Rodney Hide is being labelled a hypocrite after having his girlfriend accompany him on an overseas tour, all paid for by the Great New Zealand Taxpayer. A number of responses to the Your Views question "Are Rodney Hide's travel expenses justified?" have reacted with shock and disbelief at the suggestion that Rodney has managed to score himself a lady friend. However, overall this thread reflects one thing that Your Views users can always be counted on to do: continually reference politicians or other public figures not by their real names but by some kind of incredibly witty and cutting nickname. Oh and the heavy circulation of the same cynical phrases over and over again (PC gone mad being the most favoured). Okay so this phenomenon is by no means limited to the space of Your Views, as the public, journalists and politicians have been thinking up nasty names to call each other since the year dot. As Matt Southall from spEak You're bRanes notes, speaking about the BBC's Have Your Say section:
"Nobody ever writes "New Labour" or "Gordon Brown". These petty internet gnomes proudly write "Nu LiarBore", "Gordon CLOWN" or something similarly inventive and hilarious. You can almost see their smiles of satisfaction as they type it. Funny and subversive. Brilliant."
Hiawatha (Auckland Central)
Rhort-ney Hide, you deserve to be fired. What a sad hypocrite you are.
I'm sure Hiawatha is pleased with her shot at Rodney Hide. Yeah, make a funny word play on his name, that'll learn him! As we saw in a previous post about John Key's American adventure, to hilariously refer to John Key you say 'DonKey', for Helen Clark it's 'Auntie Helen' or 'Head Girl Helen'.
Certain phrases get circulated again and again, each time getting more and more frustrating to read and yet, gathering more momentum as they go...
wellwisher (Penrose)
Just another pig at the trough.
Shane (Grey Lynn)
Rodney Hide should first pay back his partners expenses then he should resign. He has no creditabilty and is just another pig with his face in the trough.
Huia Gold Coast (Queensland)
Hide is a pompous hypocrite who has shown that he is just another right wing reptile with his snout in the trough?
Yes, yes, we get it. Politicians are pigs with snouts or faces in the trough. Very creative! 10 out of 10 for all of you.
Margot Campbell (Napier)
The lefties will jump all over this. Rodney is the only one with steel balls in our parliament. Good that he brings a girl rather than a boy.
Don't look for the splinter on some someone else. Look for the log on yourself.
And if you weren't outraged by that, here's some more Margot for ya! From the thread "Would you trade your regular breaks for time off later?":
Margot Campbell (Napier)
Who cares about this? The only people who take 'smoko' are the bottom of th bell curve who put lids on yoghurt. They vote red anyway.
The more I read Your Views, the more Margot Campbell's posts stick out and the more convinced I am that she must be a fake whose posts are designed to piss off the "PC brigade". She is also the bright spark who inspired the 'Ratbags suckling at the public teat' label in the tag cloud. Interesting that the moderation lets through some appalling homophobic remarks too, especially as they promise to weed out any posts that could be "considered discriminatory on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual preference, nationality, age, disability, etc." Letting Margot's post go through just adds more weight to my theory that she is part of a Your Views forum conspiracy, dreamed up to incite maximum levels of offense and controversy.
Showing posts with label PC gone mad. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PC gone mad. Show all posts
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
'Cause I gotta have faith
The New Zealand government is borrowing $250 million per week to cope with the ongoing effects of the economic recession. As expected with the announcement of such a scary figure, fingers are being pointed, stress levels are rising and questions are being asked. One such question is being raised by Your Views. Do you have faith in the Government's handling of the economy? Well, do you?
Victor (Auckland)
No not at all. National Government is as bad as Labour Government. They are only there to look after their interest and of their friends and buisness colleagues.To cut down the governemt expenditure I urge Government to take the bold steps immediately:
1- Introduce death penalty for cold bloded murderers - saving cost on prison expenses and lesson to every one that if you take any one's life be prepared to lose your life.
2- Cut down on Immigrants and refugees coming to NZ
3- Impose family planning like India & China - maximum of 2 child per family. No extra benefits to be given if the mum ( solo) or parents they decide to have more then 2 children.
4- Change laws now that no former MP can claim for free travel benefits if they are no longer in Governement.
5- Change the term of the Government to 4 or 5 years to save millions in election costs & scrap MMP.
6-Cut the slaries of all Govt executives, Cabinets Ministers & MP's by 10% across the board.
7-Restrict overseas trips by MP and Government officials
8- Cut down the benefits to people who are able to work but are damn too lazy to work
9- Introduce tougher laws for manufactures & distributors of P- Life sentence.
Victor details his list of remedies for the country's woes, urging the current government to take heed of his suggestions. Victor doesn't have faith in the government's ability to handle the recession, but he does seem to have faith in using Your Views as a direct link to John Key. This reminds me of what Matt Southall, creator of spEak You're bRanes, said in a piece for the Guardian about users of the BBC's Have Your Say forum:
Laurence's prescription for a better New Zealand isn't as detailed as Victor's, however, he does outline John Key's first tasks: "tak[ing] his head out of his ass" and to "stop buggering around with Maori types and other crank groups". Using this kind of language is sure to discredit his response in the eyes of some other users, but more vulgar is Laurence's assertion that Maori are "types" who belong to a "crank" group. I wonder if we'd also find Laurence commenting in the Your Views thread on the Maori Television bid for the Rugby World Cup coverage rights, declaring that it's a pain in the ass for Key to be buggering around with Maori Television. "Refocus your priorities John, no more buggering around and get that head out of your ass!"
