Man I feel like a Liberal - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

CaptainCrunch · 08-23-2005, 01:23 PM

I read the Sun this morning on my way into work and read the coverage of Karla Homolka's latest adventures. Then the alarm bells in the back of my head rang, and I tossed off a letter to the editors. I feel so dirty about coming into any argument on the side of Karla Homolka.

Uggh

Anyways, here's the letter

Re: Boss says Karla broke the rules in your August 23rd issue of the Calgary Sun rang some serious alarm bells for me. Not based in the supposition that Karla broke the rules, and god knows I’m not willing to stick my neck out for her in any way. What raised the alarm bells for me is that the Sun which usually shows good sense as far as backing up their stories seems to have slid off of the tracks on this one. Basically I have to wonder where the fact checking is in this case? Your basing your entire story on the word of one individual who seems to have provided Homolka with free room and board, and a job. Was there an ulterior motive for Mr. Lapointe, was he jilted somewhere along the line? Has anyone else heard or seen Homolka act in this manner? It seems that the Sun’s rush to get this story out made it seem more sensationalized then fact based. Again I’m not here to back up a notorious killer like Karla Homolka, but even she has the right to some kind of due process. In a court of law Mr. Lapointe’s rehashing of statements made by Homolka would be hearsay at best. Come on gentlemen, if we’re going to find a reason to rescind Karla Homolka’s parole lets at least due it based on verifiable facts and not conjecture. To say that I’m a little less then impressed by the Sun’s rush for a sensationalist national enquirer type of story is an understatement. Even a criminal is due fair and balanced reporting.

Mike F · 08-23-2005, 01:32 PM

In case anyone else is like me and hadn't heard the allegations made in the Sun article that CC is responding to, here's an article from the post.

One excerpt that seems to back up CC's stance:

"Richer Lapointe, 39, also told the Toronto Sun newspaper that he suspects Homolka has been associating with convicted criminals, including 'boyfriend' Jean-Paul Gerbet, which would also be a violation of her release conditions."

"Correctional Service Canada, however, insisted Tuesday it's impossible Homolka could have had contact with Gerbet, who's currently serving time in a Laval prison."

CaptainCrunch · 08-23-2005, 01:33 PM

Sorry guess I could have posted the link

jam26 · 08-23-2005, 01:40 PM

I had the same thoughts when I read that article. Not sure this guy has any credibility.

FireFly · 08-23-2005, 01:55 PM

That's how I feel... they're using her as a get rich quick scheme.

What about the owner of the cafe who didn't even realize it was her? Said she's just like any other customer... That doesn't make the news though, people don't want to hear she's adjusting well.

AaronSJ · 08-23-2005, 02:22 PM

Southern Ontario has a very sick obsession with Karla, IMO. Anything about her is news, and that's why the Sun will resort to a story such as this... and it works for them -- it's huge news today in the GTA.

I'm not excusing her -- but whether we like it or not, she has served her sentence. There are plenty of more violent, ex-cons roaming the streets that the Sun could investigate -- maybe they could even stop some of the gun violence in Toronto.

But Karla sells... even if it's 11 pages on heresay.

metallicat · 08-23-2005, 03:27 PM

She served a complete bullshinguard sentence. She ratted on her husband/killing partner, and got a sweetheart deal...and then enough evidence was found to put her away for life as well. I hope she gets hounded by the media so much that she can't put up with it anymore and...well I'll just stop there.

Hindmarch's Knees · 08-23-2005, 03:28 PM

It's the Sun....it's their job to sensationalize. Personally, I only believe 6% of what I (very seldomly) read in that tabloid.

peter12 · 08-23-2005, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by oilers_fan@Aug 23 2005, 03:27 PM
She served a complete bullshinguard sentence. She ratted on her husband/killing partner, and got a sweetheart deal...and then enough evidence was found to put her away for life as well. I hope she gets hounded by the media so much that she can't put up with it anymore and...well I'll just stop there.

I agree. Anything that makes her life more difficult is fine by me.

FireFly · 08-23-2005, 03:58 PM

And what if she takes the bullying, and does what the kid in Taber did? Cause that's what it is. I'm not saying she doesn't deserve to be hounded, but we can't teach our kids not to bully, and then go out and bully someone else.

Reminds me of what's going on on the picket line. I'm not highsticking you, people are bringing their kids to picket and yell names. What does that teach the kids? If Jason Lang's father can forgive the Taber killer, why can't we forgive Karla?

metallicat · 08-23-2005, 04:32 PM

Put it this way, Karla is a prime example of why I wish I could carry a concealed firearm in Canada. If she was to come at me aggresively because I heckeled her for being a murderous bitch, I wouldn't think twice about putting a stop to her. She sickens me.

CaptainCrunch · 08-23-2005, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by oilers_fan@Aug 23 2005, 10:32 PM
Put it this way, Karla is a prime example of why I wish I could carry a concealed firearm in Canada. If she was to come at me aggresively because I heckeled her for being a murderous bitch, I wouldn't think twice about putting a stop to her. She sickens me.

playing devils advocate here.

1) Vigilante justice is just as bad as the crime committed by the criminal, if you make an assumption of guilt justice will never be served. I'm a big proponent of the death penalty, whoever only after there is no doubt that the criminal did it and thier appeals process has run out. I'd never want to see the average citizen running around with the ability to blow people away. Its what seperates us from the apes.

