HEAR YE HEAR YE: DID STEVE UNTHANK'S LEGAL ACTION CAUSE MORE THAN A RIPPLE?

by steve2 10 Replies latest jw friends

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  steve2

  Hear ye, hear ye, there's not much to report....

  A few weeks ago, we were alerted on this forum to Australian ex-JW Mr Steve Unthank's pending legal proceedings against the Watchtower Society on the grounds that the Society - alone among organized religious groups - had refused to comply with the state of Victoria's 2007 legislation requiring all those who work with children to undergo police checks. Those of us who read more widely noticed the inflammatory religiosity of the edict Mr Unthank furnished for the court's pleasure. In trumped up language befitting someone who seemed to think he was destined for an important role in the scheme of things, Mr Unthank demanded that the Watchtower Society apologize - and the wording suggested he expected the Society would indeed be orderedvia the court to apologize to a worldwide audience. The Watchtower would - yawn - be brought to its knees. A terribly forceful justice would be unleashed...all from little old Victoria, Australia. One can almost hear the Watchtower lawyers losing perhaps a nanosecond of sleep...and then crashing into deep and peaceful sleep.

  Expectedly, the media would have viewed Mr Unthanks edict as looking suspiciously like the product of an óbsessive mind itching to plunge in the first knife. Yet, the state of Victoria itself was not interested in taking any action against the Watchtower Society, despite the legislation coming up to its 4th birthday. Some elsewould have to stir the black pot. Of course, with a wide range of views doing the rounds, including apathy, Mr Unthanks was certain to get a few supportive quotes from sundry politicians and others expressing hardly surprising anti-JW sentiments. Every field has its dandelions there for the picking. Mr Unthank certainly capitalized on the limited verbal support, quoting an official here and there as speaking out against the Watchtower Society.That others viewed him as a nuisance got lesser attention, though.

  It all came across as trumped up and desperate. A few posters on this site waxed excited about the pending action. The air was filled yet again with the breathlessness that keeps close company with sensation seeking. In the meantime, the air has left the room seeking the calm light of common sense. And what was reported by the media? Next to nothing in the mainstream media in Australia and zilch elsewhere - apart from a few websites who attract anything anti-JW, sound or otherwise.

  We should stay tuned, though. Pester the press long enough and they will answer the door. Only they may not give you the coverage you have so ached for.
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  Joey Jo-Jo

  Wait what? has media attention have to do with any of this, what happen to the case?
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  Aussie Oz

  Be patient

  the wheels of law and government turn very slowly. very slowly.

  I believe it can be done. My father at over 70 has and is taking on the state government of victoria and a government organization over bullying and discrimination. It has recently involved the ombudsman department taking on the case as the attitude of that organization sees itself above the law regarding discrimination. (somewhat like the JW and the act regarding working with children). That case has taken 5 years to get where it is and the government is still dodging and weaving. Many departments do not want to get involved in either case, but pitbull jaws are needed for a private citizen to win in any fashion.

  Mr unthanks case may take years to get the attention it deserves. some may not like mr unthanks choice of words but he deserves as much support as he can get.

  none of us have the balls to take on the WT do we?

  oz
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  Listener

  Thanks for the update Steve2, I've been following some posts on the topix forum and there is a guy there who posts using the name Ugetthat that makes some unusual claims. He's been accused of being Steven Unthink and that claim seems fairly accurate. This is one of his posts

  "Criminal Charges HAVE been filed in the Victorian Courts. Done this week. Yes they do Work With Children according to Victorian Law. This is not bullcrap as there was a letter read out to all Victorian Congregations February 2010 which told JW's to get the Working With Children Check, but exempted Elders and MS. If you were a Victorian Resident and familiar with Victorian Law and Law Definitions, you would understand. The Department of Justice released the numbers of JW's with the check under the freedom of information law. Only 73. The JW's also have a DUTY OF CARE under Law to make sure all members who need the check, have it. As it now before the Courts, and the Department of Public Prosicution are gavering evidence for their case, there will be very little Media Involvement until arrests are made, which from what Ive been told, very shortly. So keep your uninformed, uneducated comments to yourself. I have nothing to prove to silly people who think its an attack against the JW's, as I am one, and want to protect my 2 children."