Margot Campbell (Napier)
They're doing around a gazillion times better through a recession than what Micheal and Helen did through the boom years. However, 1 gazillion is not good enough. JK is still a bit PC left wing. It might be time for Rodney to run the show to cut out the nonsense.
I have a fantastic yet terrifying mental image of Rodney Hide decked out in a yellow lycra bodysuit with a giant anti-PC sign on the front, cape blowing in the wind.
Lampie (Glen Eden)
No, next stupid question.
I love it. Lampie not only suggests that this question is stupid, but highlights the expectation that the next question will be stupid also. And yet Lampie still answers these stupid questions! Why do people continue to use Your Views if they dislike the service it is offering? I think that question deserves an entire post to itself. Stay tuned!
Victor (Auckland)
No not at all. National Government is as bad as Labour Government. They are only there to look after their interest and of their friends and buisness colleagues.To cut down the governemt expenditure I urge Government to take the bold steps immediately:
1- Introduce death penalty for cold bloded murderers - saving cost on prison expenses and lesson to every one that if you take any one's life be prepared to lose your life.
2- Cut down on Immigrants and refugees coming to NZ
3- Impose family planning like India & China - maximum of 2 child per family. No extra benefits to be given if the mum ( solo) or parents they decide to have more then 2 children.
4- Change laws now that no former MP can claim for free travel benefits if they are no longer in Governement.
5- Change the term of the Government to 4 or 5 years to save millions in election costs & scrap MMP.
6-Cut the slaries of all Govt executives, Cabinets Ministers & MP's by 10% across the board.
7-Restrict overseas trips by MP and Government officials
8- Cut down the benefits to people who are able to work but are damn too lazy to work
9- Introduce tougher laws for manufactures & distributors of P- Life sentence.
Victor details his list of remedies for the country's woes, urging the current government to take heed of his suggestions. Victor doesn't have faith in the government's ability to handle the recession, but he does seem to have faith in using Your Views as a direct link to John Key. This reminds me of what Matt Southall, creator of spEak You're bRanes, said in a piece for the Guardian about users of the BBC's Have Your Say forum:
Who do they think they're talking to? The Queen? Terry Wogan? Father Christmas? I can tell you, actually. They all think they're addressing Gordon Brown. This is about as sophisticated as their politics gets. The BBC = the state = Gordon Brown. Having their tragic witterings "published" on the BBC's site (THE BBC!!! THE ACTUAL BBC!!!!!) is, for them, a validation of their moronic opinion and as good as speaking directly to the prime minister.
Although I like to think I have a little more faith (the word of the day, really) in the users of Your Views, Southall no doubt points to the imagined communicatory connection between the State and features like Have Your Say and Your Views. Victor - perhaps write a letter to Mr Key with your thoughts? Such brilliant suggestions really need to reach the PM asap.
Laurence (United Kingdom)
Key needs to take his head out of his ass and stop buggering around with Maori types and other crank groups and immediately start with plans on improving productivity, closing the wage gap with Australia, paying off our huge overseas debt and developing other industries away from our dependance on agriculture. Key and National need to refocus their priorities and really think about what we voted them in for ie:creating jobs and improving living standards.
Laurence's prescription for a better New Zealand isn't as detailed as Victor's, however, he does outline John Key's first tasks: "tak[ing] his head out of his ass" and to "stop buggering around with Maori types and other crank groups". Using this kind of language is sure to discredit his response in the eyes of some other users, but more vulgar is Laurence's assertion that Maori are "types" who belong to a "crank" group. I wonder if we'd also find Laurence commenting in the Your Views thread on the Maori Television bid for the Rugby World Cup coverage rights, declaring that it's a pain in the ass for Key to be buggering around with Maori Television. "Refocus your priorities John, no more buggering around and get that head out of your ass!"
Margot Campbell (Napier)
They're doing around a gazillion times better through a recession than what Micheal and Helen did through the boom years. However, 1 gazillion is not good enough. JK is still a bit PC left wing. It might be time for Rodney to run the show to cut out the nonsense.
I have a fantastic yet terrifying mental image of Rodney Hide decked out in a yellow lycra bodysuit with a giant anti-PC sign on the front, cape blowing in the wind.
Lampie (Glen Eden)
No, next stupid question.
I love it. Lampie not only suggests that this question is stupid, but highlights the expectation that the next question will be stupid also. And yet Lampie still answers these stupid questions! Why do people continue to use Your Views if they dislike the service it is offering? I think that question deserves an entire post to itself. Stay tuned!
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Would you be happy to put up with polarised discussion?
Maori Television has so far put in the highest bid for gaining the rights to screen the Rugby World Cup games in 2011. The Herald reported on the likelihood of Te Reo being included as part of the commentary, saying that the majority of commentary would be in English but with 5-10% Maori phrases. They even included a wee English-to-Maori translation of common rugby terms down the bottom of the story.
