorry, but it just made me angry. Not at the family who asked for the ‘memorial’ to be removed (it’s their house and they have the right to make the request) and not at the police. My anger is towards the selfish fools on the ‘memorial’ site generation who insist they get their own way regardless of how it makes everyone else feel. Some of the posters on the Facebook site were so pathetic they suggest burning down the house of the person that complained while others just suggested making the owners lives a misery. Top job kids, now try looking beyond your own noses for a change! Demanding something that is not a right is no way to honour your friends. The families of those that died have my continuing sympathy.

Perhaps the lesson for these kids is that death does not provide some magical right that lets you do what you want. Other people have rights too.

Just because they lost out doesn’t mean they have to get angry. In any event, every memorial I’ve seen looks OK for a few weeks then people start to move and and it falls into disrepair, just like the deceased persons grave. Visited lots at first, then never.

And before I’m accused of not understanding these kids, remember this… I lost two brothers (aged 17 and 26) six months apart in separate accidents in 1983. I was 15 so I understand grief and I understand moving on. Anger is natural part of the grieving process, but it shouldn’t be targeted at innocent people.

+2

I believe the owners of the property and surrounding ones (the ranting idiots don’t even know who did complain for sure) have been very accomodating of having the memorial up outside their house for 2 months. It is not appropriate to have the memorial outside someone’s house covered in cheap trinkets and they have every right to request the “memorial” to be removed. As people mentioned, these people are the same people who were first on the scene of a messy accident and should not have to put up with seeing that rubbish outside their house everyday, nor should they have to put up with idiots threatening them or their houses.

I do not mind roadside memorials for short periods of time, permanent ones if they are simple and do not create an eyesore, the Hindmarsh Dr one is a good example. One in front of someone’s house is never going to be appropriate.

I feel for the householder.

He is now getting death threats from posters to that Facebook group listed above, all because he wanted to shield his kids from ugly and meaningless displays of bogan pride … a bunch of people who casually took over his own property to display their own overt displays of grief … generally conducted at 1-2am.

All it takes is for a bogan to kill themself (plus a few others) and that mortgage you’ve been paying for all these years means nothing … say hello to a makeshift shrine with $2-shop adornments out the front of your house … permanently … plus a plaque if they get around to paying for it.

You apparently have no say in it.

And the home owner is supposed to suck it up, cos “our loss is so great how dare you talk about the effect of our posturing on your life”.

(A bit of advice) If you choose a pic for sympathy-based Facebook group, how about not showing the supposedly angelic subject in a “wigga” pose. As it stands, she looks just like the scumbag who broke into my neighbour’s place the other day.

@#54

Skidd Marx said :

I think I speak for everyone on this forum when I urge the C.T “City Reporter” Megan Doherty to take a bow for an amazingly high-quality and impartial front-page splash. Me think you more like “Shitty Reporter” haw haw haw.

No, you don’t speak for me. However, I might change my mind once you demonstrate your own capability for introducing high-quality and impartial local stories for this forum.

Just one excerpt from the memorial supporters’ group:

No one gives a shit about the fuckheads that are sticking up for the heartless selfish c*** that lives in that house.. personally I hope he f***ing rots and gets forgotten by everyone that ever knew him.

That just about sums it up.

Clown Killer said :

…these roadside memorials are a bogan eyesore, and should be banned.

Couldn’t agree more. Why cant people grieve properly anymore? Why the whole unsightly public display “Oh look at me, look at me look how sad I am.” It’s demeaning for the dead and it makes you look a right twat.

+1!!

lookatyourself said :

I have a better idea – put the memorial in the yard of the drivers house – maybe he needs to be reminded of the danger and he will never forget what consequences his actions had on that tragic night.

Common sense!! I couldn’t agree more lookatyourself!!

…these roadside memorials are a bogan eyesore, and should be banned.

Couldn’t agree more. Why cant people grieve properly anymore? Why the whole unsightly public display “Oh look at me, look at me look how sad I am.” It’s demeaning for the dead and it makes you look a right twat.

