Random Politics

[Ab]

Free speech protest at Auckland works out about as well as you'd expect

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-z...ing-event.html

[Lightspeed]

I wonder if this justifies AUT's position?

Brash is too divisive to be given such a platform? The world is a distressing place for many and getting worse. He represents those who have made it so and so can expect intense opposition to those who provide him a platform?

Regardless of the specific speech he wishes to present today, he's too often promoted bigotted, uninspected viewpoints, legitimising the behaviour of those whose bigotry goes beyond words but has real world impact.

I get that only the powerful, those who dominate get away with being stupid. The US being an extreme example of this. For the rest of us who want to make an impact, every mistep is going to be highlighted and exaggerated, so extreme care is required.

[Ab]

Originally Posted by Lightspeed

Regardless of the specific speech he wishes to present today, he's too often promoted bigotted, uninspected viewpoints

And IMHO its very important that he be allowed to do it. He has feelpinions on how society and people should fit together--that is to say, political feelpinions--and political feelpinions are the most deserving of protection.

In any case, the moot of the Aukuni debate wasn't about his interesting ideas on racial harmony, it was about whether or not political correctness is stifling free speech. Hard to argue with the proposition.

Edit update:

And the winner is: Don Brash, by a mile

[Lightspeed]

But he IS allowed to. He OFTEN gets his opinions and views widely publicised. Which in turn leads to people seeking his views, which in turn leads to his opinions and views being widely publicised.

I don't get why he should ALWAYS be heard at EVERY opportunity.

Of course, I'm biased. I'm trying to think what my response would be like if it were Aunty Helen getting banned from a speaking event. But it's not an equal comparison when her views are more moderate and she rarely takes a platform.

Is there a better equivalent?

[Lightspeed]

What gets me is that people like Don Brash don't need to make noisy protests to be heard. Even without counting the eagerness at which his views are published, those of his ilk (rich old white men) only need those dependant on their patronage to hear what they have to say. They can use their money and influence to affect the change they want.

Brash won long ago.

[Lightspeed]

In other news, the war in Yemen continues to be a nightmare. And no one is calling anyone out about it, cause we all want to keep doing trade.



Yes, yes we are.

[Ab]

I just think it's lovely that the US has made up with Al Qaeda and now they're allies.

[Nich]

Yep, see my depression-inducing rant in The White Helmets thread.

"In One Year, MSNBC Covered 'Stormy Daniels' 455 Times, 'War In Yemen' 0"

[blynk]

Originally Posted by Lightspeed

What gets me is that people like Don Brash don't need to make noisy protests to be heard. Even without counting the eagerness at which his views are published, those of his ilk (rich old white men) only need those dependant on their patronage to hear what they have to say. They can use their money and influence to affect the change they want.

Brash won long ago.

That's been my view recently.
It's unfortunate, but the Rich or Established groups have the platform already.
They can usually use money to get their view across.

But the discriminated and oppressed do not get the same luxury, so there way of having to do it is via protests, which then plays right into the hand of the groups.
Look at all the attention Don Brash has now received (or the canadian duo).

*Protesting yes, I would never condone violence though.

[Nich]

Sweden is on fire yo. And not in the good way.

https://twitter.com/IntellFusion/sta...831940/photo/1

[pxpx]

lol EUowned

[crocos]

Anyone else find this a mite suspicious given how close Sweden's elections are?

[jrp]

Trying so hard to get a sound bite.

Patrick "I'm not gonna let you finish" Gower showing NZ journalism at its ..... something.
https://youtu.be/WgOfdaXGNlY

Australian journalist doing about as well as Patrick Gower (although he sounds like student radio).
https://youtu.be/T38rxA1FjOc

[Nich]

lol. Those interviewers are seriously confused and seem very principled about something but they can't quite articulate it. I guess if they have to explain it to people then that just proves those people are bad and not worth associating with.

Also, terrible strawman argument saying the venue owner has the "freedom" to cancel the event. Then saying Stefan is essentially mansplaining and he has to be considerate of the audience. Fuck offfffffff!

My problem with Molyneux and Southern is that they know their opponents only have tantrums in their arsenal, and they come in ready to debate. But there's no charisma there. There's no levity that Christopher Hitchens so masterfully commanded. I just feel like I am watching a duo of intellectual bullies rough up some overly sensitive hipsters and nerds and then laugh in their faces.

[jrp]

For me, I just hate listening to agenda driven journalism drivel that’s masquerading as unbiased truth seeking. But it’s especially painful when it’s so badly done.

I thought the interview was amateurish. This just came across as Gower trying to get a sound bite while virtue signaling. Also, it was like listening to a monologue read out by a lamppost. He’s either done some heavy meth, or was shaken as a baby (or alternatively he’s just an amateur). It was a piss poor job all round.

[pxpx]

The video of the gower thing is down but I appreciate the classic alt-right youtube title format.

um also welcome back to nzgames jrp? first post since 2011?

