Please bear with me, as, quite aside from the oddness (regular readers may find) of my defending such a fraught part of the American Constitution, how I even 'get there' may seem just as peculiar...as in completely unexpected...in a post - of two halves - upon the ins and outs of well-publicized car incidents of late...: the second (a much less 'heavy', but serious nonetheless) take upon the antics of a certain royal prone to mischief - if not mayhem - upon the United Kingdom's roads, its 'avenues and alleyways' as the great 'ole song used to say; the first a readymade-for-TV item viewed upon both main NZ television news broadcasts last night, and annoyingly, inaccessible for 'googling' c/o either 'car incident USA' or 'car chase USA', but c'est la vie, such is life as they say...
So all I can say, to outline said TV 'item' (for those unaware thereof), is that the American videotaped 'carnapping' basically depicted a dude atop someone's car being driven - presumably, at reasonable speed - down some American highway/freeway...hanging on for dear life (to the (front) bonnet)...but eventually becoming known to nearby vehicles passing hither and yon...and at some point being 'con-fronted' from an adjacent auto's upstanding cum gun-toting occupant...and then at some further moment in time the scene being subsumed by the arrival of the cops and due apprehension of those involved...before any subsequent charges may well have been laid...
Alright, already! But, accepting that I was unable to take in all the item comprehended (in the quick-fire presentation on both our major evening TV bulletins) and - as previously mentioned - have been unable to access anything more thereabouts...let me simply say that my reason for even 'going there' was a small comment voiced at the very end (on TV1) by the longtime and well-respected, 'even-steven' main co-host/presenter Simon Dallow...who apparently 'just had to' get a word in edgewise - giving us a view of his own personal take upon proceedings...
Regular readers (of this, and my other blogsite) also being well acquainted with my own view of newscasters 'worming their way into' what ought to be - and historically ever was - 'objective journalism', let's park that for the present...and focus in upon my - and perhaps many others' - view
of what Mr Dallow had to say...if they'd also had the opportunity to view proceedings...
After informing us that the two men (the car occupant effectively 'carnapping' and grossly endangering his rooftop 'passenger', and that 'carnapped' fellow himself) were - due to the complex, convoluted elements involved in the sad and sorry tale - duly apprehended and taken in for questioning by the police, but - apparently incomprehensibly as Dallow's tones declared in no uncertain terms - 'the man with the gun' was not. "Only in America" he sighed in conclusion.
Now I'll speak up for that 'defenceless' dude...in pointed response to Mr Dallow's snide remark. The entire story evidenced better than I've heretofore seen the very reason the man involved should've subsequently been hailed as a hero down the very lengths and breadths of Mainsville, U. S. A. If ever there were a case study of the right and proper use of a handgun - i.e. to confront and save the threatened life (and limb) of an endangered fellow citizen, this was it... indeed what better instance could be given???
So far from being likewise apprehended, arrested and charged/convicted/sentenced/ imprisoned (and all the rest) for his involvement in this fraught scenario...said dude rather oughta've been feted from coast to coast...'[given] a medal as well as something to pin it on' (not to be too facetious)...
Part Two (tomorrow): - 'Tut-tut for a rather naughty fellow'
Much as it's little short of *............ to castigate or criticize a person for an act of unexampled, exemplary heroism and bravery - or to **[compliment] them [lightly] thereabouts - the Good Book deplores the act of 'striking a prince for his integrity or righteousness'...which seems intrinsically a crime against all that is right and proper...
...much less appear to effectively accuse them of 'high crimes and misdemeanours'...
...let me also - ever so respectfully - suggest that to lavish praise upon someone who's only been 'wise after the fact', who's been caught with his trousers down, so to speak, and is now full of regrets and remorse because, like the proverbial bear with its mitts in the cookie jar, he's been caught red-handed, 'in the very act', is equally absurd, inexplicable and inappropriate...not to mention really bad form (and far worse things besides, if I could only think of what these are!)