Flowers around memorials really arose around 6 Septermber 1997

Good on this young girl for posting the below sensible comments on that Garbage site on Facebook:

*******************************************************************************************
at 22:20
I have only joined this as this is the only way i can get my comment across:

In case you didnt realise they were there trying to help the poor kids that died, they were the first on the accident site, and they called the emergency services, they were the ones who were by them after the accident happened and they have had to live with it since.
You may not realise the effect this whole thing has had on them and their family since this has happened and the reminder of it with the memorial outside their window and every time they pull into their driveway.
They are also dealing with the trauma of being woken up at that time of the morning, and having to go outside to the devastation of the accident. To this day they are still trying to come to terms with what they seen that terrible morning.
As tragic as it is that you have lost your friend/family the people who live at the house need to try to come to terms with the tragedy that they woke to that morning.

at 22:23
They are NOT villans and they are NOT heartless, they have made the offer to one of the kids parents to have plaques placed in their retaining wall for them before they had it taken down. and iam sure you could still take them up on the offer.

the memorial has actualy nearly caused more accidents with cars pulling up and people slowing down to look, which is dangerous in itself.
*****************************************************************************************

I could not have said it better myself. I have read some comments on here that say memorials also act as a warning of the dangers to other drivers but in actual fact it is more dangerous than anything. People like to slow down and take in the sights of what is going on. I discovered this at the site on lanyon drive near conder where a young girl lost her life a little while ago. Whilst it may have helped the family and friends, cars coming to a standstill to look at the memorial in peak hour traffic was more of an accident waiting to happen than a reminder of the danger. At this site in particular I was concerned for the safety of the young girls friends who would visit the site every afternoon and sit on the little piece of guard rail on the side of the busy road – there could have very easily been another fatality!

The family in the house, whilst they have not lost their loved one were the first on the scene to see the tragedy – I could think of nothing more horrific than the sight they would have come across on that morning.

Lets not be harsh and judge the owners of the home as villan’s afterall it is their home and they have the right to do what they chose regardless of whether others approve.

I know that I wouldn’t want groups of teenagers hanging around the front of my property lingering and drinking whilst I have young children inside trying to sleep. Afterall thats what is typically done at these memorial sites – take the one on athlon drive as an example.

I have a better idea – put the memorial in the yard of the drivers house – maybe he needs to be reminded of the danger and he will never forget what consequences his actions had on that tragic night.

I really think road side memorials are fine. Except when they’re out the front of someones house.

The kids on the facebook site are pretty worked up about it and aren’t doing themselves any favours carrying on like they are.

In thinking about it maybe the owners should have let it be for another month or so to let emotions die down a bit. But agree with others here, they should be taking out their anger on the driver, not the innocent home owner.

Berraboy said

BerraBoy68 said :

I spent some time looking at this facebook site.

Sorry, but it just made me angry. My anger is towards the selfish fools on the ‘memorial’ site generation who insist they get their own way regardless of how it makes everyone else feel. Some of the posters on the Facebook site were so pathetic they suggest burning down the house of the person that complained while others just suggested making the owners lives a misery.

Perhaps the lesson for these kids is that death does not provide some magical right that lets you do what you want. Other people have rights too.

You identified some interesting tendencies with these people. The public flaunting of grief (Mr Evil had some accurate takes on this, too), and the way they feel that the dead, and the friends of teh dead, suddenly have big new rights to respect and regard from everyone else.

I wonder where it’s come from? It is definitely fairly recent, it’s often vulgarly expressed… in years gone by, when a person died suddenly we didn’t see teddy bears plastered all over the place, although a plaque might quietly appear.

You sure wouldn’t want this lot hanging around outside your house, piling up their various cheap objects. Are they worshipping the dead, in some bizarre and tawdry way?

TAD said :

How about a good compromise is that the memorial be moved to the front yard of the driver?

The kids will have somewhere to go then and he’s sure to be happy with the idea.

And then maybe they can think of the reason for the accident in the first place and perhaps think about who is actually to blame. I’m thinking it isn’t the owners of the nearest house but someone in the car, perhaps even on the right hand side.

As for those that say “I drive by the site and know to slow down and be safe because I see a memorial”, here’s a tip – put a photo of the deceased in a frame on your dashboard. Then, when you get in your car you’ll know to slow down and drive safely ALL THE TIME and not just when passing some some old mouldy stuff nailed to a tree.

Yep TAD

+ another 1

Sounds like a great idea to me.

TAD

+1

How about a good compromise is that the memorial be moved to the front yard of the driver?

The kids will have somewhere to go then and he’s sure to be happy with the idea.

Slightly OT, but has anyone actually seen the article in todays CT? It takes up half of the front pag. I understand that those involved are upset, but a front page article is a little over the top. Must have been a very slow news day.

