This past Thursday I wrote a post for my corporate blog on celebrating the Fourth of July with my family. Late that evening, while unwinding from the day and preparing for the Fourth of July holiday I watched a documentary on HBO about Schapelle Corby, "Ganja Queen". Even typing these words, I have an overwhelming feeling of unrest creep up on me.
Schapelle Corby was a 27 year old Australian woman who was taking a vacation to Bali to visit her sister for her birthday. She was searched at customs in an Indonesian Airport and was found with 4 kg of pot in her boogie board bag. The documentary of Schapelle's trial, supporters, and the controversy surrounding her case was more than moving.
I was glued to the t.v. screen watching as this woman's way of life was torn apart.
Schapelle Corby is now 30 years old. Her sentence was a life sentence of 20 years. She has already been through her final appeal and was denied a more lenient sentence/acquital.
Regardless of the severe tampering of evidence and lack of burden of proof Schapelle's life as she knows it was stripped from her.
I won't rehash all of the details of the documentary. The film will air again on HBO this Sunday. It was amazing to see how everyone comes out of the woodwork, wanting their 15 mintues of fame. The rumors, the supporters, and the naysayers all wanting a voice.
Meanwhile, this woman fought to hang onto her voice and her sanity throught his heartwrenching course of events.
We speak of homes all the time on Active Rain; We speak of the comfort and strength the right home gives to a real estate buyer. We speak of how stressful it can be for a homeowner to sell their home.
Imagine the stress that Schapelle is under right now. She left her home four years ago and hasn't returned.
I can only imagine at the age of 30 with 17 more years in her term to go how she can be feeling. By this time in my life I had a career and two wonderful children.
15 Comments
on Independence Day Reflection: When freedom rings, Schapelle Corby will be free
JUL
05
2008
wow rebecca - thats gut wrenching- it could happen to any of us........how little support we would get from our countries if that happened.........oh man.......i'll watch the movie tomorrow........thanks
REBECCA, My daughter is a flight attendant for a company that does interneatinal flights she has told me about people being detained for things like poppy seed off a muffin. We are so blessed to live in this country of ours. I do worry about her going in to these third world countries.
Liz- It is a gut wrenching story. If you are able to watch the documentary on Sunday, I would recommend it. Keep a box of tissues near, and then a pillow so when you get mad you have something to beat on.
Michael- There is nothing yet that I have read or seen that suggests that our government has tried to ces intervene.
Marchel- Just makes me queasy. I know that things like this happen, but this is so blatant and watching the documentary was so absolutely compelling. Just looking at this woman thru the lens of the camera, hard to see a criminal mind there.
There was a mention in the documentary of Schapelle having spoken of wondering if her dad would be alive when she had children. This was before her arrest. That just made my gut ache, I cannot imagine wanting children and having something like this happen. I hope believe positively that she will still have this chance.
Rebecca, WOW, I just watched the entire video how disturbing. I wouldn't think that she would have friends in her photo at the airport if she was a drug runner. What a cover up for a major screw up. My first thought was the workers at the airport, then to hear they were arrested floored me. Thanks for sharing this and my prayers will be with her for justice.
Featured post in the ThemThem Group in Schapelle's support.
Wow. We are so spoiled here in the good ole US of A and forget the facts of life for those in other countries. This is a way of life to them. In Iraq, prior to us freeing them, some criminals were throw into giant shredding machines. Yes, we are very lucky.
This lady got exactly what she deserved. I don't care what reasons she had for transporting drugs, she is a criminal. Hopefully she will use the remaining 17 years of her sentence to really think about what she did and Why it was wrong.
Bob- It is startling and we do forget. This sure made me remember.
Jon- Thanks for stopping by. I am not convinced she is guilty and so the thought of her heavy sentence and punishment sends shivers down my spine.
It also saddens me that the heavy mallot of justice seems to be cracked down so quickly and decisively in some countries around the world without what we would consider in America to be a fair and just trial.
I did see it on but as we had some younger family members in the house, I could not watch it. I will definitely look for it again. I can't form an opinion as to her guilt or innocence as I haven't seen the documentary but I am going to check out the website. 20 years does seem very excessive but that is from my cultural perspective. I don't know what the cultural perspective on the sentence would be from the country she was visiting. Do you know what the Australian government is doing to secure her release?
I know they had written to the Indonesian government advising them of a drug bust that day that Schapelle was traveling to Indonesia out of that very airport. When you watch the documentary, it might be startling to see all of the mishaps that took shape, including loss of camera footage at the airport where she left, and then see she was still charged for the crime.
Rebecca- I can not watch it. You told me all I needed to know. I know this stuff goes on in other countries and the 4th amendment is not in any other country other that the US. I am so grateful to be a first generation born American. I have traveled the world and there is no place like home, guaranteed. That is why people kiss the ground when they come here.
Katerina- I understand. Just heart wrenching stuff. I am trying to focus on faith and a belief that something positive can come out of this, that someone will be able to help this woman. Blogging about it was my gut reaction.
Rebecca- Everything happens for a reason, even the bad stuff. Somehow somewhere, there is good that will come out of if in some form. We can pray for here.
I did want to make a point this woman is from Austrailia not the US for those who commented asking if our government is helping her. Her govenment needs to be helping her. Our government is already helping our citizens in basically the same situation. We have Christians sitting in prisons around the world just for being Christian.
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wow rebecca - thats gut wrenching- it could happen to any of us........how little support we would get from our countries if that happened.........oh man.......i'll watch the movie tomorrow........thanks