The Bettina Arndt Controversy By Mrs Vera West

     Bettina is a wonderful warm person, at least that is my impression from seeing her speak many times over the years, at least when I was mobile, and she has done much to defend men. But then, there is this controversy:
  https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2020/02/25/bettina-arndt-australia-day-honour/

“Parliament has voted to strip Bettina Arndt of her Order of Australia honour over her calls for police to keep an open mind on whether Brisbane killer Rowan Baxter had been “driven too far” before he doused his wife and three children in petrol and murdered them.

Bettina Arndt@thebettinaarndt

Congratulations to the Queensland police for keeping an open mind and awaiting proper evidence, including the possibility that Rowan Baxter might have been “driven too far.” But note the misplaced outrage. How dare police deviate from the feminist script of seeking excuses...

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9:10 AM - Feb 21, 2020
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But the motion is largely symbolic with the decision now resting with an independent board that will review the matter, as revealed by The New Daily on Monday. The vote on the motion mentioned was backed by the Coalition and the Labor Party in the Senate, securing an emphatic 55 votes. It follows several days of Liberal MPs coming out to condemn Ms Arndt’s remarks. My letter to the Chairman of the Council of the Order of Australia Shane Stone. Ms Bettina Arndt’s award as a Member of the Order of Australia in the General Division should be cancelled. The motion noted that these statements of Ms Arndt “has the potential to bring the Order of Australia, instituted by Her Majesty The Queen, into disrepute.” “Order of Australia awards are a privilege and an honour and come with responsibilities,” it states. “Ms Arndt’s comments are reckless and abhorrent. The values that underpin Ms Arndt’s views on this horrific family violence incident are not consistent with her retaining her Order of Australia.

     People need to “chill out.” It was a mistake to use the phrase “driven too far,” since what happened with the burning of the children was simply horrific. Still, it was fair to insist on a neutral police investigation, since in principle there could be various factors at play, such as acting under the influence of drugs, or mental illness. Justice needs to be done, and seen to be done, and there is no place for emotionalism in criminal investigation. We will not know what fully happened without an appropriate investigation. If Bettina had been more careful in her comments, it would not have blown up into a storm. Finally, as inappropriate as the phrase was, it seems excessive to strip her of the award, making the issue one of political correctness.  I for one, wept with sorrow when hearing of the children being burnt to death. I trust that they are in Heaven now with Jesus, a much better place than here.