Bert from Amsterdam

Dear Schapelle,

first of all i apologize for my poor English, i`m just a simple guy from Amsterdam.

i just wanna say lot`s of people are constantly thinking of you and hoping this terrible nightmare will end as soon as possible.
For me, as a citizen of The Netherlands it is absolutely unbelievable that goverments are destroing human lifes for something as ridicule as what we call soft-drugs. In my city you can buy a joint just as easy as a Big Mac or a glass of beer.
While beer-and liquorbrewers (these are definitely harddrugs) in our country are honoured by the Queen and get invitations for royal weddings etc, etc, the soft drugs stay illegal, although totally "tolerated"
And then there are people like you who`s life they destroy for (alleged) posession, what kind of world is this??

It is so.... .those hypocrites!
I don`t know if you did or did not had the dope and i don`t care, in my country that is not a big deal for the mayority of the people.
I will assume your innnocent because this might be important for you, but for me, it is irrelevant, people should not be treated so cruel and be locked up in a hell-hole for something like this, guilty or innocent.



I`m frustrated that i can`t do anything for you but i will keep you in my thoughts like thousands of other people will, don`t forget!!

Just hang in there and keep hope alive, don`t give up!

All the best Schapelle, take good care.

admin

Good on ya Bert - its nice to see posts like this - thanks alot for caring about our girl mate!

IndyinHolland

Hi Bert,

I'm from amsterdam, actually Zaandam, ( a suburb of Amsterdam ) too and a Dutch citizen.And also feel sorry for Corby, but not only for corby, but also for the Bali 9 of whom some of them will be sentenced to death. they were as guilty as hell, but still don't deserve to be put in jail for a long time and neither should they deserve the death penalty. Like I suggested beore, they should do some charity work, that will not only benefit the people of Indonesia, but also the convicted smuggler as he/she would do something useful.

arthur

Ive been a member of this forum for a few months but this is my first post. To be honest I am starting to think that she is guilty because of her familys criminal history - especially with her half brothers involvement in the home invasion and her other family criminal convictions. Yes before everyone goes off I know it's not a offence to know or associate with people who have criminal records but its seems that her family has a unusual if not common past of criminal offences... Maybe the apple hasnt fallen too far from the tree...?

But getting back to my original post its all about respect for another countrys law. I agree 20 years is a joke and history will judge this decision as the equivalent of throwing the Christians to the lions. But as Bert says its as easy to buy MJ in Amersterdam as a big mac. But we all know that and when in Rome (or this case Amsterdam- cool). But we all know the penalties, especially in Asian countries for drug offences are beyond what we westerners call as 'normal' so if you dont respect the laws then there are always consequences.

Just like in cricket- you choose to play and therefore you must accept the umpires decision...

Zebedee

Hello Arthur

Sadly I fear that a few others share your view on Schapelle's family. Since reading the first press reports I put my head on one side and thought something is fundamentally wrong here. This is not as black and white as a young person stupidly smuggling drugs into Thailand. Overtime that grew to a firm belief that she is innocent. Observing her through the trial and subsequent sentencing firmed that belief. A few things I've read and heard have caused me to question that, but only for a moment.

Nothing I've read has caused me to change my view. In all the digging around the local and overseas press has done nothing at all has ever been uncovered that points to her guilt. Nothing.

The singular unarguable fact is that when her bag was opened at the airport it contained an abnormally large amounts of a mild intoxicant. Now the illogicality of smuggling that amount into that country has been argued ad nauseum in and outside this forum and I'll spare you the tedium of rehashing it.

However balance that seeming idiocy with the picture of Schapelle we've seen, the interviews we've read and the impression I have is of an intelligent and decent human being who, under unimaginable pressure in a living hell, kept better composure than most people I know would be capable of. Yet at the same time displayed all the signs of one who has been hugely wronged.

Taking the woman in isolation, which we have to do because she's the only one put on trial for this crime, too many things just don't add up. I know this is no basis for a legal argument but I cannot believe that this woman is capable of such monumental stupidity.

It seems ironic to me that while a an awful lot of people are pointing the finger at her family the one person on the planet who has the most to gain by blaming someone else has not even hinted at it. Complicity? No I don't think so, I think it's in character. I think she's a decent person ignorant of the actions of others..

Compare that to the mass finger pointing we've seen over the last few weeks from the obviously guilty and the contrast is stark.

There may well have been a few bad apples dropped in the Corby orchard, there may well be an involvement of which we are unaware. But I think you're wrong to judge Schapelle on the unrelated actions of others.

So as to your comparison with cricket (tad weak Arthur) I don't believe she even knew there was a game on. I just hope those who did, whether they are part of her family or not, are bought to book and she comes home. And by the way if you commit even the most heinous of on field offences in cricket, (got to be ball tampering hasn't it?) you don't get twenty years.

Probably not quite the response you were expecting? Please consider what I've written and let me know your thoughts. We may occasionally contribute to a forum where contrary views are scorned but thankfully we live in a country where they are welcomed.

If you managed to get this far Arthur, thanks for you patience.

arthur

Hi Zebedee

Yes I agree the cricket term may have been a bit lame but that's said in the context that she might have had knowledge of the operation?

Yes she has shown tremendous strength in the face of her own personal nightmare and has resisted finger pointing which was so prevalent in the Bali Nine cases. But that would be expected as family loyalty/ties would prevent her from implicating others - especially her younger brother. I’m no psychologist but as the older sibling she may feel it's her duty to cop it sweet in order to protect a younger male who probably would suffer worse in an Asian prison as a male as opposed to herself spending time in a women’s institution.

The displays of someone having been wronged may stem from the frustration of having been involved in something so stupid and having been caught? Or worse from the fact she realises that shielding her brother may have not been a wise decision after all.

Zebedee

Hi Arthur

But that would be expected as family loyalty/ties would prevent her from implicating others - especially her younger brother. I’m no psychologist but as the older sibling she may feel it's her duty to cop it sweet in order to protect a younger male who probably would suffer worse in an Asian prison ...

Exactly. If that's the case would she really involve her younger brother in a crime she knows, from previous visits, warrants the death penalty? Would she really let him help her carry the luggage towards customs?

If the answer's yes then she is a cold, heartless woman who doesn't give a toss about her family or friends. So why is she not pointing the finger at anyone and everyone who can take the blame off her?

If the answer is no there's only one reasonable conclusion. She didn't know what was in her luggage.

Thinker

Oh dear you're still in "guilt by association" mode Aussie_Copper and you have started to supply some better posts. Oh well back to square one.

There is only one he unless one of the apparent she's is actually a 'post op' he and you (Aussie_Copper) are a Catholic. But assuming you are an Anglican, let's turn this round. Why to you offer 3 she's and 1 he and ask the question "which of those 4 looks like he's got something on his mind?". Is it because if you offered a photo with the he and 3 other he's, no-one would come up with the right answer?

"Brilliant"

Opps, I've been watching to many guiness ad's.

To me looking at the photo you have provided, I see a sheepish young man overwhelmed to be in the presence of three vibrant and pretty girls. But then I was the sheepish young man in a similar photo years ago (yes, I was young once!)

Aussie_Copper to see things for what they are you must remove you glasses, because they are starting to eminate the glare of the primrose path.

admin

youre a bloody disgrace dek dan suadara orang yang bodoh sekali!

sampai jumpa fool!!!