- Directions to Move on
More than a dozen years ago when I figured I wasn't quite busy enough working full time and raising a nearly woman, all the while earning about 2/3 of the money filling the pockets of Sign Swizzlers at road works - yeh I made that statistic up but I bet it's close, I took on the role of creating the school year book. Mostly this publication was, a memento for the seniors finishing up their secondary education.
My editorial was about INTEGRITY.
This wonderful group of nearly adults had endured 5 years of me banging on about THINKING FOR THEMSELVES.
I have spent more than 30 years encouraging and cajoling young people to question everything, to gather up facts by sifting through media bullshit and semantics and the bombastic delivery of crap from bullies and liars. It has always been more important for me to get kids to THINK than to RECALL facts, cos clearly being able to work things out for themselves was gonna be far more useful in the long run than remembering the date of some battle in some war or the formula for working out the volume of a non existent 4 dimensional figure.
This educational pedagogy has not always been greeted with joy because I suppose too many people find it a little scary or intimidating to think that folk will question and think and not blindly follow along and do as they are told.
Yep INTEGRITY is what I value more than anything else.
The ability to think rationally and reasonably and gather info and work things out and develop a personal belief, and then have the strength to stand up for what you believe - that's INTEGRITY.
Ability and Strength.
I very much doubt any of my success stories are employed by Georgiou Group or indeed the Gold Coast Police.
And shit, there it is, a swipe at the police that, all my life I never thought I would make. I have been their staunchest supporter, never tolerating the kids' slagging off about Police brutality or how they might be Police targets. I have always said I bet that people who whinge loudest about coppers would be the very first ones to call 'em for help if help was needed. I have had local coppers in to chat to kids and have presented 'em as people to be trusted and admired.
And now I am wondering about all that.
I am wondering because, without evidence or indeed any logical rational explanation I have had 2 weeks of coppers acting on the lies and bullshit of people who have everything to gain by getting the police to shut me down, no evidence just bullshit.
I have been grabbed and woman handled and threatened and abused and finally arrested and locked in the back of a police car and then remarkably UNARRESTED.
Last night there was a big disturbance in the park. About 20-30 kids all drinking and playing music and chucking stuff around. Perhaps ordinarily I might have rung the police.
But not anymore.
I know there is a file on me about Move On orders and perimetres and I suppose my arrest details too. So how do you think Police are gonna react when I give my name and details, or if they ever pull me over for an RBT? Especially when it appears they ask rational reasonable questions last, if indeed at all.
I am a law abiding woman, but the police will be I am sure, happy if I live the rest of my life in fear of them and their almighty power.
But instead I am now learning about MOVE ON directions
Directions to Move on
Directions to move on (see sections 44-48 of the Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000)
It does go on a bit, surprise surprise.
I am heartened to see the word REASONABLE repeated in this info. Although that does presuppose the ability to think and sift through bullshit.
Twice now I have been given a MOVE ON DIRECTION.
Apparently my right of peaceful assembly was interfering with public safety or public order or the rights and freedoms of others.
It could be REASONABLE to think that the thin strap on my dress could have snapped and in the millisecond it would have taken to cover up whatever breast was exposed, I suppose someone could have been forced to throw up in disgust and then I suppose one of the sign swizzlers could slip over in the spew and go out on a compo claim for back pain for the next dozen years. Or maybe the very sight of a partially exposed old woman titty could render someone blind, especially if we are living in Old Testament times. Yep that would interfere with the safety of others - 'Others' being road workers at 3.30 AM.
Or maybe I could have used my Smart Phone as a weapon? Is there an APP for that?
Perhaps the Police could REASONABLY think that I would just chuck my smart phone at someone, because of course it'd be reasonable to think that a 57 Year old woman would be able to hurl a little something over say 7 or 8 metres, with accuracy and sufficient force to critically injure someone, and she could manage this in the semi-dark at again, 3.30 AM. Or maybe better than my phone, maybe they reasonably thought I could do appalling damage chucking my thong, or be still my heart, BOTH of 'em!
