The Owen Glenn Inquiry is a mess. It appears to have been dogged firstly by internal conflict, which didn't surprise, and then by the revelations of a "physical abuse" charge against a woman (in another country, 11 years ago), which Glenn denies.
But it strikes me that regardless of whether the charge was based on a genuine incident or not, there have been numerous men involved in the White Ribbon campaign who admitted to violence in their past. And media have actually put these characters on a pedestal. They call them role models and agents of change. So if there were any truth to the charge it shouldn't exempt Glenn from proceeding. If there is no truth, he needs to provide a full explanation of what occurred. That's the downside of courting widespread public approval.
Calls for the name of the inquiry to be changed are little more than clutching at straws. If the media is as hostile to Glenn as he believes, whenever they write about the inquiry they will simply add, "formerly known as the Owen Glenn inquiry".
In hindsight, though it should have been obvious from the outset, it would have been better if Mr Glenn hadn't launched his inquiry with such fanfare, but had set up a low key behind-the-scenes operation. Even then, my response to commissions of inquiry irrespective of who funds them is the same. They are superfluous. The causes of abuse, particularly against children, are already known.
I wasn't excited about the establishment of this inquiry and I'm not excited about the prospect of its demise. In a fascinating way this debacle appears to have been driven by some of the same aspects of human nature that feature in domestic abuse. Desire for control, ego, and revenge.
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6 comments:
The inquiry - a generally free and frank inquiry - would be a great thing for NZ. Of course the collection of communists on Glenn's panel would never see the truth: that "family violence" is caused by communism and enabled to continue by communism.
Abolishing communism in NZ - particularly the dole, DPB, super, and govt schools & hospitals - would end "family violence" overnight
"The causes of abuse, particularly against children, are already known."
Agreed, and this inquiry will do nothing to help things. It's a waste of time.
Obviously, Mr Glenn has money to burn (waste).
I doubt that Glenn will give any more money to New Zealand.
Would you after all the vilification.
I have heard that there is a campaign to change the name of the Auckland Business School building bearing his name.
The one that at the opening Helen Clark behaved disgracefully - remember the picture of her shunning him.
His heart is in the right place.
This man is trying to give away up to $80 million dollars to help stop NZers smash in the skulls of their kids and their partners. Please let him do so NZ....
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