Your Views asks the question: Would you be happy to watch Rugby World Cup games on Maori TV? Strange phrasing here, with a definite insinuation that watching rugby on Maori TV would not sit comfortably with some people. It might as well be saying: "Could you put up with the odd Te Reo word or phrase during a Rugby World Cup game?", as if the language is simply a nuisance.
"Would you be happy driving with screaming kids in the back seat?"
GT (East Tamaki)
No, I do not want to have to listen to Maori in the middle of the games. I don't mind if you want to spread Maori culture, but not like this. This would be akin to force feeding. Don't people know that it's rude to speak another language in front of people who don't understand it? What's the difference between that and forcing everyone to watch Maori TV where they wouldn't understand 10% of the commentary?
M. L (Remuera)
Just out of principle: Absolutely not! I'm just sick to death of Maori organisations constantly having their hands out to the taxpayer to fund their enterprises. They just have an insatiable appetite for Government handouts. If I need a "fix" of Maori culture I'll just trot off down to the Auckland Museum, thanks. I don't want it rammed down my throat, constantly.
Both of these responses liken the expression of Maori language and/or culture to force-feeding, as something which is being 'rammed down' people's throats. I'm sure GT doesn't mind speaking English in front of people who don't understand it. M.L's suggestion that Maori culture is best represented in the Auckland Museum shows his/her imagining of Maori as museum artefacts, not as a culture which might -GASP- change over time.
T Carrington (Berhampore)
Good on Maori TV for punching above their weight. If the Maori Affairs people are trying to get messages through to Maoris and also to promote Maori business then doing it at a time when most of the world is watching smacks of good thinking. Better than spending it on welfare benefits I say.
Sad to see so many people including your reporter eating and talking straight out of TVNZ's trough - the question is, who benefits from leaking all this bid information and that would be TVNZ - a broadcaster renown for long lunches whose bosses have been subsidised by my taxes for more than half a century - and yet we moan about little ol Maori TV?
Shame on those journos who pandered without thinking to an obvious TVNZ set up.
I continue to be surprised by the amount of criticism of the Herald's reporting being approved by the moderators of Your Views. Apparently they didn't let 'The brat prince' get away with his first submission to Your Views on this topic:
The brat prince (Queensland)
Take two, a less brutal summation as the NZ Herald declined to publish my previous rant. I find it offensive to be forced to learn a language that I do not care for. I am not alone; the majority of the population does not speak Maori.The fact that a station targeting a minority of the population thinks it has earned the right to hijack our national sport is presumptuous to say the least. Maori TV is kidding itself it thinks this will endear itself to the masses and generate interest in the Maori language, it will, and is having the reverse effect.
I hate to think what was written in the rejected response. No one is making you learn a language! Therefore you cannot take offence. Last I checked Aotearoa New Zealand had three official languages - English, Maori and NZ Sign Language - so you can expect any of them to pop up anywhere. Although here's a user who feels that Maori is a foreign language:
Tinnyliz (Wellington City)
As long as the commentary is 100% English I don't care which channel it's on. I can't stand watching anything in a foreign language.
Your Views asks the question: Would you be happy to watch Rugby World Cup games on Maori TV? Strange phrasing here, with a definite insinuation that watching rugby on Maori TV would not sit comfortably with some people. It might as well be saying: "Could you put up with the odd Te Reo word or phrase during a Rugby World Cup game?", as if the language is simply a nuisance.
"Would you be happy driving with screaming kids in the back seat?"
GT (East Tamaki)
No, I do not want to have to listen to Maori in the middle of the games. I don't mind if you want to spread Maori culture, but not like this. This would be akin to force feeding. Don't people know that it's rude to speak another language in front of people who don't understand it? What's the difference between that and forcing everyone to watch Maori TV where they wouldn't understand 10% of the commentary?
M. L (Remuera)
Just out of principle: Absolutely not! I'm just sick to death of Maori organisations constantly having their hands out to the taxpayer to fund their enterprises. They just have an insatiable appetite for Government handouts. If I need a "fix" of Maori culture I'll just trot off down to the Auckland Museum, thanks. I don't want it rammed down my throat, constantly.
Both of these responses liken the expression of Maori language and/or culture to force-feeding, as something which is being 'rammed down' people's throats. I'm sure GT doesn't mind speaking English in front of people who don't understand it. M.L's suggestion that Maori culture is best represented in the Auckland Museum shows his/her imagining of Maori as museum artefacts, not as a culture which might -GASP- change over time.
T Carrington (Berhampore)
Good on Maori TV for punching above their weight. If the Maori Affairs people are trying to get messages through to Maoris and also to promote Maori business then doing it at a time when most of the world is watching smacks of good thinking. Better than spending it on welfare benefits I say.
Sad to see so many people including your reporter eating and talking straight out of TVNZ's trough - the question is, who benefits from leaking all this bid information and that would be TVNZ - a broadcaster renown for long lunches whose bosses have been subsidised by my taxes for more than half a century - and yet we moan about little ol Maori TV?
Shame on those journos who pandered without thinking to an obvious TVNZ set up.