2) We're making an assumption of guilt based around hearsay and what could very well be bad reporting. What if Homolka (god I can't believe I'm saying this) is actually trying to turn it around, she's served the sentence handed to her (we can all blame the incompetance of the police, and the crown, and the shiftyness of her lawyer) but because she's served her time, she does have a certain right to live her life as long as it dosen't go against her parole conditions, and a private citizen or a newspaper shouldn't really be the judge of whether or not she's living up to her requirements, thats up to her parole officer and the police and the crown.

God somebody stop me.

CaptainCrunch · 08-23-2005, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by oilers_fan@Aug 23 2005, 09:27 PM
She served a complete bullshinguard sentence. She ratted on her husband/killing partner, and got a sweetheart deal...and then enough evidence was found to put her away for life as well. I hope she gets hounded by the media so much that she can't put up with it anymore and...well I'll just stop there.

Not really up to you to prounounce a sentence after the fact, there's more to her sentence and what she did to get away with it then meets the eyes. We should be just as angry at the incompentance of the investigation, the laziness of the crown, and the un ethical behaviour of her lawyer

God I suck

Winsor_Pilates · 08-23-2005, 05:35 PM

I always knew CC was a closet Liberal. :P JK

Good thread. I agree on your take of the story.
Personally, it's not her being harassed that bothers me, but simply the poor journalism.

And as for the cafe worker not recognizing her, I don't I would either. She looks very different in those pics.

Resolute 14 · 08-23-2005, 05:35 PM

The only alarm bells that rang for me was that you actually thought the Sun had good sense. While I wont actually state the Sun (in particular, it's headline writers) outright lie, they have a history of stretching the truth right to the edge of believability. This story strikes me as exactly what the Sun is known to do.

Agamemnon · 08-23-2005, 06:07 PM

The Sun has decent sports coverage, the rest is terrible.

RougeUnderoos · 08-23-2005, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by oilers_fan@Aug 23 2005, 04:32 PM
Put it this way, Karla is a prime example of why I wish I could carry a concealed firearm in Canada. If she was to come at me aggresively because I heckeled her for being a murderous bitch, I wouldn't think twice about putting a stop to her. She sickens me.

Put it this way, you are a prime example of why you shouldn't be allowed to carry a concealed weapon in Canada.

I wonder how many other people have these fantastic Hollywood revenge scenarios cooked up in their head and would act on them if they had a pistol in their pocket? Too many I'm sure.

Anyhow, the Sun is pretty much a useless newspaper IMO. All sorts of sensationalist crap, especially the headlines, and very little substance. It takes about 10 minutes to read it cover to cover.

CaptainCrunch · 08-23-2005, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RougeUnderoos+Aug 24 2005, 12:16 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (RougeUnderoos @ Aug 24 2005, 12:16 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-oilers_fan@Aug 23 2005, 04:32 PM
Put it this way, Karla is a prime example of why I wish I could carry a concealed firearm in Canada. If she was to come at me aggresively because I heckeled her for being a murderous bitch, I wouldn't think twice about putting a stop to her. She sickens me.

Put it this way, you are a prime example of why you shouldn't be allowed to carry a concealed weapon in Canada.

I wonder how many other people have these fantastic Hollywood revenge scenarios cooked up in their head and would act on them if they had a pistol in their pocket? Too many I'm sure.

Anyhow, the Sun is pretty much a useless newspaper IMO. All sorts of sensationalist crap, especially the headlines, and very little substance. It takes about 10 minutes to read it cover to cover. [/b][/quote]
I always chuckle at people with these overblown revenge scenario's, you know "If I had a gun that sum bitch would die" type of thing.

Its easy to talk about, its entirely different when your staring down the sight of a pistol, or worse yet rifle. Seeing a person thats possibly staring at death is not pretty, most people don't beg, or cry, they freeze, thier eyes go big, and they start to sweat, and maybe shake a little bit, and thier eyes either lock with yours, or stare at your trigger finger. Its not like Hollywood at all, most people don't beg for thier life, or for mercy, it looks like the world slows right down to them.

I've seen it twice, and its always the same. Its probably easier to pop someone thats a few hundred yards away and not recognizable as human, but up close and personal, when your life isn't really threatened, a lot of things go through your head.

Just my two cents

Looger · 08-23-2005, 07:11 PM

yep, another case of message board bravery.

to the topic, the sun is at times quite the tabloid. the vancouver sun is positively british in the way it sensationalizes. calgary is actually quite lucky in western canada as its sun isn't nearly as bad.

homolka is not on my christmas card list but she has paid her (low) debt to the government of canada, and if the people felt strongly enough aboot it, they'd vote for change.

Shazam · 08-23-2005, 08:54 PM

Wow.

Karla Holmolka is pure evil. Don't ever forget that. She killed, among others, her own sister, after she drugged her, licked her ***** on camera and then let Paul Bernardo have her way with her.

One of her victims was cut into pieces. Those pieces were then placed into cement and dropped into a lake.

There's nothing on this earth that will make me sympathize for her. There's nothing that a newspaper can do that will make me feel any sort of remorse for her.