Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Right This Time?

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  • simon g,

    Breaking news ... Key in 'Not Relaxed' shock:

    "Prime Minister John Key has labelled MP Hone Harawira's email on white people "deeply offensive" and he wants action from the coalition partner the Maori Party.

    "Hone has a history of making intemperate and outrageous comments and this one is right up there," Mr Key told reporters a short time ago." (NZPA)

    (Looks like the price of the F & S just went up).

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    I love the part where he pretends to be sick and sneaks off to Paris. What is he, 12?

    I'm reliably informed that lying to Tariana Turia is ten pounds of stupid in a five pound bag. Really, she might look like a Womble on Mogadon but pissing her off is not wise.

    So, you didn't need to go to a meeting because it could all be handled with some over-dinner discussions? May I suggest that you therefore didn't need to fly to Europe at all? A phone call would have been as effective?

    To be fair, I can be as cynical as anyone about the utility of hui-hopping on the public tit, but this time I actually think this one was more than a excuse to load up on duty free Gauloises. My problem is that it's kind of polite to front up and pretend you're interested if you accept an invitation.

    I also say on PAR that it would require no imagination to picture Hone's reaction if John Key accepted an invite to lead a Government delegation to a MP-organised hui, then blew it off to go tiki touring with Bronagh and the kids (and lied about being sick).

    His excuse: Well, he'd kicked around the kaupapa over dinner, and, anyway, Pita Sharples was there to take notes and report back.

    The Maori Party would be, quite rightly, embarrassed and pissed off at a cavalier insult.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    at least under iwi ownership they could put a sign up saying private property, no vehicles allowed and block access.

    Nothing stopping you putting up a sign anyway, saying something like "Keep off the shellfish" who would argue? even Rednecks have some understanding, surely?.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    It's not as if Paris is Brigadoon, FFS...

    Not as far away as you may think.

    Origins of the story

    Lerner's book was based on a much older German story by Friedrich Gerstäckerlater translated by Charles Brandon Schaeffer, about the mythical village of Germelshausen that fell under an evil magic curse. In 1947, memories of World War II were too fresh to present a German-themed musical on Broadway, so Lerner reimagined the story in Scotland, complete with kilts, bonnie lasses, bagpipes, Highland flings and "Heather on the Hill".

    Here

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Tom Semmens,

    Who cares about Hone's email?????

    However, any member of parliament who can write "The Louvre, made famous by Dan Browns "The Da Vinci Code" DESERVES to be hunted down by white art gallery curators and killed with a plastic spoon.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report

  • dc_red,

    @ Simon G

    Breaking news ... Key in 'Not Relaxed' shock:

    Heh, I was just thinking the same thing. Finally we know what unsettles John - dishing out crude racial insults (in the direction of the very group who transferred a great deal of their support from Labour to National at the last election, no less).

    Oil Patch, Alberta • Since Nov 2006 • 706 posts Report

  • Lucy Stewart,

    He's acting as if going to Paris is something he'd never have a chance to do otherwise. Um, dude, you're a well-paid person with a lot of time off and there are flights to Europe *every day*.

    My partner very saliently pointed out that this sounds like a function of socio-economic thinking; if you've grown up believing that only rich people go to places like Europe, and most of your family and friends never have, then even if logic dictates that you have the money and time to go, once you're actually there the temptation is going to be much greater to bunk off than if you went there on your OE and you have relatives and friends over there and visiting Europe for a holiday is on your mental map, as it were.

    Of course, for all I know none of the above applies, but his "how many times in my life..." comment sounds like that may have influenced his thought process.

    (Note: this is in no way any sort of excuse, because Harawira is also apparently under the illusion he's still in college and it's OK to wag occasionally, but I thought it was an interesting psychological insight into why he might do something so mind-bogglingly irresponsible.)

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 2105 posts Report

  • Just thinking,

    Not a good look and changing your story isn't good either. I was sick vs wanted to see Paris.

    To some degree surely Hone is acting as a diversion for Key as Hide self destructs in public and all over Johns shiney shoes too.

    Is Hone hinting at going it alone next election, as he doesn't like party politics and the responsibilities it has?

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    To some degree surely Hone is acting as a diversion for Key as Hide self destructs in public and all over Johns shiney shoes too.

    No? Let's put Harawira's stupidity all on him, and leave it there. Meanwhile, I can't really get the indignation gland pumping over the leader of a junior coalition partner big-noting at a party fundraiser, and bitching that "nothing" is being done to advance their policy agenda.

    I'd respectfully suggest that Greens leadership spent quite a bit of time fuming (fairly or not) that Labour "did nothing" to progress their issues -- they just weren't dumb enough to do it in the hearing of a hack who recognised a good 'gotcha!' when they saw it.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Kyle Matthews,

    No? Let's put Harawira's stupidity all on him, and leave it there.

    I don't think the two cock-ups are related, but like Just Thinking I think Hide will be grateful he's slipped one down the list of '5 most stupid things an MP did this week'.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report

  • Tom Semmens,

    Actually upon reflection, I am pleased Hone has got SOME book learnin' and he didn't just say "That place they blew up in the 'Team America' movie".


    But - call me crazy if you must - I've got a funny feeling calling the vast majority of the population "puritanical motherfuckers" won't end well for Mr. Harawira.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    But - call me crazy if you must - I've got a funny feeling calling the vast majority of the population "puritanical motherfuckers" won't end well for Mr. Harawira.