And so Prince Philip has been duly chastised for having the 'courage' - after 'being dragged pulling and screaming' by one and all - to, finally, after strident criticism by the accusatory party over a number of days, actually apologize to said woman. For some inadvertent trifle or other alleged indiscretion or impropriety or misconstrued word or turn of phrase?
No, not at all, but for causing her (and associated car passengers) some 'grievous bodily harm' (as they term things here in God's Own)...where said royal seemed to have been clearly, even incontrovertibly, the very one most (or even solely) at fault...
And not only has he, much like President Bill Clinton in his own heyday of diversion and distraction, and - when all else had well and truly failed - duck-shoving, splitting straws and even outright denial, been 'remorseful'/shown suitable 'remorse' long after the fact, when he virtually had no alternative (and otherwise would've been rightly regarded as a fuddy-duddy totally out of touch with all reality, let alone a bit of a bad, unsavoury character)...
...the media - and indeed the (one outspoken) victim herself - seems to have instantly accepted such apology and simply rolled over as if all's right with the world again...
Not to detract from this lady's welcome willingness to bury the hatchet, 'kiss and make up', and let bygones be bygones etcetera - which in this day and age of bitter invective and nastiness and 'going viral' over this, that and the next...often/usually quite inconsequential trivia and stupidity even...is surely a good and praiseworthy thing...
Guess what? Prince Philip's been readily back to his old tricks, evidently, not only driving without a seatbelt, but driving erratically and negligently and semi-dangerously...thankfully 'caught upon camera' for so doing...-ah, the benefits of modern technology! - and we've also been shown graphic footage of something similar that occurred literally decades ago...
Time for a regular checkup, an eye-test, prosecution for incontrovertibly failing to wear a seatbelt time and time again - and in the process not only causing injury but potentially endangering life and limb of all and sundry -...and moreover for signally failing to learn his lesson and buck up his ideas and decisively change his errant ways?
Not on yer nelly! Rather (the response has been): "Tut-tut, old chap...don't let us catch you again...or, next time, there'll be real consequences aplenty..."
Like a damned good scourging with ye proverbial thoroughly drenched and saturated bus ticket, one imagines...and then some!
*Sadly, the brain cells need recharging this early (NZ time) morn, but I'll do the best I can...
**Likewise, the famous 'ole saying is, as they say, right there 'on the [very] tip of my tongue'.
***Credit to Vanity Fair's website for all the ins and outs of this right royal saga of sorts...
So all I can say, to outline said TV 'item' (for those unaware thereof), is that the American videotaped 'carnapping' basically depicted a dude atop someone's car being driven - presumably, at reasonable speed - down some American highway/freeway...hanging on for dear life (to the (front) bonnet)...but eventually becoming known to nearby vehicles passing hither and yon...and at some point being 'con-fronted' from an adjacent auto's upstanding cum gun-toting occupant...and then at some further moment in time the scene being subsumed by the arrival of the cops and due apprehension of those involved...before any subsequent charges may well have been laid...
Alright, already! But, accepting that I was unable to take in all the item comprehended (in the quick-fire presentation on both our major evening TV bulletins) and - as previously mentioned - have been unable to access anything more thereabouts...let me simply say that my reason for even 'going there' was a small comment voiced at the very end (on TV1) by the longtime and well-respected, 'even-steven' main co-host/presenter Simon Dallow...who apparently 'just had to' get a word in edgewise - giving us a view of his own personal take upon proceedings...
Regular readers (of this, and my other blogsite) also being well acquainted with my own view of newscasters 'worming their way into' what ought to be - and historically ever was - 'objective journalism', let's park that for the present...and focus in upon my - and perhaps many others' - view
of what Mr Dallow had to say...if they'd also had the opportunity to view proceedings...
After informing us that the two men (the car occupant effectively 'carnapping' and grossly endangering his rooftop 'passenger', and that 'carnapped' fellow himself) were - due to the complex, convoluted elements involved in the sad and sorry tale - duly apprehended and taken in for questioning by the police, but - apparently incomprehensibly as Dallow's tones declared in no uncertain terms - 'the man with the gun' was not. "Only in America" he sighed in conclusion.