A co-worker (who was friends with the girl who died) was rather angry over that photo, saying it was filled with attention-seekers. The problem was the mob in the picture- some of them apparently weren’t friends at all (just schoolmates of the girl, but had nothing to do with her), and one of the blokes hated the guts of the guy who died.

(I didn’t know the people who died at all, so I have no idea if it’s true. Just thought I’d throw it out there)

With all due respect to the families of the two kids killed in the accident, I completely agree with the removal of the items. To the people that are saying the residents should have more respect, when should these items be removed exactly? What is considered “enough time” for these to be removed?
I’ve read that as time goes by, fewer people are likely to go to the “shrine” and leave flowers, etc. Well, that’s all well and good but just because less stuff is being added to the pile, the pile of slowly rotting flowers and teddies and whatnot would still be there. It has to be removed at some stage or another.
The residents didn’t know the victims so why should they have to be reminded of what happened out the front of their place? They should be able to get on with their lives shouldn’t they? Can’t the grieving friends and families grieve where the kids lived? At their homes, in their bedrooms where it’s likely these sorts of shrines would be appreciated more?
Also with regards to the facebook page, I think it just goes to show how childish and selfish some people can be. The residents have every right to ask for the memorial to be removed. Life does go on whether some people believe it or not. Flowers and teddies aren’t going to bring someone back and leaving them on someone’s front verge isn’t going to achieve anything. Neither is threatening to burn down that person’s home. It’s not their fault they live in a house right next to where someone was killed. And did someone else mention the word “bogans”? Because that was certainly the impression I got reading through the entries on the facebook page.
I’ve done a search on this story (I couldn’t remember the details) but does anyone know anymore about what caused this accident? Was is speed, alcohol or just plain bad luck?

Not trying to sound like a heartless bastard, but the young man didn’t die at the site but 5.5 hours later at the Canberra Hospital. Let’s just ask them to have the memorial moved there and get memorials made for every other one.

I would have kicked the memorial for six. As a rate payer I have the
responsibility to look after the Crown Land, in fact the nature strip is
part of my little patch of paradise and appears as part of the landscape
when I place house for sale. I am absolutely sick and tired of the
memorials that have been erected for years, but less so if they are
erected on a wide median strip or in the bush so to speak away from
houses. Grieve, bury your dead and mourn over the gravestone in the
cemetery.

Plenty of FOTW’s on that facebook site and I have a strange feeling the next FOTW will appear here over the weekend.

I feel for the people who live in that house. It’s not going to be a fun weekend!!

OMG. I hope someone warns the residents of the home. They have young children. They must be terrified.

I have driven past this site and felt for the residents. Let’s hope a drunken mob of youths don’t congregate in Richardson tonight.

BerraBoy68 said :

The Facebook site isn’t even a petition, Spidey. It’s more a collection of angry, pathetic rants.

I agree, but I did see that Karla Rial, the sister of Steven Rial has gotten on there and requested people be respectful of the site and the residents, which I respect.

The Facebook site isn’t even a petition, Spidey. It’s more a collection of angry, pathetic rants.

BerraBoy68 said :

I spent some time looking at this facebook site.

Sorry, but it just made me angry. Not at the family who asked for the ‘memorial’ to be removed (it’s their house and they have the right to make the request) and not at the police. My anger is towards the selfish fools on the ‘memorial’ site generation who insist they get their own way regardless of how it makes everyone else feel. Some of the posters on the Facebook site were so pathetic they suggest burning down the house of the person that complained while others just suggested making the owners lives a misery. Top job kids, now try looking beyond your own noses for a change! Demanding something that is not a right is no way to honour your friends. The families of those that died have my continuing sympathy.

Perhaps the lesson for these kids is that death does not provide some magical right that lets you do what you want. Other people have rights too.

Just because they lost out doesn’t mean they have to get angry. In any event, every memorial I’ve seen looks OK for a few weeks then people start to move and and it falls into disrepair, just like the deceased persons grave. Visited lots at first, then never.

And before I’m accused of not understanding these kids, remember this… I lost two brothers (aged 17 and 26) six months apart in separate accidents in 1983. I was 15 so I understand grief and I understand moving on. Anger is natural part of the grieving process, but it shouldn’t be targeted at innocent people.

