Posts by Craig Ranapia
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Hard News: This Is Not A Complicated Issue, in reply to Bart Janssen,
snort – you have actually met most of us so you should know we are a bunch of cantankerous farts who live for a good argument.
I was tempted to ask what Fringe-verse version of PAS he’d been hanging around recently. Thought better of it. :)
I think we’ve already got your number, Craig :-D
Like a pigeon having a nap on the lip of a jet engine because that sound is sooo soothing, I walked into that.
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Hard News: This Is Not A Complicated Issue, in reply to nzlemming,
What’s interesting is that some people who talk about a “level playing field” really mean that “no-one should be allowed to get anything that I don’t get!”
I'm all for level playing fields - but it's somewhat off-putting when you show up with your stick for a jolly game of field hockey and the ref only knows the rules of rugby. Makes life needlessly aggravating.
<q>Now, let’s put this back in context for a moment – you were interpreting Lockwood’s body language. That, I think, is defensible</i>
@Linger: I find your analysis there still somewhat problematic, but since our host has (politely) suggested I move along, and I'm his (more or less) obedient servant (eventually). :) Just hope nobody who meets me in a crowded room on a bad day makes too many firm determinations about my character.
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Hard News: This Is Not A Complicated Issue, in reply to BenWilson,
Done. Hmmm, no I’m still going with my own judgment, because it’s the one I’ve got. But thanks for the thought.
OK, thanks. Just try and find a slightly less distasteful term than "emotionally retarded" for people whose affect display makes you feel all icky in your water, m'kay? At least make the effort on threads discussing disability issues.
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Hard News: This Is Not A Complicated Issue, in reply to nzlemming,
Actually, I’d immediately think they might be autistic, rather than dishonest. Not everyone has your worldview, Craig.
Not my worldview, acutally, and that was exactly my point. Islander won the chocolate fish, because that was something a very good friend of mine had to get a handle on very quickly when she went to work in a school with a majority-Pasifika roll. Many things that might seem disrespectful (or just weird) in a palagi context are exactly the opposite in many others.
And, yes, you’re also right. I’ve had a fair bit of contact with Russell’s eldest, Jimmy who is a great guy. Took a bit of getting used to initially, but it was my responsibility not his to educate myself on how he responds to social cues.
You don’t have to be disabled to be on the receiving end of offensive and unjust assumptions based on norms that aren’t universal constants. It's great living in an increasingly pluralistic and diverse society, but it only really works if everyone remembers that you don't have to go very far before you're the freak.
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Hard News: This Is Not A Complicated Issue, in reply to BenWilson,
On a deeper reading of what you’re saying here, I sense an unfair equivocation. It would be an unfortunate line of attack if Lockwood Smith were disabled, and I was mocking him on account of some aspect of that.
Not quite, Ben. When my Father and foster-Mother died, I really could have done without being upbraided for not “grieving properly” because I got through two extremely tough funerals dry-eyed.
You might want to have a little think about whether your idea of what constitutes “appropriate” or “normal” body language is as sound as basis for making vehement character judgements as you seem to think.
Here’s a little thought experiment.
You’re a high school teacher. One of your students persistently avoids making direct and sustained eye contact when you’re talking.
That’s solid proof the student is being evasive and dishonest, right? Don’t think about it – answer immediately, show your working and avoid using unhelpfully loaded pejoratives like "emotionally retarded".
(BTW, it’s kind of a trick question because there’s a couple of fairly significant pieces of context I’ve left out.)
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Hard News: NZ On Screen: The…, in reply to Russell Brown,
Also, just a note that we had planned to have a 10 minute excerpt of When A City Falls in the collection, but there’ll be a delay there.
I assume it will be granted after the screening on Three next Wednesday (February 22) at 7.30. Which I'm pretty OK with, because it's not as if feature length local documentaries getting a mid-week prime time slot on FTA television is a routine occurrence.
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Hard News: This Is Not A Complicated Issue, in reply to BenWilson,
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a genuine unconflicted emotion cross his face, because the real emotions would always be so unseemly.
Wow. Really, just… I’ve got nothing. I’m going to walk the fuck away from that for everyone’s sake, but in the context of bitching Smith for being tin-eared and insensitive towards a woman with profound hearing loss? (Who, BTW, has been called a “retard” and worse by the usual suspects over on Kiwibog. ’Cause, you know, she talks funny and shit.) “That boy just looks wrong” was… um, a somewhat unfortunate line of attack.
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Hard News: This Is Not A Complicated Issue, in reply to Ian Dalziel,
Nice to see that Trevor Mallard has a profitable sideline in the ticket scalping business!
Um, yes, and I’d be inclined to put it in the beat-up/trivia basket if Mr. Mallard hadn’t been part of a Government that took a less laissez-faire view of the practice.
Also, someone needs to tell Trevor that “breech of privacy” doesn’t mean what he thinks it does. Seriously, Trev – STFU.
It’s nice to see such charming optimism in an ER. Seriously, I admire the ability to avoid becoming a tired old cynic.
To be fair, Parliament managed to get its head around the idea that PWVs (people with vaginas) weren’t going to block the drains and bring the country down with their feeble, hysterical lady-brains. The progress hasn’t been as fast, or even, as many of us would like but a baby step forward is better than a kick in the crotch. :) I'm cautiously optimistic some folks have learned something and will be more careful about mindlessly acting out on their ableist privilege.
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Hard News: This Is Not A Complicated Issue, in reply to Bart Janssen,
No I didn’t spring to the defense of any such thing.
No you didn’t, and apologies for the lack of clarity on my part. I didn’t think you quite understood what I was saying in the first instance, but didn't really help matters by not getting a firm grasp on the right end of your stick. This is getting more confusing that a Steven Moffat Doctor Who script, and you don’t even get the thrill of Alex Kingston shooting a poor defenseless hat.
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Mikaere:
While I agree that Lockwood would be equally crap if Mojo was a National Party MP, I don’t think John Key would be sitting on his hands about it either.
Which is an entirely separate point from insinuating that the Speaker of the House acted out of partisan malice towards a non-government MP. "Prime Minister intensely partisan" is neither news nor a constitutional outrage. The Speaker of the House being so is, and isn't a charge to be thrown around lightly whether or not you like the person, the incumbent Government, or the party s/he was elected to Parliament.
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