Now I'll speak up for that 'defenceless' dude...in pointed response to Mr Dallow's snide remark. The entire story evidenced better than I've heretofore seen the very reason the man involved should've subsequently been hailed as a hero down the very lengths and breadths of Mainsville, U. S. A. If ever there were a case study of the right and proper use of a handgun - i.e. to confront and save the threatened life (and limb) of an endangered fellow citizen, this was it... indeed what better instance could be given???
So far from being likewise apprehended, arrested and charged/convicted/sentenced/ imprisoned (and all the rest) for his involvement in this fraught scenario...said dude rather oughta've been feted from coast to coast...'[given] a medal as well as something to pin it on' (not to be too facetious)...
Part Two (tomorrow): - 'Tut-tut for a rather naughty fellow'
Much as it's little short of *............ to castigate or criticize a person for an act of unexampled, exemplary heroism and bravery - or to **[compliment] them [lightly] thereabouts - the Good Book deplores the act of 'striking a prince for his integrity or righteousness'...which seems intrinsically a crime against all that is right and proper...
...much less appear to effectively accuse them of 'high crimes and misdemeanours'...
...let me also - ever so respectfully - suggest that to lavish praise upon someone who's only been 'wise after the fact', who's been caught with his trousers down, so to speak, and is now full of regrets and remorse because, like the proverbial bear with its mitts in the cookie jar, he's been caught red-handed, 'in the very act', is equally absurd, inexplicable and inappropriate...not to mention really bad form (and far worse things besides, if I could only think of what these are!)
And so Prince Philip has been duly chastised for having the 'courage' - after 'being dragged pulling and screaming' by one and all - to, finally, after strident criticism by the accusatory party over a number of days, actually apologize to said woman. For some inadvertent trifle or other alleged indiscretion or impropriety or misconstrued word or turn of phrase?
No, not at all, but for causing her (and associated car passengers) some 'grievous bodily harm' (as they term things here in God's Own)...where said royal seemed to have been clearly, even incontrovertibly, the very one most (or even solely) at fault...
And not only has he, much like President Bill Clinton in his own heyday of diversion and distraction, and - when all else had well and truly failed - duck-shoving, splitting straws and even outright denial, been 'remorseful'/shown suitable 'remorse' long after the fact, when he virtually had no alternative (and otherwise would've been rightly regarded as a fuddy-duddy totally out of touch with all reality, let alone a bit of a bad, unsavoury character)...
...the media - and indeed the (one outspoken) victim herself - seems to have instantly accepted such apology and simply rolled over as if all's right with the world again...
Not to detract from this lady's welcome willingness to bury the hatchet, 'kiss and make up', and let bygones be bygones etcetera - which in this day and age of bitter invective and nastiness and 'going viral' over this, that and the next...often/usually quite inconsequential trivia and stupidity even...is surely a good and praiseworthy thing...
Guess what? Prince Philip's been readily back to his old tricks, evidently, not only driving without a seatbelt, but driving erratically and negligently and semi-dangerously...thankfully 'caught upon camera' for so doing...-ah, the benefits of modern technology! - and we've also been shown graphic footage of something similar that occurred literally decades ago...
Time for a regular checkup, an eye-test, prosecution for incontrovertibly failing to wear a seatbelt time and time again - and in the process not only causing injury but potentially endangering life and limb of all and sundry -...and moreover for signally failing to learn his lesson and buck up his ideas and decisively change his errant ways?
Not on yer nelly! Rather (the response has been): "Tut-tut, old chap...don't let us catch you again...or, next time, there'll be real consequences aplenty..."
Like a damned good scourging with ye proverbial thoroughly drenched and saturated bus ticket, one imagines...and then some!
*Sadly, the brain cells need recharging this early (NZ time) morn, but I'll do the best I can...
**Likewise, the famous 'ole saying is, as they say, right there 'on the [very] tip of my tongue'.
***Credit to Vanity Fair's website for all the ins and outs of this right royal saga of sorts...
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