Posts by Kracklite
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Hard News: Mandela, in reply to Matthew Hooton,
[Redacted]
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Hard News: Mandela, in reply to Kumara Republic,
Exactly. I appreciate their honesty while reviling their politics. At least they didn't follow wearing "Hang Mandela" badges in the 80s with taking selfies at his funeral.
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Hard News: Mandela, in reply to Craig Ranapia,
high level of presumption that people are speaking in good faith.
Indeed it is a high level of presumption. Don't be naive. Uriah Hoot has never shown any such courtesy himself and thinks that my mental health problems are absolutely hilarious and an opportunity for a cheap shot. Go ahead, cuddle the opportunist creep and talk about "decorum" that you yourself have never respected if you like. I don't fucking care.
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Hard News: Mandela, in reply to Lilith __,
Hi Lilith, regarding Bolger and Meurant, I would certainly agree. Possibly Hooton... but his conversion seems rather recent and sudden and too well advertised. Many of his past statements have been truly revolting.
On the contrary, I think these situations allow for moments of solidarity between disparate groups, and we should celebrate that opportunity.
Yes... though I'd wait a while to see if there is consistency and if the glass is half full or half empty...
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Ignore this if you like.
We all have different ways of grieving. For some people it has to be overt, and some try to exploit that by theatrical displays or demands, but for some it's a private or discrete matter that is tacitly understood by others. Please don't undervalue the importance of tacit understanding or demand - even by implication - displays of "proper" feeling.
I'm a little bit disturbed by the implication by a few here (no, I will not finger-point - that would be silly) that people should express their grief in "acceptable" ways, without qualification. The Grauniad article that Hilary and I have pointed to shows just how much celebration and loss can be manipulated. That doesn't mean however that sceptics feel any less.
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Hard News: Mandela, in reply to Paul Campbell,
Well put.
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Hard News: Mandela, in reply to Hilary Stace,
I like this piece from the Guardian about how Mandela would have laughed at the rightwing fawning over him.
Noted it myself earlier, hence my scepticism over Hooton's sanctimonious and carefully advertised posturing over this and "Willie" and "JT". Considering how egregiously racist and cynical he's been in the past, I would have hoped that people would have assumed that he hadn't had a sudden visit ("visit", goddamnit, not "vista" - fucking autocorrect!) from the Ghost of Christmas Future.
Leopards, spots etcetera.
I won't be strumming any guitars or singing "Kumbaya", but please don't confuse the public theatrics of sentimentality with real feelings that may be kept private. I'm afraid that my Scottish heritage makes me sceptical of any public display of sentiment.
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I remember strongly that my dad, who had been in the Kiwis (League, not Union) and toured Aussie, France and Britain in the late 40s and wary 50s finally came to oppose the tour because in his words, it was "tearing the country apart" (not "the protestors"). National unity mattered more to him than rugby, which had been his pride and passion. If he was able to think about it with that depth, then others can too.
Key's evasions and various slimeballs' attempts to rewrite history to gratify themselves don't deserve ridicule, they deserve public contempt. I'll respect anyone who says "I was wrong, now I know better". Ross Meurant has been on that journey, to his credit.
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Hard News: Mandela, in reply to Craig Ranapia,
I’m glad if you’ve never done or said anything in your life you later had cause to regret
I have plenty of regrets, I just don't indulge in revisionist autohagiography and that's what pisses me off.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/06/follow-nelson-mandela-laugh-rightwing-fawning
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Hard News: Mandela, in reply to Sacha,
But he didn't resign.
OK, enough, I'm gone.
This is about Nelson Mandela. Forget me, honour him.