On a positive note. I love that song . I had it on high rotation on my then MP3 player last time I was in Berlin. They don't lock up Brian Tamaki's lot because they serve a function to this right-wing government just as David Seymore does. They get to express the same racist rhetoric in public and be damned for it that, which the governing parties agrees with, they just dont want to admit to it. Hobson's choice, removal of te reo, RSB. Blame the Maori, blame the immigrants (even though most of us are), all of this straight out of the Trump playbook. All are using the social media algorithms that promote division and loop in thinking patterns to amplify the 1% views.
Hmm - thinking about mysogynistic trolls. I see them on farcebook, too, and where I can I check to see what can be found out about them. Sometimes, they haven't hidden all details of their identity. Do trolls like being exposed for who they really are?
Most of them have locked accounts or post little information. I also assume many are fake or bots. We need some form of social media registration that doesn't allow such behaviour.
Sadly, after reading Sarah Wynn-Williams book Careless People, about her experiences at FB, I can't see FB introducing or enforcing any such registration.
John Stewart nails it again. Jeremy read this morning, in the NZ Herald on line, that DT is trying to change the way the mid-term elections are conducted. He has no intention of ever leaving the White House, which doesn’t bode well for the future of democracy, as we are already seeing, political parties elsewhere are using his actions as a license to be openly racist and grasping, and dispense with the truth.
Regarding the trolls on social media, it was a good idea Nick to not give them the opportunity to comment. I’m absolutely sick of them popping up everywhere. It’s not free speech when you hide behind a fake account and spread hatred and vitriol.
I now make a point of blocking them as I find them, you can’t get rid of them entirely but you can minimise them.
Diana happily Mother Nature is going to take out that festering fascist obscenity trump, no amount of grifted money is going to save his black soul from it's demise - her clock is ticking seemingly faster, observing (reluctantly!) his shambling dementia ridden body - he currently looks like he's just a couple of McDonald's "meals" away! .. speed the day. The other cause for hope is just how unpopular that shape shifting lizard Vance is ... it's all like watching the fall of Rome, interesting if deeply unsettling times ... as I keep telling my American peers and friends "this too shall pass" ... hopefully there'll be a hugely positive reset politically in America including powerful and effective laws to prevent this shitshow from ever happening again.
🤗 I was about to reply something similar, but your word choices are much better! I have been wrong before about the US & what it's voters will do, but indeed the Republican supporters seem uniquely tied to Trump, so 🤞🤞🤞 when he is not (nominally) in charge they won't be sycophants to whatever replaces him 🤔
Just so Cindy, and thanks. I feel strongly also that trump is actually a useful idiot to the real power driving the current GOP - malevolent operatives like Miller and the rest of the Project 25 cabal, the MAGA base is the only reason the orange cockwomble is tolerated and not rolled by these awful men.
This weekend has been one hell of a ride. Not only in the US, but across the globe. Have just watched the John Stewart clip. Yep, right on the money.
Threats, protests, riots, murder, seemingly everywhere you look.
Sadly, all of these,( bar the justifiable protest by authors causing the cancellation of the Writers Festival in Adelaide), have a connection to “the land of the free and home of the brave”
I sent the letter attached to the Herald on Friday, still waiting for it to be published. ( I’m beginning to think I’ve been black listed by them, not much luck lately). It’s so sad that people have to die in their thousands, whichever country they may inhabit, to enable Trump to live his version of the American dream. His greed for power and wealth knows no bounds. It was frightening to hear him say it will be his morality that stops anything inappropriate from happening, or words to that effect.Plenty of leeway there, I’d imagine.
Letter below
Johnathon E Ross will be known for ever as the man who shot Renee Nicole Good in Minnesota yesterday, as she was trying to get out of the way of other ICE agents trying to drag her out of her car.
He should also be forever known as the man who killed the last vestiges of America’s claim to be “Home of the brave, land of the free”. The actions of those put in charge of kidnapping, incarcerating and deporting those deemed to be “domestic terrorists”, even from their own homes, and dragging people off the streets as well, shows that no home is safe and no freedom of speech or expression is tolerated by an increasingly authoritarian regime. I can only imagine that Renee Good’s marriage to a woman rather than a man, qualified her as someone dangerous to society so she was fair game for a trigger happy officer who held a grudge from a previous event.
