Today I will be talking about Ned Kelly whom I am sure most of u has heard off. Ned Kelly is an Australian legend and for u guys to understand his views and intentions I will be reading out a letter written by me as Ned Kelly based on real facts from his life. So let me begin………………..

Dear Public,

I Ned Kelly was born in Beveridge, Victoria in 1854 into an Irish family. From my childhood I have seen harsh cruelty on the poor people by the rich families and powerful government people such as the polices. Like many poor families then, we were driven out of our own land by the rich familes. We being deprived of our basic rights was forced to choose the wrong path and got involved in stealing and other criminal activities in oder to survive. My family was no exception, my stepfather was the finest horse thief in his time and I learnt the trait pretty well staying with him. There is not much good memories that I can recall from my young life except I remember saving a guy in school from drowning and being presented with a green belt by the principal. Like many of the migrants then I was famous with the locals for my athletic ability and bravery. I regeret to say, I am born in a time where there is no word as justice for us poor people. The polices have the dirtiest mind and they don’t even see us as humanbeings. The police punish the poor people accuse them of bring thieves and punish them without even giving them a chance to defend themselves. I myself became one of such victim at a very young age. When I was 15 a local policeman came to arrest my uncle wrongly accusing him of stealing a horse and I therefore pleaded for his innocence and as a result of this making myself a target of the police for the rest of my life. Ever since that day, the police has became my shadow and they never really left me. At the age of 15 I was first sent to jail for three years being accused of stealing a horse which I knew nothing about. When I came back from jail I saw 31 of my 32 horses had been taken by a local police officer. This reflects the story of the police and the government basically. They are the biggest thieves themselves they find happiness in the sadness of innocent people. I was a man who looked for a way to stop this harsh injustice against such helpless and free them from jails. Me being a victim I had good reasons to do so. With the help of my friends, my family, my relatives and my stepfather I decided to teach this evil men a lesson somehow.In April 1878 my life changed forever in a single incident. A local police officer named Alexander Flitzpatrick went to my home to arrest my brother Dan with no case against him. He went inside and he tried to harass my sister in front of my family. Seeing this, my family tried to stop him and therefore they had to grab him and take his revolver and all. They did not harm him anyway or did not even had the intention to do so. I was 400 Km away from home during that time. That policeman went back and lied to the Government official that he was shot on his hand and my family including me tried to kill him. Forseeibly they believed the liar and my family was charged with attempted murder. Me, my brother and 2 of my friends where made outlaws and the police was given the right to shoot us on sight. The next day after the incident my pregnant mother was taken to jail. Not only that those devils tortured my small brothers and sisters day and night in the absence of anyone to protect them. I wonder after suffering so much pain for nothing how could I be patient for so long.My blood was boiling with anger, I wanted revenge and I was determined to do so and so where my friends. The majority of the local people was on our side because they were poor too and they all were victim of such injustice some way or the other. A few were against us or pretended to be as they were scared of the consequences they might face for being on the wrong end of the government. Anyone who can catch us was offered a huge amount of money as reward. The police was looking for us everywhere. We on the other hand where also hiding in the bush and planning to take revenge the policeman who now where our enemies. On the verge of this silent war against the police I had to kill 2 policeman but whom I had no intention to kill. One day, when we were hiding in the bush 4 armed police officers came looking for us. After hiding behind the trees for a while we decided to attack after dawn. We told them to drop their weapons but instead one of them tried to shoot me and so I had to shoot him. The other one was trying to run away and I went to chase him down, he was carrying a revolver and turning back at shooting towards me and I had to shoot him too. After shooting him I left him in the best possible way I could but the newspapers went on to say that we killed the polices in a disgusting way, we chopped of their ears and all and they where all lies. The next thing thing we did was kill one of our friends because he was a traitor as he was giving informations to polices about us so we had no option but to kill him. Next, we robbed two banks at Euroa and Jerilderie which netted them approximately £4,400, and the manufacturing of suits of armour to be worn by members of my gang. On June 27th 1880, the day after the shooting of our friend Aaron Sheritt, we bailed ua Glenrowan, cut the telegraph wires and forced the railway workers to rip up the line. More than sixty hostages were taken during the day as the gang waited for the arrival of the police’s special train. Following a tip-off from the local school teacher the train stopped at the station and a bitter gun battle took place with the police laying siege to the hotel. In the nine and a half hours which followed, the building was burnt to the ground, three of my gang members were killed, and I was, badly wounded as the police shot me continuously and I recieved 26 bullets in my hand,legs and groin then I was arrested. I was charged with murder of a police officer. My trial took place swiftly and the court has ordered to hang me. Now, I am waiting in my cell for the hangman to come and hang me. Before I left this world I decided to share my story with the people who loved me and the whole world. I wanted to give you my real story so I can inspire you to fight against such injustice. I have given my all to free you guys but I failed. I will die with a sorry heart but its ok as such is life.

Questions?

Do you think Ned Kelly was a hero or villain after hearing his story? Y?

Don’t u think he had good reasons to do what he was doing?

Who do u think was bad Ned Kelly or the police officers?

So yes I urge u show respect to this great legend and take inspiration from such a wonderful man.