Posts by Russell Brown
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Looked relatively clam compared to some of the protests I walked through back in the 90's, Russell - and I'd bet the house that there were plenty of folks inside the Bruce Mason this morning who were on the other side of the door then.
I think what's different about this one is that it was like a family squabble on the capital-L Left. The protesters were chanting "shame! shame!" at the Service and Food Workers Union people as they arrived, then wouldn't let Jill Ovens speak. The irony being that they were shouting down people who agreed with them about the TSA and the Ruatoki raids.
Weird.
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60 Minutes has unmasked "Curve Ball", the secret Iraqi "source" who provided some of the key "evidence" used to press the case for war.
Turns out he was a lying Green Card fraudster who only pretended to be a WMD specialist.
Bugger.
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This is sort of grimly funny. It's what happens when reporters report things they didn't see:
The violence erupted when Labour Party member Len Richards went into the crowd and allegedly hit a protestor following a struggle with the megaphone he was using.
Richards allegedly struck a protester who was trying to intervene in a scuffle.
[SCOOP EDITOR'S NOTE: During a heated exchange a Labour party delegate, identified as Len Richards, was seen to pick up a megaphone and strike two protesters in the face (see video below). Scoop can confirm the woman who was struck in the face, Bronwyn Summers, has made a complaint against the alleged assault.
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Mallard got promoted seems like Len Richards thought it was a good path to follow. My bet Party Prez.
See my post in the other thread, Michael. Until last year, Richards was co-leader of the Alliance. He published a statement last week unequivocally condemning both the Ruatoki raids and the Terrorism Suppression Act. So he's not exactly the face of state terror.
The hysterical nature of the protest no doubt raised the temperature. But Labour should still turf him out of the party.
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Posted on the Moron thread but will Len be promoted to Party Prez?
I doubt it, given that until last year, he was co-leader of the Alliance. He's very left-wing.
Further irony: last week he had this statement published:
The first question that arises is; did the police act judiciously in their 'invasion' of the Tuhoe country, given the past history of the Maori of that area? The second question is; are draconian anti-terror laws that could potentially outlaw hitherto legitimate political activities necessary to deal with such a threat, whether real or perceived?
The answer to both questions must be a resounding; No!
Apparently he got angry when the protestors wouldn't let Jill Ovens address them with a message of support for their grievances, and shouted her down. Hence his "you've destroyed the Left!" in the ensuing screaming match. The guy who advanced on Richards jabbing his finger needed to calm down a bit, but what Richards did was inexcusable. He could have broken bones with that megaphone. Fortunately, it appears from the video that the guy knocked it away with his arm.
The TV3 video's not working very well for me, but the Socialist Worker blog has a YouTube version.
They should terminate Richards' membership. It'd be good riddance.
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While all the usual suspects hail the downward trend in Iraqi deaths, the numbers come in:
The number of Iraqis killed in insurgent and sectarian attacks rose in October, according to government figures obtained on Thursday, in a blow to a nine-month-old US troop surge policy.
At least 887 Iraqis were killed last month, compared to 840 in September, according to the data compiled by the interior, defence and health ministries.
Better than August, but not really cause to declare a new dawn ...
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Well ... I don't know if I'd go so far as "talking out his arse", but I did think this was quite a bold statement to make without really having any facts:
"This is about scaring the community to enhance state power and restore a police force beset by scandals"
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Definitely nothing sinister or deliberate
Thanks Felix -- I've updated the post.
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As we've followed their lead I fully expect it to end the same way.
It's all over the papers there, but I thought this Telegraph story provided one of the better accounts of how the police lost the plot.
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But Chris Carter? He'll do us, thanks very much.
Yes, a primary teacher I was talking to yesterday is positively excited about his appointment.
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