I have no doubt he will be acquitted of any crime, but probably praised as a “true patriot”. America is a very sick country now with no cure in sight. May God, who they apparently worship, (according to the Trump Bible), help them before it’s too late.
That Jon Stewart video is brilliant. Everyone should watch it. But it is everywhere. I mean the hate. Brian Tamaki's little brainwashed group, or in Australia, after Bondi, where Pauline Hanson (yes her) is now polling equal to the coalition (ie the opposition) with a definite push for Albo to go from the mob. In the UK, the ramped up fear of immigration by Farage, and here, in our little country an old dude cranking up the anti immigration lines he has used time and time again in his 40 years of selling everyone out. The man of course is Winston, who is also strangely our Foreign Minister, who can't bring himself to say more than "NZ is concerned". I wish we had a Jon Stewart show here in Aotearoa. We need more truth tellers. But in the meantime, thank you Nick and all of you who do the hard yards trying to get some sane discussion out there.
Thanks for your work. The Bondi incident was awful in a whole range of ways. In terms of the writers week I think the ban of Randa Abdel-Fattah has lead back to the confusion between between being legitimately anti Zionist genocide and being anti semitic.
I fear (sense) that Netanyahu is using the 'cover' of Venezuela, Greenland etc to continue (speed-up even) his actions to take over Gaza & West Bank. I feel some of the Jewish diaspora are not willing to see how his actions fuel negative feelings towards all Jewish people not just those zionists who perpetrate Palestinian genocide.
The world scene has so many 'theatres' of action it is hard to keep your 'minds eye' on and make sense of t them all. Thanks for your assistance Nick.
I have written at length about Destiny Church ( see Facebook posts under Willy McGechie ) and today is no exception.
I've been threatened, abused, been called 'a cripple , a spastic, and worse.
well that's not very Christian of them is it ! Sticks and stones Dame Brian, sticks and stones.
Let's get factual shall we ?
Both Tamaki's were charged with fraud in the early 2000's for occupying the house of a man and refusing to leave, even though he owned and resided in said property.
They then tried to have him evicted.
In 2011, Bishop On High Tamaki was voted 'The least trusted person in NZ' by Readers Digest.
And again in 2012, 15, 18.
On 6 different occasions after endorsing men as Pastors and youth Pastors , they were found to have sexually abused minors .
But Destiny stood by their men ( until various charges were laid and they disowned and dropped them altogether.)
Queen Brian claims the church is 5,000 strong nationwide and growing.
The last Census NZ had Destiny at 1,400 members and decreasing.
Destiny preys on urban Maori, who are encouraged to join up and find quote' purpose and fulfillment spreading God's words'...and by 'donating' anywhere up to 10 to 20 % of their income.
Most recently, the hate fueled haka based Anti-Sikh protests that 'the whole nation would see and be ready for', drew a massive 25 people, made up largely of 12-16 year old boys, and irate groups of the pissed off Sikh community.
Bigger Queen St marches with members wearing intimidating black patches and chanting anti-sematic bullshit, are in fact ring ins to boost numbers and bully people.
I WAS SHOWN THE FIGURES !
And the 3 houses, several boats, Hummers, Lexus vehicles ( the list goes on and on )
all for their lord and savior JESUS CHRIST, AS IN 'JESUS CHRIST I CAN'T BELIEVE WE'VE AVOIDED PAYING TAX FOR SO LONG !
Well Mein Fuhrer Tamaki, the tenuous tax exemption status you claim is being looked into as we speak.
As I wrote earlier' 'Brian Tamaki Estuary, you're a liar, a cheat, a false prophet that wants Muslims, ,Jews, dirty filthy homosexuals and just about every other faith banned.
You're just a man that dreams of secretly taking it up the chuffer.
It was a simpler time, although the Cold War was very present and the risk of nuclear annihilation loomed. Still, none of those leaders were crazy enough to push the button.