  After some questioning he stated that the criminal charges that were filed were done at the Police Station. (You cannot do that in Australia as you can only lodge a claim of criminal activity and hope the police investigate it). On a previous post he also stated that there had been several claims filed in various police stations in Victoria but the reporting system is up the creek so they haven't been able to get a handle on the amount of reports lodged).

  After being questioned as to whether he was Steven Unthink he says he did some research about him and got into contact with him. He said Steven wasn't able to file his case on the date he had anticipated due to there being a long weekend here in Australia and would be filing it this week.

  This Ugetthat claims he is a JW living in Victoria and seems to be a bit wild with his other claims. As you can see above he also claims that there will be arrests made but as far as I am aware there has been no-one arrested for not complying to date and the legislation only applies penalties.
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  Broken Promises

  I think it's all a storm in a teacup.
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  Joey Jo-Jo

  Re-reading my post, thats not I wanted it to sound like, thanks steve2.

  Listener: Maybe Ugetthat can get Mr Unthank on this board.

  OZ: yeah they take forever, but I dont think media attention will speed up the case.
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  Listener

  I'll ask Ugetthat to ask Mr Unthank.
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  Listener

  Ugetthat was very quick to respond. He's been to visit him today and provided his phone number on the public website but I don't like to repeat it here. The link to the thread is

  http://www.topix.com/forum/religion/jehovahs-witness/TB05T06DN42PE1KM2/p4#lastPost

  Post No 74

  I think it is also available on his website www.jwmedia.net

  Ugetthat sounds very enthusiastic and says Steven Unthank told him the case will be filed (stamped) on Wednesday and also says "that the Governing Body, Faithfull and Discrete Slave, Bethel Elders and such will be Indicted. First time ever.'
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  steve2

  none of us have the balls to take on the WT do we?

  That statements a bit of an irrelevance. Who said the goal was to take on the WT? Or who said, of all the possible goals of having a forum for ex-JWs, this was an important goal? By this kind of reasoning, the "prize" goes to the ones who are prepared to name themselves and make the most noise (i.e., to be the most confrontational and inflammatory)? And to what end exactly? Trouble with Mr Unthank is he has so talked up his (intended) legal proceedings that he's on a hiding to disappointment.

  So, a citizen of Australia trumpets about citizens of another country as follows "that the Governing Body, Faithfull and Discrete Slave, Bethel Elders and such will be Indicted. First time ever.' Notice the hubristic, 'first time ever'. Well thank you Mr Unthank for stating so clearly your intention. The state of Victoria has to date shown no motivation to bring proceedings against the WT for what are really trumped up charges. Besides, even if it makes its deadingly slow way through the choked court system, the WT will have its gold-edged lawyers waiting.

  Mr Unthank's biggest gaff is making it all seem so simple, as if the WT will simply flop over like a lame dog and say, "Sorry". Reality is bitingly different. I predict Mr Unthank will have well and truly established a name as a self-improtant religious bully long before the court will bow to his delight.

  Mr Unthank would have been better to have put the bullying bravado to one side and expressed his intentions more modestly.
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  Aussie Oz

  none of us have the balls to take on the WT do we?

  That statements a bit of an irrelevance. Who said the goal was to take on the WT? Or who said, of all the possible goals of having a forum for ex-JWs, this was an important goal?

  Of course there is no 'goal' on the forum to take on the WT, and i didn't suggest there was.

  What i meant steve is that we all sit behind the safety of our computers and winge about the WT but as soon as Unthank has a real world go at them he gets ridiculed by those that should at least be supportive. Jesus, it's not like he's doing a 'six screens' is it?

  oz