    On top of lying to his leader, and deciding to have his e-mail meltdown all over Buddy Mikaere (hardly a tame House Nigger of the puritan Man) -- who is entirely capable of giving better than he gets, and has quite a few media contacts and flaxroots networks of his own?

    I wouldn't call you crazy at all. Next time... :)

    Now you can call me crazy if you must, but am I the only person who thinks it's no accident that Turia had to front this shitstorm (and did a pretty good job, IMO) while Sharples was nowhere to be seen?

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Tom Semmens,

    They say political stories are not about the indiscretion - the story is about the cover up.

    I fear the story is now not what Hone did, but the email he sent.

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report

  • Matthew Poole,

    I have to say, this has been quite the week for spectacular stupidity by members of the coalition. How long'd it take Helen to lose control of Winston?
    Also don't recall Winston ever referring to large swathes of the country as puritanical, colonialist-oppressor motherfuckers, though prepared to be corrected on that one.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report

  • Just thinking,

    So MMP minority govts now give minor parties a stage by which to hoist their baubles for all to see.

    So Wrodney is doing himself out of a job, as Winston did before him.

    Any thoughts if Hone will stand as an independant if Taria puts travel restrictions on him?

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report

  • A S,

    Now you can call me crazy if you must, but am I the only person who thinks it's no accident that Turia had to front this shitstorm (and did a pretty good job, IMO) while Sharples was nowhere to be seen?

    It sounds more likely that Tariana is fronting this because she is the one that Hone spun a line too. She and Pita are CO-leaders after all, which might be another perfectly rational reason as to why she is dealing with it....

    Wellington • Since Nov 2007 • 269 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Also don't recall Winston ever referring to large swathes of the country as puritanical, colonialist-oppressor motherfuckers, though prepared to be corrected on that one.

    Nah, Winston spent years heaping abuse on those cat-eating, slit-eyed shitbags who lived only to get on welfare, refuse to learn English and how to use proper toilets, strip mine our beaches for shellfish and clog the drains with their afterbirth as they sold New Zealand to the highest bidder.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Matthew Poole,

    Oh, there's no doubting that Winston was a xenophobic arse, but he didn't generally try and blame those upon whom he heaped derision for calling him on not playing by the rules.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report

  • Kerry Weston,

    this has been quite the week for spectacular stupidity by members of the coalition

    Hasn't it indeed? Call me cynical, but Hone pressing his intemperent buttons really has made you all forget about Rodney and his flagrant perking, followed by dissing our Glorious Leader. As it was meant to.

    Manawatu • Since Jan 2008 • 494 posts Report

  • dubmugga,

    hmmmm yeah, not a good look calling in sick. nigga shoulda taken his nutsacks in hand and sent an initial email to tariana. "look babe, i cant be fucked nobbing it with these lame ass ballheads. so i'm gonna tiki tour with the missus. chur."

    cos c'mon...an irrelevent meeting in brussels with some dryballs politicians or a choice day in paris with wifey at the taxpayers expense ???

    no choice really. i'd be spliffin it up the eiffel tower and fuck you muthafuckas very much:p

    the back of your mind • Since Nov 2006 • 257 posts Report

  • Just thinking,

    In light of the recent decision about the Lammermoor Range, I can't see any reason why this FS&SB shouldn't go to the Courts.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/3040595/Meridian-wind-farm-rejected

    I'm not opposed to wind generation, it was noted by Cook and there's a Maori god of the wind who was resident in a few places of high wind,so NZ has long been recognised for its wind resource. What we need is generation close to populations & industry not at the furthest point from it.

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report

  • dubmugga,

    oh so it wasnt even at taxpayers expense, then whats the problem ?

    White motherf...ers have been raping our lands and ripping us off for centuries, and all of a sudden you want me to play along with their puritanical bulls... .

    cos it's not as if that statement is untrue?

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/3040462/Harawira-hints-at-quitting

    ...and you can imagine hones follow up emails to buddy reading something like " you narking little bitch , you'll get yours too cos no one likes a snitch eh. watch ya back "

    the back of your mind • Since Nov 2006 • 257 posts Report

  • Matthew Poole,

    White motherf...ers have been raping our lands and ripping us off for centuries, and all of a sudden you want me to play along with their puritanical bulls... .

    cos it's not as if that statement is untrue?

    If Hone wants to take whitey's money and play in whitey's sandpit, it's a bit rich for him to then blame whitey when he's caught breaking whitey's rules. As Buddy Miakere observed, nobody made him become an MP.

    If you don't like the rules, don't play the game, but don't start claiming that your ethnicity gives you a free pass to break the rules.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report

  • dubmugga,

    and exactly what of whiteys rules did he break...the biggest one??? getting caught lying ???

    ...the understanding is, it's ok to lie ,it's actually expected of you as a politician just dont get caught and thats where brownies fail cos we're just not good at it, just ask taito

    i'm all for playing the game by your own rules and like hone, fuck what whitey thinks. sometimes you gotta bite the hand that feeds ya especially if they arent feeding you enough or often enough or just feeding you the wrong food.

    the back of your mind • Since Nov 2006 • 257 posts Report

  • BenWilson,

    sometimes you gotta bite the hand that feeds ya especially if they arent feeding you enough or often enough or just feeding you the wrong food.

    Animals that do that are usually not fed again, rather than pampered and forgiven. Nothing tames an animal like starvation, and if they go completely feral, a bullet.

    Yes, we all admire the animal that bites man, and lives by it's own rules in the jungle. But Hone is not this animal. He is tame, he just doesn't realize it, because for some reason his masters have so far indulged him. Starvation is just on the other side of one bite too many.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

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