+1

They are not happy with the “memorial” being removed is one thing, but making threats to burn their house down or make their lives a misery is selfish, self righteous and barbaric. Behaviour like this will harm their cause instead of help.

It is right outside these people’s house, I think they have a right to have some say in it being there. Make a plaque or something kids, something a little discreet and the home owners and the ACT rangers will probably not object !!??

I spent some time looking at this facebook site.

Sorry, but it just made me angry. Not at the family who asked for the ‘memorial’ to be removed (it’s their house and they have the right to make the request) and not at the police. My anger is towards the selfish fools on the ‘memorial’ site generation who insist they get their own way regardless of how it makes everyone else feel. Some of the posters on the Facebook site were so pathetic they suggest burning down the house of the person that complained while others just suggested making the owners lives a misery. Top job kids, now try looking beyond your own noses for a change! Demanding something that is not a right is no way to honour your friends. The families of those that died have my continuing sympathy.

Perhaps the lesson for these kids is that death does not provide some magical right that lets you do what you want. Other people have rights too. Just because they lost out doesn’t mean they have to get angry. In any event, every memorial I’ve seen looks OK for a few weeks then people start to move and and it falls into disrepair, just like the deceased persons grave. Visited lots at first, then never.

And before I’m accused of not understanding these kids, remember this… I lost two brothers (aged 17 and 26) six months apart in separate accidents in 1983. I was 15 so I understand grief and I understand moving on. Anger is natural part of the grieving process, but it shouldn’t be targeted at innocent people.

good for you, to at least try…

I tried.

Die Lefty Scum said :

I’m not touching this one with a barge pole. In fact, I’m not even going to say a single thing.

1hr 12 mins

How do I make the fishing line sound again…?

TAD said :

Facebook group re: friends wanting the site kept.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=577857231#/group.php?gid=84927938537

the PERSON who lives @ the house @ the crash site where megan and steve passed away complained to the ranger about the cross and the plaque and had it removed!!! i think that this is disgraceful, disrespectful and is definatley not a compassionate, humane move on his behalf! WE NEED AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN TO JOIN THIS GROUP SO THAT FOR YEARS TO COME PEOPLE WILL DRIVE PAST AND SEE THIS SITE AND IT WILL BE A CONSTANT REMINDER TO DRIVE SAFELY AND SO THAT EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO VISIT CAN DO SO!!!
we have also been informed by the police that to make this work legally can everyone who chooses to visit their memorial site please park up on the grass on the opposite side of the road so as your cars are not a traffic hazard. thanks

Facebook group re: friends wanting the site kept.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=577857231#/group.php?gid=84927938537

Roadrage77 said :

Fair enough Danman, I probably did come across harsh and I take your point that there’s more than one way to grieve.

It just pisses me off that people think losing someone gives them the right to vandalise a tree.

considering that I have lost a relative in a plane crash in the blue mountains a few years ago, and was allowed to erect a plaque at the site, we didn’t need to carve up a tree. tree carvings, done incorrectly are pointless. the tree either a) dies or b) grows over the carving…

Fair enough Danman, I probably did come across harsh and I take your point that there’s more than one way to grieve.

It just pisses me off that people think losing someone gives them the right to vandalise a tree.

I think there is nothing wrong with having a cross or some other indicator of fatality by the roadside as it may serve to remind us of the need to drive to conditions and not take stupid risks such as drink driving.
However I do agree that some of these “shrines” often become untidy, neglected and a distraction.
The appropriate place to remember your loved one is privately or in a more appropriate place as has already been pointed out. If one wants to be very public about their grief, then why not put the energy into something that prevents further tragedy such as these by doing something positive such as talking to young drivers about the consequences of foolhardy behaviour.

Anyway, I really should stop feeding the trolls… Ill grieve where I grieve, not where you tell me to.

Beer o’clock… cya

I think I speak for everyone on this forum when I urge the C.T “City Reporter” Megan Doherty to take a bow for an amazingly high-quality and impartial front-page splash. Me think you more like “Shitty Reporter” haw haw haw.

*In my opinion* cemeteries are places you bury the dead. Thats it.

People may grieve there, people may not.

Grieving is not confined to within the cemetery gates, if you think so, then thats your opinion and you are entitled to it.

Grief travels with you everywhere, do you think that as soon as you leave the cemetery, the sun comes back out, birds chirp and all is peachy again ?