I continue to be surprised by the amount of criticism of the Herald's reporting being approved by the moderators of Your Views. Apparently they didn't let 'The brat prince' get away with his first submission to Your Views on this topic:
The brat prince (Queensland)
Take two, a less brutal summation as the NZ Herald declined to publish my previous rant. I find it offensive to be forced to learn a language that I do not care for. I am not alone; the majority of the population does not speak Maori.The fact that a station targeting a minority of the population thinks it has earned the right to hijack our national sport is presumptuous to say the least. Maori TV is kidding itself it thinks this will endear itself to the masses and generate interest in the Maori language, it will, and is having the reverse effect.
I hate to think what was written in the rejected response. No one is making you learn a language! Therefore you cannot take offence. Last I checked Aotearoa New Zealand had three official languages - English, Maori and NZ Sign Language - so you can expect any of them to pop up anywhere. Although here's a user who feels that Maori is a foreign language:
Tinnyliz (Wellington City)
As long as the commentary is 100% English I don't care which channel it's on. I can't stand watching anything in a foreign language.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
I want to ride my bicycle vs. I love my car
The battle of cyclists versus car drivers is currently raging on Your Views, after an incident involving a car and four bicycles on Auckland's Tamaki Drive prompted them to ask the question: What can be done to make cycling in NZ safer?
Michaelauknz (Mt Eden)
Look New Zealanders are always being hijacked by minority self interest groups and these guys are no exception -
Now they want to have cars even doing 40km 24/7 (some cyclist travel faster than that) and have the road widened so they can continue riding 4 abreast laughing and joking and acting in an often abusive dominating way towards motorists.
I have very good video footage of these guys riding 4 and 2 up in the middle of the actual road in busy times.
Put them back on the footpath, their time is over and from the attacks given here toward motorist by themselves no change will be coming from there attitudes, they got away for far to long being threatening and dysfunctional-
More accidents will happen.No lesson has been learnt here.
Sadly the only thing missing now is the place, date and time.of the next one.
NZ is currently 27th going to 35th in the OECD ranking of the top 25 developed countries and is suffering from the impact of the smart ones who have left.this proves my point.
I can just see Michaelauknz engaging in a vigilante-style surveillance operation, complete with binoculars and camouflage gear.
Halkelorno (Northpark)
What can be done? very little, considering its Auckland. Why ? Just think about a little.
20 or so years ago, Auckland was a relatively safe place to drive,however what successive governments have done is allowed almost unfetted immigration from a huge variety of Pacific Island countries, Asian and African and Indian countries where the majority of the people did not own or drive a car or have any road user experience. The then come to New Zealand and the previous stricter road rules and license tests were conveniently lowered to fit PC rules, no English tests needed and feel free to use an interpreter. What would you expect to happen on the roads. More drivers, totally unskilled, no road sense plus no real knowledge of how to drive a car. Remember when you had to Drive a Manual Car in order to gain your license ? Not any more, this would be too hard and very UN- PC. Now we have the visible evidence and unenviable Road Toll results.
Now we have all the nodding heads, the plaintive outcry's "Something should be done", all in vain because the real answer is too Un PC and we as a people have long lost the guts and fortitude to do anything to rectify the problem.
We will tinker!
There is always someone who names immigration as the key determinant in any problem you throw at them. You might not have seen a link between cyclists, road safety and immigration but ah-ha! Halkelorno has made it as clear as day.
Pepe Perez (Birkenhead)
Nothing will be resolved with the rather emotional motorist vs cyclist debate that is being played out in this forum.
There is a simple answer. Motorists must obey stop signals - which is so rare these days that I wonder why we have the regulation at all. (Which is another debate) Cyclists must stop for red traffic signals - which is so rare . etc etc. Then the existing westbound Special Vehicle Lane (Bus Lane);that is about to turn into a T2 Transit Lane, is extended back into Mission Bay and be made 6am to 10am Monday to Sunday. Should there be a similar Special Vehicle Lane eastbound for the morning and evening peaks for the same reasons. Not my call, but worth thinking about.
In the end, cyclists and motorists need to and can live together without conflict - but each has to show respect to the other; not easy to find in the society we live in today. Finally, we all need to respect and obey the laws governing operation of a vehicle on our nations roads to ensure we keep this sort of accident to a minimum.
Pepe Perez doesn't see the "emotional" discussion in this thread as resulting in any concrete resolution, and instead proposes everyone sticks to the road rules. Commonsense prevails? Cyclists and motorists travelling together in harmony. What a beautiful way to end the post.
Michaelauknz (Mt Eden)
Look New Zealanders are always being hijacked by minority self interest groups and these guys are no exception -
Now they want to have cars even doing 40km 24/7 (some cyclist travel faster than that) and have the road widened so they can continue riding 4 abreast laughing and joking and acting in an often abusive dominating way towards motorists.
I have very good video footage of these guys riding 4 and 2 up in the middle of the actual road in busy times.
Put them back on the footpath, their time is over and from the attacks given here toward motorist by themselves no change will be coming from there attitudes, they got away for far to long being threatening and dysfunctional-
More accidents will happen.No lesson has been learnt here.
Sadly the only thing missing now is the place, date and time.of the next one.
NZ is currently 27th going to 35th in the OECD ranking of the top 25 developed countries and is suffering from the impact of the smart ones who have left.this proves my point.
I can just see Michaelauknz engaging in a vigilante-style surveillance operation, complete with binoculars and camouflage gear.
