My God this country is infantile at times. In a heated debate over Auckland mayor Phil Goff’s injudicious act of censorship re the Canadian intellectual right advocates, now the subject of a court action, mayoral challenger John Tamihere responded to Phil’s attempt to justify it by crying “Sieg Heil.”
The outcome- shock, horror. How mind-blowingly childish!
Tamihere’s meaning was surely obvious to the meanest mind, namely “dictatorial censorship.” The criticism then heaped on him by the predictable sources was only valid if he was advocating Nazism. As he used the expression to reflect something he was opposing, it was perfectly apt. Furthermore, he rose hugely in my estimation when he refused to resile from it, pointing out exactly as I have above.
Back in 2012, then Labour MP Megan Woods apologised to the government for comparing its asset sales to Hitler. If she knew her history she’d have known Hitler would have supported the action, but that’s by the by.
But again, horror all round. Yet how often have Labour politicians in the past described Nats as to the right of Genghis Khan and Nats accused Labour of Stalinist policies, without such childish reactions. Genghis Khan murdered millions for pleasure; Stalin’s cruelty cost millions of lives.
It’s time some of our journalists grew up and stopped reporting the offence-takers, such as for example, Tamihere’s ill-chosen running mate Christine Fletcher, a woman of impeccable idiocy credentials, who predictably expressed horror.
Much more of this and we will end up like Canada where wetness under the current screaming goose of a Prime Minister, has been developed to an art form.