There should be a place to do this – How about this scenario:

My ferret died recently, and I rekon his soul in on the middle grassy bit of Northborne, opposite the Rex. (He always longed for the grassy fields). To honour him, me and my mates are all going to put on our orange Ferret costumes, and dance around during 8am-9am and 4pm to 6pm during the week day- That way – everybody else will honour him by slowing down to 10km on their drive up Northborne”

There is a place, and it is appropriate – in the cemetery!

I’m not touching this one with a barge pole. In fact, I’m not even going to say a single thing.

Roadrage77 said :

There’s a place for paying a visit to deceased loved-ones – it’s called a cemetery.

It sucks that you lost your son/brother/friend, but losing people is an inevitable part of life. With respect, suck it up and stop shoving it in everyone elses face.

I’d be pi$$ed off if a lovely tree outside my house was covered in graffiti by tacky “mourners” craving deflected attention.

+1

I dont think anyone can tell anyone that there is a dedicated place4 to grieve, its a personal decision, there is no black and white.

Yeah with respect suck it up huh, lest see you say that when your family including young sister, baby brother, mother and father are killed by a drunk. Inevitable part of life, oh im sorry, Ill suck it up and grieve when and where I am told…

Tool

There’s a place for paying a visit to deceased loved-ones – it’s called a cemetery.

It sucks that you lost your son/brother/friend, but losing people is an inevitable part of life. With respect, suck it up and stop shoving it in everyone elses face.

I’d be pi$$ed off if a lovely tree outside my house was covered in graffiti by tacky “mourners” craving deflected attention.

Mr Evil said :

Why are people so preoccupied with remembering their deceased family and/or friends along roadsides?

And how many of these roadside mourners ever bother to actually visit the graves of their deceased mates?

Go plaster their headstones with crap that you found in the street or bought at the $2 Shop: not public places that other people would like to be able to enjoy the use of.

Oh you are decidedly EVIL …… mwah hahahahhaha

If a roadside memorial is discreet and dignified (like the Hindmarsh Drive one), then I think it’s OK. Unfortunately the one is Richardson is neither of those things.

Why are people so preoccupied with remembering their deceased family and/or friends along roadsides?

Most of them look bloody unsightly and tacky, and I personally believe too many people use these ‘shrines’ as a venue to try and out-mourn everyone else – “Brockie and Tanisha was me mates and I miss thems more than youse”.

And how many of these roadside mourners ever bother to actually visit the graves of their deceased mates?

Go plaster their headstones with crap that you found in the street or bought at the $2 Shop: not public places that other people would like to be able to enjoy the use of.

As long as they don’t get out of control (spreading out from the ‘center’ of the memorial), and as long as they’re not a distraction for drivers in some way, then I don’t have a problem with them. Of course if they were put on someone’s property then the owner of the property should get a say about it all.

Personally I’d be happy to buy a house with a small memorial there. Then again, I’ve never really understood the way housing prices can change because of something like that, so I’m not a good person to ask.

Slightly OT, but has anyone actually seen the article in todays CT? It takes up half of the front pag. I understand that those involved are upset, but a front page article is a little over the top. Must have been a very slow news day.

frontrow said :

I have sympathy for anyone who loses loved ones, especially young ones. I think it is fair that they expect support from the community in dealing with their grief. As a community we provide this support through cemeteries, crematoriums, religious institutions, counselling services and more. All of these things facilitate grieving in private or discreetly in public.

I think these monuments are less about grieving for it’s own sake and more about being seen to be grieving or inflicting the grief on others. This is not fair.

Take them all down.

well put frontrow!

Spideydog said :

I suppose some people feel/believe that a person’s spirit stays behind were they have died. This may be a reason why they feel so drawn to that location.

Then they’ll know their dead friend won’t be lonely, as there will be lots of dead roos and the occasional flat dog to keep them company. Pretty crappy afterlife really, being trapped in the one spot.

I have sympathy for anyone who loses loved ones, especially young ones. I think it is fair that they expect support from the community in dealing with their grief. As a community we provide this support through cemeteries, crematoriums, religious institutions, counselling services and more. All of these things facilitate grieving in private or discreetly in public.

I think these monuments are less about grieving for it’s own sake and more about being seen to be grieving or inflicting the grief on others. This is not fair.

Take them all down.

I think the one on Melrose Dve near Slavens appears to have been removed now too for some construction work. I know when they built Slavens they put a fence around it

James-T-Kirk said :

If *you* need a physical artefact at the place where somebody died to allow you to feel better, then I suspect that you are probably confused.

I don’t agree – I think it simply means they don’t concur with your opinion and feelings about the subject. I don’t have a personal need to erect memorials at the dying place of loved ones, either, but I don’t believe those who do are wrong or confused for wanting to do so.

I suppose some people feel/believe that a person’s spirit stays behind were they have died. This may be a reason why they feel so drawn to that location.

While I never saw the aforementioned memorial, I have to say that in general they’re a bit of an eye-sore. They can also be a bit of a distraction too.

The need to place a memorial at the place where somebody died does not sit well in my mind.

Why not celebrate their life…

Why focus on the place where they died?

My Grandad died in the real(tm) Canberra Hospital. I am not complaining because they demolished it to put up a Museum. I am not going down there with a plaque.

A friend of mine was killed in his garage because he dropped a running chainsaw while tuning it – it was a mistake – and we all felt really bad for his passing. We cleaned up the mess, and eventually the home was sold – We didn’t put up a plaque up ‘celebrating’ the place where misfortune hit. It was bloody tragic.

If *you* need a physical artefact at the place where somebody died to allow you to feel better, then I suspect that you are probably confused. Please do not feel that it reflects on you badly when somebody removes your shrine.

Difficult topic to discuss without bruising somebody – sorry (Not like the JTK we used to know)

I didn’t see the memorial in question so don’t wish to express a view about removal one way or the other, but I do wonder why people put such memorials up. If it’s to warn others of danger or against dangerous driving then that’s cool (within reason – don’t want to cause more accidents because of driver distraction do we?), but that would rarely seem to be the case.

If it’s as a memorial to someones earthly remains, well, don’t we have ceneteries for this already? It’s not even always that the person remembered may have died there – I’d bet a significant percentage died in or on the way to hospital. So why do we (and I’ll say “we” because I’d be the first to admit I’d consider putting one up for one of my loved ones should the unthinkable happen). What is it about the location of an accident that attracts us? A chance to taste that “there but for the grace of god… ” feeling?

I do remember driving in France and seeing the occasional lifesize black silhouette by the side of the road. We didn’t understand what they were to start with, but came to realise they were to symbolise people killed in accidents there. After seeing a half dozen or so I became a bit blase… till we rounded a corner and came face to face with an entire silhouette family – mum, dad and two small kids, all holding hands by the side of the road. That really spooked me!

VYBerlinaV8_the_one_they_all_copy said :

I’m probably going to get shot down here, but I think these roadside memorials are a bogan eyesore, and should be banned. Do I have to go up to a Sydney hospital room to remember my dead father? No. If you want to pay your respects (whatever that means), then do it graveside, or where the ashes were scattered. Or somewhere meaningful for you.

Interestingly, there are many families who donate something (eg a framed picture) to the hospital ward in which their relative passed away, with the assumption it will continue to be a lasting, visible remembrance of the person who died. In many cases, roadside memorials are much the same – not so much a place to pay one’s respects as they are a reminder of what happened.

I wouldn’t want one outside my house. I think the residents who are first on the scene of a crash with a load of dead young people would be suffereing more than some of their friends.

A lot of these turn into eyesores with dead flowers, often still in plastic, tied to trees. I don’t think it should be up to rangers or the residents to keep them maintained. A shrine probably doesn’t do a lot for house values either.

I wonder what it would do to the price of your house? Having a memorial in your front garden may turn a few people off at your open day.

folkie said :

I dont think it was an eyesore. I know a lot of people that were great friends of Megan and Steven, they would always go down to the site and pay their respects.
The whole site was tasteful. Lots of nice photos for people to reflect on of the memories they had from spending time with these people.

And everytime i drive past the site I slow down, and it does make me think of the lives that were lost and to drive safely.
Back off a little people, put yourself in the shoes of the family and friends of Megan and Steven and think how they must feel.
Let the families and friend grive and come to grips with the tragedy that has happened.

I feel for the Rial family and the Minney family.
For all who beleive that the site should be left untouched.
Please join the petition on facebook and let everyone know that it should stay.

What about the owners/occupants of the house this site is on? Do they get a say in this?

(I should stress, I don’t know what their opinion is in regard to this, I am just posing the question)

gun street girl said :

Just as you come down the hill towards Woden, to your left just before the new water feature in that new area of O’Malley. There’s a simple cross that often has a school tie tied around it.