Halkelorno (Northpark)
What can be done? very little, considering its Auckland. Why ? Just think about a little.
20 or so years ago, Auckland was a relatively safe place to drive,however what successive governments have done is allowed almost unfetted immigration from a huge variety of Pacific Island countries, Asian and African and Indian countries where the majority of the people did not own or drive a car or have any road user experience. The then come to New Zealand and the previous stricter road rules and license tests were conveniently lowered to fit PC rules, no English tests needed and feel free to use an interpreter. What would you expect to happen on the roads. More drivers, totally unskilled, no road sense plus no real knowledge of how to drive a car. Remember when you had to Drive a Manual Car in order to gain your license ? Not any more, this would be too hard and very UN- PC. Now we have the visible evidence and unenviable Road Toll results.
Now we have all the nodding heads, the plaintive outcry's "Something should be done", all in vain because the real answer is too Un PC and we as a people have long lost the guts and fortitude to do anything to rectify the problem.
We will tinker!
There is always someone who names immigration as the key determinant in any problem you throw at them. You might not have seen a link between cyclists, road safety and immigration but ah-ha! Halkelorno has made it as clear as day.
Pepe Perez (Birkenhead)
Nothing will be resolved with the rather emotional motorist vs cyclist debate that is being played out in this forum.
There is a simple answer. Motorists must obey stop signals - which is so rare these days that I wonder why we have the regulation at all. (Which is another debate) Cyclists must stop for red traffic signals - which is so rare . etc etc. Then the existing westbound Special Vehicle Lane (Bus Lane);that is about to turn into a T2 Transit Lane, is extended back into Mission Bay and be made 6am to 10am Monday to Sunday. Should there be a similar Special Vehicle Lane eastbound for the morning and evening peaks for the same reasons. Not my call, but worth thinking about.
In the end, cyclists and motorists need to and can live together without conflict - but each has to show respect to the other; not easy to find in the society we live in today. Finally, we all need to respect and obey the laws governing operation of a vehicle on our nations roads to ensure we keep this sort of accident to a minimum.
Pepe Perez doesn't see the "emotional" discussion in this thread as resulting in any concrete resolution, and instead proposes everyone sticks to the road rules. Commonsense prevails? Cyclists and motorists travelling together in harmony. What a beautiful way to end the post.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
What's in a name?
The Geographic Board has ruled in favour of putting the "h" back in W(h)anganui. Michael Laws isn't happy - surprise, surprise. Laws stated that the changing of the name was "more than just about the letter h" and described the Geographic Board as an "uncaring and unthinking organisation which is attempting in one foul swoop to expunge Wanganui's history, heritage, mana and culture."
With every new development in the W(h)anganui saga, the Your Views topic Should it be 'Wanganui' or 'Whanganui'?, which was created back in May, has been reinvigorated with interest. The thread of comments features energetic debate, with polarised discussion amongst both fans of the "h" and the anti-"h" brigade (the members of which probably also belong to the anti-PC brigade).
Dan (Wellington City)
If it's a spelling mistake why not correct it? Or is this one of those things that is supposed to be "racially charged" or an example of "political correctness gone mad"?
Dan gets the prestige of having the first post on the ever-growing thread of responses and manages to be both critical and pithy in this comment. Many representatives of the "h"-team posting on the thread seem to employ the correct spelling argument, which no doubt motivated the Geographic Board in their decision to rule in favour of the name change.
Of course anything Michael Laws-related mobilises the ML defence force:
Carpe Diem (Half Moon Bay)
Leave it alone! Tell all the PC boot lickers to to take a hike! Good on you Michael.
But what is most interesting about this thread are the debates surrounding the representation of New Zealand and Maori history. The perpetuation of misinformation is rife, with users pertaining to speak as expert historians in order to reinforce their opinion.
Geebs (Queensland)
It is time NZers took a stand and dealt with real issues. Maori have no rights as they are not indigenous, never were and never will be. It is time for people to realise that Maori are conning everyone and the parliamentarians are allowing for this to occur. Historical facts show the Maori ate the first people and don't forget it. Stop them eating into your rights now.
Misinformed viewpoints are quite concerning. But what is more concerning is when the spread of misinformation is applauded and therefore reinforced by other users:
Maureen (Queensland)
Good on ya geebs of Queensland. Anyway aren't the Maori originally from Taiwan?
But then, like a knight in shining armour, Jay from Swanson arises with a challenge to these assumptions surrounding the interpretation of NZ and Maori history:
Jay (Swanson)
I see we have experts on the Maori and te Reo Maori from Queensland, Canada, you name it. Maureen of Queensland, if by opining that Maori are "not indigenous" to NZ you mean that they were not the first people here, you must have found out something that no-one else has. If you go and check the current research you will find that there is no evidence which even suggests that there were others here before eastern Polynesians. If by saying that Maori were not indigenous you mean that they did not occur naturally here then we have to say that no-one on the planet is indigenous to anywhere except perhaps Ethiopians whose antecedents (and yours) it is thought spontaneously emerged there.
