The Naitoko family
January 31st, 2009 at 9:12 am by David FarrarStuff has an article on the funeral of Halatau Naitoko. Regardless of who is to blame, it is incredibly sad that a young man was killed. I have to say how impressed I am with his family who are mourning their loss, undergoing huge media interest yet have retained dignity and have not gone into the blame game.
They absolutely want answers, and will want accountability – and should get it. But I compare this to Steven Wallace where the family almost “lynched” the police officer in the media. While here we have:
Pastor Vosailangi Sikalu speaking through an interpreter told the gathering the blood of an innocent boy had been spilled.
“That blood is crying out for forgiveness,” he said. “Let that be the message to the Government officials and dignitaries, the minister of police, the police commissioner, even to the beloved policeman who fired the fatal shot.”
Now forgiveness should not be mistaken for no consequences. This is the first ever time the Police have killed “the wrong person” and the IPCA and others must leave no stone unturned working out what happened, how it could have been avoided, and most of all whether the care used by Police was adequate.
Related posts:
- The tragic death of Halatau Naitoko
- Arguments on Naitoko shooting
- Accountability for death of Halatau Naitoko
- Blog Bits
January 31st, 2009 at 9:39 am
Yes, this reaction and also the reaction last year and up to the present, of the Elam parents to their tragedy, shows the real face of Christianity as it truly is.
Note especially the pastor’s word “beloved” in reference to the policeman who fired the shot.
I dare say that most people would not have a similar reaction in those circumstances, and frankly, I dare say, they should.
Very glad too DPF that you picked up on the subtlety in the Christian concept of forgiveness – it does not, as you say, mean that people should not be held to account for their actions.
Vote:January 31st, 2009 at 9:49 am
This family has shown admirable forgiveness, however I do wonder if the Wallace and Bellingham families share such sentiments? I pray to God as a father of four that I am never placed into such a traumatic position.
Vote:January 31st, 2009 at 9:50 am
Can’t help but wonder about this picture of the women in the family. Something about it seems significant, but I just can’t get it.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/images/789134.jpg
Vote:January 31st, 2009 at 9:52 am
Can you explicate RB? Really, I’m not just being disingenuous.
Vote:January 31st, 2009 at 9:52 am
Is that a ad for weight watchers redbaiter?
Vote:January 31st, 2009 at 10:00 am
The cost to take McDonald before the courts, and then keep him in Prison for the next 15 years will probably exceed $2million.
The cost to train an AOS to shoot properly would be about $700,000 each. Sounds like a good investment to me
Vote:January 31st, 2009 at 10:11 am
RB is connecting it to the Muliagas. Same race, same monster women, same state funeral with all the big wigs in attendence doing penance, same old media.
It’s a fucking embarrassment and a huge manipulation of a tragedy designed to attract the lowest common denominator in society. Meanwhile the guy who got knifed to death going to the aid of a woman on the same day is quietly buried away from the limelight amid some comments that he was silly to get involved.
“No greater love than this than he who lays down his life for his friend” You don’t need to be a Christian to applaud the quiet heroism and ultimate sacrifice of this man. RIP Mark McCutcheon.
JC
[DPF: Any comparison is unforunate and ill advised. Mrs Muliaga died primarily from self inflicted obesity. The courier driver was a totally innocent party. The Muliaga family ran a public blame and shame campaign and attacked everyone they could. This family has not done any of that. They have just mourned]
Vote:January 31st, 2009 at 10:22 am
A very good point, JC. If Mark doesn’t eventually posthumously receive whatever today’s equivalent is of the George Cross, then I for one am going to be agitating until he does.
How many of us would have the guts to take on a Mob member knowing that his mates were standing around? I would like to think I would, but I don’t know and somehow, I doubt that I would. Such selfless sacrifice needs huge recognition.
Vote:January 31st, 2009 at 11:44 am
Very different to the attitude of (some) family of Mrs Muliaga.
Vote:January 31st, 2009 at 12:01 pm
Most of the true christian teachings are very alien to these islander churches!
Vote:January 31st, 2009 at 12:59 pm
where the family almost “lynched” the police officer in the media
I guess that is expected to happen when a member of their family is executed by a trigger happy cop.
[DPF: What I expect is that if try and kill an armed cop with a baseball bat, he will shoot you rather than die]
Vote:January 31st, 2009 at 2:03 pm
I always wondered He-Man what happen to Wallace between leaving the pub and leaving home? By all accounts he was in a happy and good mood at the pub a short while before the shooting, left there and went home and was last seen by the family tearing out of the driveway in his car only to go back to town and start smashing up the place.
Vote:January 31st, 2009 at 2:27 pm
[This family has not done any of that. They have just mourned]
Yeah.. in front of millions. The reason being that the lad is seen as more of a “victim” than a top bloke like McCutcheon. It also nicely diverted attention from the fact that this is the 2nd man in a year who has been murdered doing the decent thing against thugs and murderers.
How the hell can you encourage a culture of service, courage, generosity of spirit when the authorities and TV concentrate on victims instead of heroes.
JC
[DPF: You don't make McCutcheon more of a hero by denigrating this family's loss. And it is not surprising that there is a greater media focus on someone who is killed accidentally by "the state" than by a criminal]
Vote:January 31st, 2009 at 3:00 pm
I think this family hadn’t much choice but to mourn publically. Despite my better judgement I did watch some of the coverage on TV 1, and I was a bit disgusted with that shinny girl’s reporting. She sounded like she was trying to hype the whole sad affair, kind of like when she went off the rails when Tony Veich got himself in trouble.
Vote:Nevertheless, that family has showed a lot of class, too bad the same can’t be said of our state broadcaster.
January 31st, 2009 at 5:23 pm
What I expect is that if try and kill an armed cop with a baseball bat, he will shoot you rather than die
The cop was out to get him, and all he wanted was an excuse.
Vote:January 31st, 2009 at 7:33 pm
“The cop was out to get him, and all he wanted was an excuse.”
and the cop should be given a fucken medal for his services to the community
Vote:January 31st, 2009 at 8:36 pm
Patrick Starr… WTF are you on about?
Vote:January 31st, 2009 at 8:43 pm
Melanie R = Steven Wallace – WTF are you on about?
Vote: