Klein pie-thrower gets jail time

maplesyrup · September 22, 2004

I'm glad you understand. Stop whining or you will be accused of being left wing.

The Terrible Sweal · September 22, 2004

Blah blah blah blah.

A pie in the face is a test of a politician's character. Frankly, with the abuse that elected 'leaders' dish up for the citizenry, I just can't feel that a good pie in the face is such a terrible thing. Sorry, I guess that makes me a communist. :lol: They were such jokesters!

Cartman · September 23, 2004

As we get caught up in debating whether a pie in the face = 30 days in jail, we are neglecting the real issues here IMO.

#1. Security. Klein's security deserves some punishment here as well. Unforunately, it is becoming apparent that Canadian politicians need more protection. Why? Is it because there are more deranged people obsessed with politicians and power or is it because politicians whimsically avoid and disregard large sectors of their electorate?

#2. Forums for discontent. IMO, politicians at all levels seem more and more distant from average people and I don't care whether they are NDP, Con, or Lib or live in Edmonton, Victoria or Ottawa. Political stripe and proximity does not mean better representation. By law, politicians should be forced to hold press conferences and ordinary people should be able to voice their discontent in a secure and polite but public manner.

#3. Motive. Why did this person do this? Was the person simply irrational? Was it necessarily someone from the left as has been intimated above because I do not believe as much? Was it a hooligan? Perhaps this person was bitterly frustrated with government policies and felt alienated.

All I am saying is that there is a larger problem when Canadian politicians require a militia to go out in public. As it is, governments and politicians have a significant impact on our lives and I think we need to make them ALL more accountable. Imagine what would happen if the media made politicians as accountable to the masses as are Hollywood celebrities and NHL hockey players.

takeanumber · September 24, 2004

I've been saying all along there's a problem with the public-party-leader interface, but nobody seems to agree with me.

I wouldn't equate pie chucking with the Left. I think Leftists are just like Rightists: there are good people and bad people at either end of the scale.

Just because we're glad it was a pie and not bullet doesn't make the pie any more 'right'. Just because a politician hurls abuse at his public (or minorities) doesn't give somebody carte blanche to take him out if there are democratic means available.

Anyway: 30 days was too little. I think maybe 90 served on the weekends, and 1000 hours of community service would be about right. But meh, it's subjective. I wouldn't want to ruin his life over it, but I certainly wouldn't want people copying his acts.

JWayne625 · September 26, 2004

Pie thrower get 30 days in jail, but we send sex offenders home on house arrest. Yep that makes sense, especially in warped Canada. We promote a game that encourages the assaulting of other's on the ice, but off the ice it's called what it is, assault, and is subject to Criminal Charges. Bertuzzi was an exception since he could have killed his unsuspecting opponent, but assaults occur every day while playing this supposed game, and if anything it is encouraged by the other's on their team, and by the fans. Many today don't consider that they have watched a good game of hockey unless someone get's pulverized.

We try to teach our children in the school yard that hitting other's or bullying them in not acceptable, yet when we put skates and a uniform on them and call it hockey is is somehow okay to deliberately hurt another individual. Make sense, or does it? It surely doesn't to me.