Although Jay doesn't mention any specific writing on the subject, he manages to question the circulation of assumed (and yet false) facts in the debate. Discussion forums are widely perceived as spaces in which people are able to reaffirm and reinforce their beliefs amongst like-minded peers, deterring those holding differing opinions. The interaction of responses between these users shows that this isn't always necessarily the case, and that folks will speak up if they see assumptions and misinformation being circulated without question.
With every new development in the W(h)anganui saga, the Your Views topic Should it be 'Wanganui' or 'Whanganui'?, which was created back in May, has been reinvigorated with interest. The thread of comments features energetic debate, with polarised discussion amongst both fans of the "h" and the anti-"h" brigade (the members of which probably also belong to the anti-PC brigade).
Dan (Wellington City)
If it's a spelling mistake why not correct it? Or is this one of those things that is supposed to be "racially charged" or an example of "political correctness gone mad"?
Dan gets the prestige of having the first post on the ever-growing thread of responses and manages to be both critical and pithy in this comment. Many representatives of the "h"-team posting on the thread seem to employ the correct spelling argument, which no doubt motivated the Geographic Board in their decision to rule in favour of the name change.
Of course anything Michael Laws-related mobilises the ML defence force:
Carpe Diem (Half Moon Bay)
Leave it alone! Tell all the PC boot lickers to to take a hike! Good on you Michael.
But what is most interesting about this thread are the debates surrounding the representation of New Zealand and Maori history. The perpetuation of misinformation is rife, with users pertaining to speak as expert historians in order to reinforce their opinion.
Geebs (Queensland)
It is time NZers took a stand and dealt with real issues. Maori have no rights as they are not indigenous, never were and never will be. It is time for people to realise that Maori are conning everyone and the parliamentarians are allowing for this to occur. Historical facts show the Maori ate the first people and don't forget it. Stop them eating into your rights now.
Misinformed viewpoints are quite concerning. But what is more concerning is when the spread of misinformation is applauded and therefore reinforced by other users:
Maureen (Queensland)
Good on ya geebs of Queensland. Anyway aren't the Maori originally from Taiwan?
But then, like a knight in shining armour, Jay from Swanson arises with a challenge to these assumptions surrounding the interpretation of NZ and Maori history:
Jay (Swanson)
I see we have experts on the Maori and te Reo Maori from Queensland, Canada, you name it. Maureen of Queensland, if by opining that Maori are "not indigenous" to NZ you mean that they were not the first people here, you must have found out something that no-one else has. If you go and check the current research you will find that there is no evidence which even suggests that there were others here before eastern Polynesians. If by saying that Maori were not indigenous you mean that they did not occur naturally here then we have to say that no-one on the planet is indigenous to anywhere except perhaps Ethiopians whose antecedents (and yours) it is thought spontaneously emerged there.
Although Jay doesn't mention any specific writing on the subject, he manages to question the circulation of assumed (and yet false) facts in the debate. Discussion forums are widely perceived as spaces in which people are able to reaffirm and reinforce their beliefs amongst like-minded peers, deterring those holding differing opinions. The interaction of responses between these users shows that this isn't always necessarily the case, and that folks will speak up if they see assumptions and misinformation being circulated without question.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Engineered to fail
Peter Hughes, a maths lecturer from the University of Auckland, claims that only a third of New Zealand students entering secondary school are numerate. Hughes makes this claim in light of the fact that a numeracy test he has created was seen as rather difficult by an unnamed secondary school's maths department head. The story even includes the test in question, which is assumed 70% of Year 11 students would fail, for readers to have a go at and click a link for the solutions. Now that's what I call interactivity.
In true form to Your Views, the problems and pitfalls of an entire education system come under scrutiny because of one person's specific claim about a specific topic - rates of numeracy in secondary school students. Your Views asks: Does the NZ education system fail to cover the basics? not "What are your impressions of the NZ education system?" or anything of a similarly open nature. Alongside the article and standing on its own, the question is coded with meaning and works to trigger responses that argue the NZ education does "fail to cover the basics".
The question has obviously encouraged those who seek to list one by one the evil temptations and trappings of modern childhood and how children are helpless victims of "brainwashing".
Help Us ASAP! (Auckland Central)
May be or may be not but it has a lot to do with the socialisation of what they learn at school. They may learn maths and writing at school, but in reality they are brainwashed by the media in TV, Video Games, GE foods, chemical drinks, and inappropriate peer pressure
Brainwashing!
Lucy in the Sky (Auckland Central)
Our schools focus on brainwashing the kids about nukes, the environment, global warming, eating right, charity, multiculturalism and political correctness, when all of these are the domain of the parent. They should be teaching school stuff, like reading, writing, maths, history, physics, chemistry, biology & geography. Stuff that matters.
More brainwashing! I'm confused about what "matters" according to Lucy in the Sky - surely things that are in the "domain of the parent" should be the things that "matter" most?
ryan (Bahamas)
Lazyness is also to blame. Too much tv and xbox and sports. I say throw away the TV, get some strict discipline in schools and bugger this pc nonsense that's destroyed NZ. Hell when i was at school there was nothing wrong with a good spanking, and good old fashioned discipline, short hair for boys etc,we are not making good citizens here
I get the feeling Ryan thinks a short haircut and a good spank would sort out a lot of the problems in New Zealand.