Yeh I can't see this as REASONABLE either, unless it has appeared in some cartoon featuring geriatric superheros.
Further on in the document that is easily found if you have a truly empty few minutes that need filling, it says that the Police can issue a MOVE ON DIRECTION if they reasonably assume that prostitution is the intent of the perp. And perhaps this is where they were hanging their hats, cos I had nothing on me except a slip of fabric. Yeh I was a picture of slutty elegance, what with my bed hair and still intact gum shield that I wear to protect my teeth from undue teeth gnashing during times of stress. I suppose there is just no account for what some folk find sexy.
Or maybe it was all just a power rush.
A person in a uniform with a gun and a tazer and a microphone for calling backup, times 2, up against an unarmed sick fat old woman, clearly right out of bed who it would reasonable to assume would be much happier at home in bed asleep, but for the fucking noise!
Yeh I can just see police sitting around the coffee pot, chowing on some donuts ( American TV tragic I know), bragging about strong arming an old woman or arresting an old woman for standing on the footpath.
How proud they must be.
This would be my definition of a hollow victory, but then I am a teacher, not a copper.
The term 'move on direction' means a direction given under the provisions of s. 48 of the Police Powers and Responsibilities Act 2000 (the Act). A move on direction is any direction which is reasonable in the circumstances but which does not interfere with a person's right of peaceful assembly, unless such interference is reasonably necessary in the interests of:
(i) public safety;(ii) public order; or(iii) the protection of the rights and freedoms of other persons (see s. 48 of the Act).
It does go on a bit, surprise surprise.
I am heartened to see the word REASONABLE repeated in this info. Although that does presuppose the ability to think and sift through bullshit.
Twice now I have been given a MOVE ON DIRECTION.
Apparently my right of peaceful assembly was interfering with public safety or public order or the rights and freedoms of others.
It could be REASONABLE to think that the thin strap on my dress could have snapped and in the millisecond it would have taken to cover up whatever breast was exposed, I suppose someone could have been forced to throw up in disgust and then I suppose one of the sign swizzlers could slip over in the spew and go out on a compo claim for back pain for the next dozen years. Or maybe the very sight of a partially exposed old woman titty could render someone blind, especially if we are living in Old Testament times. Yep that would interfere with the safety of others - 'Others' being road workers at 3.30 AM.
Or maybe I could have used my Smart Phone as a weapon? Is there an APP for that?
Perhaps the Police could REASONABLY think that I would just chuck my smart phone at someone, because of course it'd be reasonable to think that a 57 Year old woman would be able to hurl a little something over say 7 or 8 metres, with accuracy and sufficient force to critically injure someone, and she could manage this in the semi-dark at again, 3.30 AM. Or maybe better than my phone, maybe they reasonably thought I could do appalling damage chucking my thong, or be still my heart, BOTH of 'em!
Yeh I can't see this as REASONABLE either, unless it has appeared in some cartoon featuring geriatric superheros.
Further on in the document that is easily found if you have a truly empty few minutes that need filling, it says that the Police can issue a MOVE ON DIRECTION if they reasonably assume that prostitution is the intent of the perp. And perhaps this is where they were hanging their hats, cos I had nothing on me except a slip of fabric. Yeh I was a picture of slutty elegance, what with my bed hair and still intact gum shield that I wear to protect my teeth from undue teeth gnashing during times of stress. I suppose there is just no account for what some folk find sexy.
Or maybe it was all just a power rush.
A person in a uniform with a gun and a tazer and a microphone for calling backup, times 2, up against an unarmed sick fat old woman, clearly right out of bed who it would reasonable to assume would be much happier at home in bed asleep, but for the fucking noise!
Yeh I can just see police sitting around the coffee pot, chowing on some donuts ( American TV tragic I know), bragging about strong arming an old woman or arresting an old woman for standing on the footpath.
How proud they must be.
This would be my definition of a hollow victory, but then I am a teacher, not a copper.
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