[Nich]

Deflated Paddy Gower on Lauren Southern and Stefan Molyneux: "they totally nailed me"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTSSmLySzpc

Gower and panel rationalise the beat down he got:
- They don't use "facts"
- They are a bunch of nit-pickers
- Good on us for censoring them
- Their side of the story shouldn't be covered
- Even though we censored them, it should be the last thing we do... but it was the first thing we did... umm... next question
- They aren't here anymore so we can take back control of the narrative
- Our actions made them lose money

[[Malks] Pixie]

so hard I can see the back of my skull.

[Nich]

Stefan Molyneux's Planned NZ speech
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzL4za_8u4o

Yeah, alright it is pretty controversial. I think censorship was the right move here, but it was handled very very poorly.

[[Malks] Pixie]

They weren't fucking censored. Stop using that word.

[pxpx]

"deplatformed" is the new word apparently? lol.

[[Malks] Pixie]

Well it's closer than censored - but even then it doesn't quite hit the mark as I don't believe they were invited to speak here and thus never had an expected platform removed from them.

Now if they'd been invited by say, The National Front (who share similar ideological frameworks to them. i.e. they could expect a platform), and then got told no by NF then that would be deplatforming.

[Ab]

Originally Posted by Nich

- Our actions made them lose money

this at least is just not true. Getting "deplatformed" and monetising outrageclicks is their business model.

[fixed_truth]

Green MP and Minister for Women and Associate Minister of both Health and Transport cycles to hospital to give birth.

Julie Anne Genter cycles to hospital to give birth

[BoyWonder]

What an entirely unnecessary and dangerous stunt. Reckless endangerment just to prove how "on-brand" you are?

[Lightspeed]

Is it a stunt and was it really dangerous?

She wasn't in labour and she was cycling as she typically does, as seen in earlier posts.

[StN]

As long as she did it under the advice of her midwife...

[fixed_truth]

Yeah she was going in to be induced so not dangerous. Probably part publicity stunt but that's politics. And also all the limousines were booked out.

[CCS]

Originally Posted by Lightspeed

Is it a stunt and was it really dangerous?

Cycling tends to be a dangerous way of getting around. Much safer to take an Uber and avoid the risk.

[Nich]

If we're talking about risk to the baby's health, then eating white bread, milk, and corn flakes for the entire pregnancy is more risky and damaging. No one instagrams 9-Months of eating the "Agriculture Industry Food Pyramid", however.

[BoyWonder]

Can you get newborn-size bike helmets for the ride back home?

[pxpx]

Originally Posted by Nich

If we're talking about risk to the baby's health, then eating white bread, milk, and corn flakes for the entire pregnancy is more risky and damaging. No one instagrams 9-Months of eating the "Agriculture Industry Food Pyramid", however.

Do you have an off button

[Ab]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/pol...om-new-zealand

Michael Woodhouse
wat are u doin?
Michael Woodhouse
stahp

[CCS]

Green spokeswoman Golriz Ghahraman said Manning had stood up against authority and silencing her was "callous".

Look, I expect the Greens to be hypocritical on everything.

"I'm a firm believer in free speech. But I don't believe there is a basis to say that her crimes are victimless. We will never know because of the nature of her offending - whether there are people that were put in harm's way," Woodhouse said.

Obviously you're actually not a firm believer in free speech. A conviction shouldn't necessarily deny you free speech, right? So STFU and live with it. Don't stoop to the Greens level of only liking free speech when it's 'speech you agree with'.

[blynk]

Really, the only thing he should be saying is
"People should not profit from their crimes". So if she is making money because of it, then deny her that.
and that would be assuming shes is not doing it for free, and she is talking about her crime.

This makes me think of Labours time in opposition, finding something random. Start to make a big deal about it, and effectively making themselves a hypocrite.

[CCS]

Graham McCready files police complaint against Labour's Meka Whaitiri

Serial litigant Graham McCready has filed a formal complaint of assault with police relating to the issues which led to Labour MP Meka Whaitiri being stood down as a minister.

In documents emailed to media and police today, McCready told police if it didn't investigate then he would take a private prosecution "against the Hon Meka Whaitiri without further delay or notice".

McCready's complaint stated: "The alleged offender became engaged with the alleged victim and subsequently pushed the alleged victim."

The basis of McCready's knowledge appears to be a media report attached to the complaint. He claims the assault happened on a specific date at Parliament but provides no material to support the claim.
...
His complaint to police also copies in the Prime Minister, who is referred to in the documents as " Lucinda Ardern".

McCready is a former bankrupt who has a number of convictions himself - one for trading while bankrupt, for making false tax returns and for blackmail.

This guy is a fucking wankstain. I hope the police tell him to fuck off.

[Ab]

Auckland NIMBY boomers are awesome.

https://thespinoff.co.nz/auckland/30...tem-is-broken/

A 102-apartment development was turned down on the major public transport corridor Dominion Rd because council-appointed commissioners sided with residents who wanted to preserve views of “the sunsets across the silhouetted parapets of the Edwardian shop fronts, to the Waitakeres beyond”.

Just lucky that Auckland has so much spare housing.

[BoyWonder]

Wow - imagine if Peter Lange still had the opportunity to discuss his righteous stand with his brother David? I think he would be righteously told to pull his head in.

[CCS]

Police refuse to act on Meka Whaitiri criminal complaint laid by Graham McCready

Good.

[Lightspeed]

He must live such an angry, meaningless life. Poor old fool.