After all this talk of brainwashing and spanking, let's leave today's post with a thoughful response from bob of the Bay of Plenty. Three cheers for bob for putting his thinking cap on a little before clicking "send".
bob (Bay Of Plenty)
I'm a little puzzled by this article. Peter Hughes states that just a third of students are entering secondary school numerate and backs this up by using a comment from a secondary school teacher. Where's the research that backs up this highly inflammatory comment?
Further on in the article it states that Ministry of Education figures show our students are above the OECD average. So who is right here, the lecturer whose comments are backed up by a second hand comment from someone else. Or the Government department with research from a world renowned organisation?
Before jumping on this teacher bashing bandwagon I think some more considered research into this issue would be needed.
In true form to Your Views, the problems and pitfalls of an entire education system come under scrutiny because of one person's specific claim about a specific topic - rates of numeracy in secondary school students. Your Views asks: Does the NZ education system fail to cover the basics? not "What are your impressions of the NZ education system?" or anything of a similarly open nature. Alongside the article and standing on its own, the question is coded with meaning and works to trigger responses that argue the NZ education does "fail to cover the basics".
The question has obviously encouraged those who seek to list one by one the evil temptations and trappings of modern childhood and how children are helpless victims of "brainwashing".
Help Us ASAP! (Auckland Central)
May be or may be not but it has a lot to do with the socialisation of what they learn at school. They may learn maths and writing at school, but in reality they are brainwashed by the media in TV, Video Games, GE foods, chemical drinks, and inappropriate peer pressure
Brainwashing!
Lucy in the Sky (Auckland Central)
Our schools focus on brainwashing the kids about nukes, the environment, global warming, eating right, charity, multiculturalism and political correctness, when all of these are the domain of the parent. They should be teaching school stuff, like reading, writing, maths, history, physics, chemistry, biology & geography. Stuff that matters.
More brainwashing! I'm confused about what "matters" according to Lucy in the Sky - surely things that are in the "domain of the parent" should be the things that "matter" most?
ryan (Bahamas)
Lazyness is also to blame. Too much tv and xbox and sports. I say throw away the TV, get some strict discipline in schools and bugger this pc nonsense that's destroyed NZ. Hell when i was at school there was nothing wrong with a good spanking, and good old fashioned discipline, short hair for boys etc,we are not making good citizens here
I get the feeling Ryan thinks a short haircut and a good spank would sort out a lot of the problems in New Zealand.
After all this talk of brainwashing and spanking, let's leave today's post with a thoughful response from bob of the Bay of Plenty. Three cheers for bob for putting his thinking cap on a little before clicking "send".
bob (Bay Of Plenty)
I'm a little puzzled by this article. Peter Hughes states that just a third of students are entering secondary school numerate and backs this up by using a comment from a secondary school teacher. Where's the research that backs up this highly inflammatory comment?
Further on in the article it states that Ministry of Education figures show our students are above the OECD average. So who is right here, the lecturer whose comments are backed up by a second hand comment from someone else. Or the Government department with research from a world renowned organisation?
Before jumping on this teacher bashing bandwagon I think some more considered research into this issue would be needed.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
The Return of the Nazis
A group of researchers has proposed a number of changes in the fight against nicotine in New Zealand. These include the creation of a Smokefree Commission that would require retailers to have licenses for the sale of cigarettes and to stop the glossy branding of tobacco and cigarette packets, with health warnings the only stand-out feature on plain packaging. The proposed changes apparently have the support of public health physicians, policy officials across a range of government ministries and journalists alike.
But what do the users of Your Views think about it? Should cigarette packs feature only health warnings on a plain package?
steve (Tuakau)
Another proof that political-correctness is a dictatorship that has stricken freedom off the dictionary. Next will be alcool, and then they will just have to apply the same rule for not thinking the waythey do. Welcome to the NZ stalag
Raymond (Hamilton)
But what do the users of Your Views think about it? Should cigarette packs feature only health warnings on a plain package?
Raymond (Hamilton)
I think the bright sparks that thought this up should go back to their day jobs as Nazi SS officers. Seriously. And no, I don't smoke, and I'm damned if I'll let anyone have the right to prevent me from choosing to.steve (Tuakau)
Another proof that political-correctness is a dictatorship that has stricken freedom off the dictionary. Next will be alcool, and then they will just have to apply the same rule for not thinking the waythey do. Welcome to the NZ stalag
Raymond (Hamilton)
Wow, the cigarette Nazis are out in force. Why don't you all organise a march up Queen St, or go to a gym and take it out on a punching bag? Smoking a cigarette is Not against the law. So stop behaving like it is. And cigarette smoking will NEVER be outlawed, because the government makes too much tax out of it. And no, I don't smoke, but thank you for asking.
References to the researchers as Nazi secret service officers to New Zealand as a prisoner of war camp! Classic examples of Godwin's Law occurring in the Your Views forum. As the Wikipedia entry states, Godwin's Law, otherwise known as Godwin's Rule of Nazi Analogies, "applies especially to inappropriate, inordinate, or hyperbolic comparisons of other situations (or one's opponent) with Hitler or Nazis or their actions." These responses are worrying not only because the likening of a unrelated situation to Nazism or the Holocaust trivialises the seriousness of these historical examples, but because they are employed by users in an attempt to make their point more convincing rather than providing a detailed argument. However, the inclusion of such comparisons in one's argument also works to generate reaction from other users, as a kind of hot-button language that will inevitably split discussion between those who approve of the use of such analogies and those who don't.
