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A number of correspondents have had their say to date. Letters short and sharp are always welcome. This longer contribution from Harvey Fewings.
'It is not the responsibility of the Australian Federal Government, or any of the State/Territory Governments for that matter, to save the lives of Australian citizens who become involved in the criminal justice systems of other sovereign nations. The level of hysteria regarding the unfortunate young man in Singapore has reached unprecedented levels of nonsense. It appears as if John Howard must take personal responsibility for every Australian citizen who commits criminal acts overseas. The boy knew what the law in Singapore meant....he took a calculated risk and was caught. That is it !! We are all responsible for our own actions...not John Howard or Alexander Downer. The whole thing has become a Festival of Howard Haters, led by poor old Philip Adams and encouraged by the Sydney Morning Herald's platoon of social justice warriors. There is even some gob smacking reporting about what will Howard be doing on hanging day ? Well, should we shut the country down over a drug smuggler, for that it what he is. Whether you like it or not, that is what he is. There is no point wringing our hands and wearing sack cloth and ashes about the fact that he will forfeit his life. He knew that when he picked up the heroin and headed for the airport. I think a more important issue is this. Why did he, and the nine drug smugglers in Bali, feel confident enough to head for Australia with this stuff hidden about their bodies and baggage ? Is it that easy to bring it in ? I feel sad for his mother and I don't support criminal justice executions. But, I am not going to change one thing I do next week because of this. Well....not true. I shall watch the Howard Hating frenzy whip itself into another foam flecked media fury. I cant wait for the ' expert ' doctor to tell us all how long it will take for the unfortunate young man to die. There will be street interviews, legal opinions, there will be retired pollies...probably the old Silver Bodgie himself, and they will all be paraded around the circus looking quite foolish. One thing wont change. In this life, we are responsible for our own actions, no one else. Certainly not John Howard !!'
If you think that's harsh read what Piers Akerman has to say in the Sydney Daily Telegraph on Tuesday November 29. 'He doesn't deserve a minute of your time' http://www.dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story/0,20281,17392697-5001032,00.html
Contrast that opinion with an earlier one (Friday November 25) published in the Sydney Morning Herald by columnist Richard Ackland 'Nugyen Affair Inspires Hasty Sidestepping' http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/nguyen-affair-inspires-hasty-sidestepping/2005/11/24/1132703312582.html
Then there was this from the Singapore High Commissioner HE Joseph Koh which appeared in The Age Newspaper on November 30 'Why Nuguyen Must Die' http://www.theage.com.au/news/opinion/why-nguyen-must-die/2005/11/29/1133026469782.html
This contrasted sharply with the views of Melbourne writer Barbara Curzon-Siggers on the same date, 'I Beseech you, Mr. Lee, Think it Possible You are Mistaken'
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