Ah ok. I’d wondered about it but assumed it was the result of stupidity like so many fatal crashes meen to be. They’re meaningless unless you know the story behind them.

I’m probably going to get shot down here, but I think these roadside memorials are a bogan eyesore, and should be banned. Do I have to go up to a Sydney hospital room to remember my dead father? No. If you want to pay your respects (whatever that means), then do it graveside, or where the ashes were scattered. Or somewhere meaningful for you.

Frankly, for accidents like the one in this story, I couldn’t imagine anything worse than spending time at a place where someone acted like a d1ckhead behind the wheel resulting in the deaths of two people.

Granny said :

That was nice of them. The ones I’ve seen around Gungahlin don’t strike me as eyesores. They seem to have been well-maintained and quite pretty and garden-like. I do think about the young man when I walk past the little memorial on Mirrabei, and I think of his family too. I guess it’s kind of a sad feeling, but I like that people are being remembered. I think that’s one of the things that differentiates ‘community’ from ‘residency’.

I couldn’t disagree more Granny – This particular memorial every time I drive past makes me think about this, this person shot himself in the gut (not the smartest way to die) while on the run from the police after stealing a car in a stand-off which shutdown most of the suburb for hours.

I don’t like being reminded what a waste of space this person was and the drain on resources he was. I can only be thankful he killed himself and no-one else was hurt in the process. Yes, I’d don’t care about anything to do with this person/family (who failed him) and this stinking memorial. All others are fine.

I dont think it was an eyesore. I know a lot of people that were great friends of Megan and Steven, they would always go down to the site and pay their respects.
The whole site was tasteful. Lots of nice photos for people to reflect on of the memories they had from spending time with these people.

And everytime i drive past the site I slow down, and it does make me think of the lives that were lost and to drive safely.
Back off a little people, put yourself in the shoes of the family and friends of Megan and Steven and think how they must feel.
Let the families and friend grive and come to grips with the tragedy that has happened.

I feel for the Rial family and the Minney family.
For all who beleive that the site should be left untouched.
Please join the petition on facebook and let everyone know that it should stay.

Just as you come down the hill towards Woden, to your left just before the new water feature in that new area of O’Malley. There’s a simple cross that often has a school tie tied around it.

ant said :

Those roadside graves are not a bad thing. The one on Hindmarsh to the St Eddies boys makes every person think, I hope. I can’t see a problem with them, as long as those who care don’t let them degenerate into a composting rubbish-heap.

Which one’s that? The one near the top of the hill?

This is a very hard one. I do see the connection family/friends will have with the site of accidents. In this particular location, it is directly out the front of someone’s house and the “shrine” had become apart of the home owner/renters landscape. I think their opinion is important as it affects them directly.

The one’s in a totally public area’s I think is ok, as long as they are not too overbearing. After a suitable time, a more permanent plaque or alike discreet item may be suitable.

Those roadside graves are not a bad thing. The one on Hindmarsh to the St Eddies boys makes every person think, I hope. I can’t see a problem with them, as long as those who care don’t let them degenerate into a composting rubbish-heap.

caf said :

I don’t think it’d hurt to let people put a little permanent memorial stone in the ground, after the pile of flowers, cards etc is cleared away.

Those sorts of roadside memorials are scattered throughout Europe – not everybody’s cup of tea, I know – but I’ve no issue with them.

Mike Crowther said :

I wouldn’t have a problem with worn out teddies, home made cards etc on a tree outside my house for twelve months.

I would, and after seeing all this carry on I’d simply remove them myself, not bother embroiling myself in this sort of shitfight.

I did forget to mention that legally where the Richardson memorial is, is on Crown Land. So in fact that land is owned by all ACT residents, not by the home owners of Clift Crescent. While it is their job to keep the section of Crown land in front of their property tidy, everyone within the ACT has a right to be on that land.

*As far as I am aware, Crown land starts from your letter box & ends at the gutter.

The ‘shrine’ in question was somewhat of an eyesore. Trinkets, photos, flowers, signs, and all manner of junk, was left on the front lawn of the house in question. If I was the occupant of that house, i’d have been compassionate for the first month or two, but by this point, I think i’d be starting to get over it.

I think it was bloody insensitive to remove the items after only ten weeks. I’m against permanent amateur roadside memorials, but leave the things alone for say, a year and a day. And no, I wouldn’t have a problem with worn out teddies, home made cards etc on a tree outside my house for twelve months.