References to the researchers as Nazi secret service officers to New Zealand as a prisoner of war camp! Classic examples of Godwin's Law occurring in the Your Views forum. As the Wikipedia entry states, Godwin's Law, otherwise known as Godwin's Rule of Nazi Analogies, "applies especially to inappropriate, inordinate, or hyperbolic comparisons of other situations (or one's opponent) with Hitler or Nazis or their actions." These responses are worrying not only because the likening of a unrelated situation to Nazism or the Holocaust trivialises the seriousness of these historical examples, but because they are employed by users in an attempt to make their point more convincing rather than providing a detailed argument. However, the inclusion of such comparisons in one's argument also works to generate reaction from other users, as a kind of hot-button language that will inevitably split discussion between those who approve of the use of such analogies and those who don't.
Jessica P (Kohimarama)
Let's stop pretending this is a victimless habit and that an objector must be a "nazi". There's no plus side to smoking.
Freedom (Eden Terrace)
The parallels between the Nazis' progressively escalating persecution of Jews and the Authorities progressively escalating persecution of smokers is scary.
Let's stop pretending this is a victimless habit and that an objector must be a "nazi". There's no plus side to smoking.
Freedom (Eden Terrace)
The parallels between the Nazis' progressively escalating persecution of Jews and the Authorities progressively escalating persecution of smokers is scary.
Grown men can't pick on children without being questioned. It's all PC gone mad.
Michael Laws is providing excellent fodder for the NZ Herald and indeed all New Zealand news outlets at the moment. The banning of gang patches, the battle to save Wanganui from the dreaded 'h' and now this: parents angry about Laws writing a heated letter to school kids in response to their request to put the 'h' back in W(h)anganui, uh-oh. He argued:
"When your class starts addressing the real issues affecting Maoridom - particularly the appalling rate of child abuse and child murder within Maori society, then I will take the rest of your views seriously."
Ruffled feathers, anyone? I wonder if Michael Laws takes Your Views seriously? If he does, he might feel safe in the comfort of his many fans. Should Michael Laws have to apologise over his letter to Otaki School?
LukaDuka (Newton)
"When your class starts addressing the real issues affecting Maoridom - particularly the appalling rate of child abuse and child murder within Maori society, then I will take the rest of your views seriously."
Ruffled feathers, anyone? I wonder if Michael Laws takes Your Views seriously? If he does, he might feel safe in the comfort of his many fans. Should Michael Laws have to apologise over his letter to Otaki School?
LukaDuka (Newton)
I am all for ML. This country has gone to the "PC correct" dogs. He hit the nail on the head.
Luigi (Auckland)
At least we can count on Laws saying it like it is, rather than spouting some PC based claptrap we have had to endure over the past 9 years. The kids were prompted by their teacher - no doubt. They were arrogant in "their" letters - no doubt again.
andy pandy (Blenheim)
Luigi (Auckland)
At least we can count on Laws saying it like it is, rather than spouting some PC based claptrap we have had to endure over the past 9 years. The kids were prompted by their teacher - no doubt. They were arrogant in "their" letters - no doubt again.
andy pandy (Blenheim)
Go Michael! The more you stick it up the PC brigade the better. Of course these kids were put up to it by their teacher (and other adults?) No self respecting kid would voluntarily enter into such a debate of their own accord. The whole things a media beat up and makes me ashamed to call myself a kiwi.
Notice the reoccurrence of anti-PC sentiment. Such language goes down well with a large number of Your Views users, who seem to drop negative references towards political processes and "political correctness" in order to strengthen their argument that New Zealand has "gone soft". It is easy to see how this kind of language prevents users from engaging with oppositional arguments in a constructive way, instead it constructs a separation between two sides who see eachother respectively as "PC cardigan-wearing nanny-state-loving hippies" and "ignorant narrow-minded racist bigots". I quite like James W's contribution to the discussion in this thread, an attempt to deconstruct the constant negative references to "PC":
James W (Auckland Central)
Whenever people say "It's PC gone mad!" what they mean is "I can't say or do offensive things anymore, waaaaah!". How about just being a decent, respectful citizen?
Nicely put James W. To use LukaDuka's phrase, you "hit the nail on the head".
Notice the reoccurrence of anti-PC sentiment. Such language goes down well with a large number of Your Views users, who seem to drop negative references towards political processes and "political correctness" in order to strengthen their argument that New Zealand has "gone soft". It is easy to see how this kind of language prevents users from engaging with oppositional arguments in a constructive way, instead it constructs a separation between two sides who see eachother respectively as "PC cardigan-wearing nanny-state-loving hippies" and "ignorant narrow-minded racist bigots". I quite like James W's contribution to the discussion in this thread, an attempt to deconstruct the constant negative references to "PC":
James W (Auckland Central)
Whenever people say "It's PC gone mad!" what they mean is "I can't say or do offensive things anymore, waaaaah!". How about just being a decent, respectful citizen?
Nicely put James W. To use LukaDuka's phrase, you "hit the nail on the head".
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)