No. In fact I'm writing to you today about another untouchable which has suddenly become all the more appealing due to my favourite Magistrate, the Honourable Julie Huber.
Magistrate Huber, who recently piqued my interest in her management of the Jodhi Meares sentencing has once again seen fit to make a mockery of a system which should by every right be fighting to make those in the gaze of celebrity stand accountable for their actions.
Ryan Corr escapes conviction after pleading guilty to possessing heroin
Now don't get me wrong. I have every sympathy for those who suffer from drug addiction or whose lives have led them to feel that drug abuse is a reasonable escape. Having had my most dear childhood friend suffer with addiction and consequently be taken from us due to heroin, I have nothing but pure empathy for those who are afflicted by the disease of addiction and hope that they are able to be supported in seeking help for their addiction. But that's not the issue at hand here.
My issue isn't entirely with the fact that he was found with heroin, as his desire to take drugs and his free will to prevent himself from being in that situation may not be in his control. I don't know his personal situation and can't comment on that fact.
My specific issue is with the sentencing of quasi celebrities and what appears to be a difference in the standards they are held to compared to the rest of the general population.
"It is quite clear that you are a young man with a long, successful acting career and there is nothing to suggest that career won't continue," she said. - SMHWell, at least his law breaking and negative role-modelling won't be affect his career. Good call by the Magistrate there. Priorities are definitely well aligned...
A higher standard...
Perhaps I'm being completely unreasonable in thinking that people of note should be held to a higher standard than the rest of "us". But as has been the case in recent years, professional footballers who have brought "the game" into disrepute for something as stupid and juvenile (but not criminal) as drinking their own urine have been relieved of their positions in their teams and shunned by the competition.
Whether they like it or not, the careers these people have chosen have given them a certain level of responsibility in the wider community. In the same way that young male and female teens look up to, admire, and model their own behaviour based on what they see professional footballers doing, I'm fairly certain that many younger impressionable young minds may look at Mr Corr's escape from what I would consider "justice" and think that a life of mediocre celebrity allows certain privileges - such as abuse of dangerous narcotics. The unfortunate side effect of this is that it also begins to celebritise the activities that people of note perform, rather than the abilities or craft they used to gain their notoriety in the first place. Meaning that the act of taking drugs, or specifically in this case heroin, becomes an act that people who are famous do and something that young impressionable minds look to, to model their own actions and behaviours on - "so to become famous I too should do heroin."
Is it any wonder that since the rise of the celebrity sex tape (Kim Kardashian) that there has been a rise in teens taping and photographing themselves and each other in the nude, sending them to friends, posting them online? Even worse and more dangerous when the person they are modelling themselves off is only famous for making a sex tape.
I could waste even more column length to this specific point. but fortunately Jack Gleeson of Game of Thrones fame sums up the crux of this problem incredibly thoroughly and articulately.
Magistrate Huber has once again lost an ideal opportunity for modelling to younger people who admire those like Mr Corr what the repercussions (e.g. rehab, community service, fines, gaol time, something, anything more than a slap on the wrist and kiss on the cheek!) of these actions are and what the accepted and tolerated forms of behaviour and conduct are in our society, and she has failed them most grievously by only reinforcing that if you only need to be moderately famous for this sort of crap to be fine.
Of course I'm not attempting to justify people being dragged over the coals for the sake of it either, because people in these situations still need our compassion and the love and the support of those around them - and simply throwing them up on the cross for all to see is just as bad as letting them go without any reprimand. But Magistrate Huber, in thinking she was being merciful was only being ignorant. She had an opportunity to be stern but compassionate. Showing a concern for both the person AND and acknowledgement of the harm of his actions.
Yes. Mr Corr pleaded guilty to possession of a narcotic, and in some way I suppose this as him accepting responsibility for his actions (read: plea deal), but at the end of the day the protestations of his lawyer against any charges being laid against him only show the disingenuous nature of the guilty plea.
His Lawyer Chris Murphey argued Corr's career would suffer if a conviction was recorded as he could be prohibited from entering other countries to work. - SMHThe only real lesson to take away from this is that if you admit your guilt, but don't accept responsibility for your actions or behaviour then you're probably on your way to stardom.
Hammer time.
_________________________________________________________________________
If you or someone you know is dealing with addiction or suffers from drug abuse, or you are looking to get further support or information relating to drug addiction or heroin substance abuse, I have put the following links below to further increase your own personal awareness to be there for those around you or seek the help you may need.
For further or more appropriate contacts in your area please look online or contact your local health professional for more information and pathways to assistance.
Police NSW - Heroin and the Law Fact Sheet
Lifeline - Substance Abuse & Addiction
Dept. of Health Hotline & Helpline Index
No comments:
Post a Comment