We are losing something when we can have permanent, shithouse, state funded art that stirs nothing in us foisted on our landscape, but can’t tolerate a little unorthodox grieving for a few months.

There is also a cross out the front of Melba Copland Secondary School for when a few students were killed a few years ago.

I think that roadside memorials should be kept at the location of the death, as it highlights that a death has occurred here & if you aren’t careful you or someone close to you might be next. I know it has been said that the neighbors don’t like opening their curtains each morning & see the cross as it reminds them as to what happened. But if I was in their shoes, it wouldn’t bother me. You’ll get the occasional friend that may stop to remember, but as long as public order is kept, there isn’t any problems. Really it reminds the public that death can occur on residential streets, so they need to be careful where ever they are

I don’t think it’d hurt to let people put a little permanent memorial stone in the ground, after the pile of flowers, cards etc is cleared away.

p1 said :

I kinda meant something more specific, like, it’ll be cleaned up on Saturday, if you want anything get it by then.

The stuff was left at the Tuggeranong cop shop where they had the chance to take what they wanted.

p1 said :

I am all for tasteful meaningful memorials. However those words mean different things to different people, and I am damn glad I don’t have to decide.

The sort of piles of flowers, cards, teddy bears, etc that appear in the days after an accident should be cleared away sooner or later, but the family really should get the chance to see if they want to keep any of it before it gets tossed though.

quoted for truth

oh and photos, i wouldn’t want photos of myself all over the roadside if i had died there.

The family in this case did get the chance to keep the stuff.

This memorial is in a suburban street right next to houses. It’s been there for nine weeks…..

I kinda meant something more specific, like, it’ll be cleaned up on Saturday, if you want anything get it by then. Of course, the city rangers probably didn’t want to give that kind of warning unless Today Tonight was waiting with cameras to ask why they are desecrating peoples memories…

There is a very nice one in Conder where a mother of several children was killed in a motorbike vs car accident several years ago now.

i havent actually been past this area recently. is it on private property? or government land?.

I think in these times, it is not the ‘only’ way forward in the ways of grieving, but you have to ask the question – what harm is it causing?. Not only would it be providing the families with closure, but reminding others to be cautious on the roads.

“How long should they be tolerated?” begs an interesting question- who decides when it’s time to take down, or remove commemorative items of loved ones?. how does one dictate when to stop grieving, or acknowledgement of a tragic accident?

p1 said :

the family really should get the chance to see if they want to keep any of it before it gets tossed though.

The family in this case did get the chance to keep the stuff.

This memorial is in a suburban street right next to houses. It’s been there for nine weeks. Would you like to be quietly living somewhere with the wife and kids and then suddenly the tree outside your bedroom window gets turned into a death-cult shrine with young hoons dropping in at all hours to pay their “rispek”?

That was nice of them. The ones I’ve seen around Gungahlin don’t strike me as eyesores. They seem to have been well-maintained and quite pretty and garden-like. I do think about the young man when I walk past the little memorial on Mirrabei, and I think of his family too. I guess it’s kind of a sad feeling, but I like that people are being remembered. I think that’s one of the things that differentiates ‘community’ from ‘residency’.

All of the above. After that, express your bogan pride graveside like everybody else. “Troye and Breetony were, loik, true Aussie champions when they got wasted and totally rolled the Falcon and killed a bunch of poiple.”

ASIO?

Those interfering Owls!

shanefos said :

Danman said :

At the new Crace roundabout on Gundaroo Road, they actually moved a monument including a tree to a spot on the side of the new roundabout.

They?

ASIO?

“It Depends™”

I am all for tasteful meaningful memorials. However those words mean different things to different people, and I am damn glad I don’t have to decide.

The sort of piles of flowers, cards, teddy bears, etc that appear in the days after an accident should be cleared away sooner or later, but the family really should get the chance to see if they want to keep any of it before it gets tossed though.

Danman said :

At the new Crace roundabout on Gundaroo Road, they actually moved a monument including a tree to a spot on the side of the new roundabout.

They?

At the new Crace roundabout on Gundaroo Road, they actually moved a monument including a tree to a spot on the side of the new roundabout.

It is my understanding that you must seek approval for monuments before erecting them.
If said monument was erected sans approval, its well within rights for removal.
Of course I am happy to be corrected