Like everyone else, the anti-Sikh marches are appalling. I wondered whether the apostle was actually breaking any hate speech laws, and thanks to Mr Google, the following comes up:
What does NOT usually meet the threshold
Based on NZ case law and prosecutorial practice, the following by themselves are unlikely to be unlawful:
• Peaceful marches or protests
• Expressing dislike, fear, or opposition to a group
• Criticism of religion, ideology, or culture
• Political or social advocacy, even if offensive
• Statements framed as opinion rather than incitement
NZ courts strongly protect:
• Freedom of expression (NZ Bill of Rights Act 1990)
• Even speech that is “offensive, shocking, or disturbing”
When marches could cross into unlawful hate speech
An anti-Sikh march could constitute hate speech if the evidence shows:
✔ Targeting a protected group
• Sikhs framed as an ethnic group (not just religious beliefs)
✔ Use of “threatening, abusive, or insulting” language
Examples that raise legal risk:
• Dehumanising language
• Calls for exclusion, removal, or punishment
• Portraying Sikhs as inherently dangerous or inferior
✔ Hostility or contempt
• Encouraging hatred or social exclusion
• Not merely criticism or protest
✔ Context and cumulative effect
Courts consider:
• Chanting, placards, speeches
• Tone and repetition
• Size and visibility of the march
• Likely impact on the targeted community
It appears the law is vague and I would be very happy to contribute via a crowd fund to test this in court. Are there any lawyers out there who are prepared to assist?
I was not surprised but annoyed that Winston has already made a derogatory statement about the RB woman standing up for the FB guy in the USA. Gawd that old shit is in the Trump teams back pocket.
Commentary from those I regularly follow in the USA suggest that any attack on Iran by Trump, and by implication Israel, will have devastating consequences not only for Trump/Israel but for the whole Middle East. A great pity that Trump was elected on his promise of peace and has since endeavoured to start conflict everywhere not least in his own country. Seems our spokespeople are with Luxton working from home.
Thanks Nick, especially for the Jon Stewart clip, and the music:). As Mark Ruffalo so eloquently said, it is time to make a stand. However, I fear for those in the US who do! My main takeaway from your post today (and there are a few), is a quote from Jon: 'Lazy Susan of vengeful whims' which is so redolent of David Seymour, Brooke van Velden, Shane Jones, Simeon...and the entire CoC's nasty, vindictive policies and the way they talk to and about people. Also...I have just seen the NZPFU post about being spied upon by FENZ, utilising Auckland CCTV...with other managers and organisations present??? The FENZ Board, Brook van Velden and Simeon should resign post haste!
On a positive note. I love that song . I had it on high rotation on my then MP3 player last time I was in Berlin. They don't lock up Brian Tamaki's lot because they serve a function to this right-wing government just as David Seymore does. They get to express the same racist rhetoric in public and be damned for it that, which the governing parties agrees with, they just dont want to admit to it. Hobson's choice, removal of te reo, RSB. Blame the Maori, blame the immigrants (even though most of us are), all of this straight out of the Trump playbook. All are using the social media algorithms that promote division and loop in thinking patterns to amplify the 1% views.
Hmm - thinking about mysogynistic trolls. I see them on farcebook, too, and where I can I check to see what can be found out about them. Sometimes, they haven't hidden all details of their identity. Do trolls like being exposed for who they really are?
Most of them have locked accounts or post little information. I also assume many are fake or bots. We need some form of social media registration that doesn't allow such behaviour.
Sadly, after reading Sarah Wynn-Williams book Careless People, about her experiences at FB, I can't see FB introducing or enforcing any such registration.
Some of them are very stupid, so yes lol.
John Stewart nails it again. Jeremy read this morning, in the NZ Herald on line, that DT is trying to change the way the mid-term elections are conducted. He has no intention of ever leaving the White House, which doesn’t bode well for the future of democracy, as we are already seeing, political parties elsewhere are using his actions as a license to be openly racist and grasping, and dispense with the truth.
Regarding the trolls on social media, it was a good idea Nick to not give them the opportunity to comment. I’m absolutely sick of them popping up everywhere. It’s not free speech when you hide behind a fake account and spread hatred and vitriol.
I now make a point of blocking them as I find them, you can’t get rid of them entirely but you can minimise them.
Diana happily Mother Nature is going to take out that festering fascist obscenity trump, no amount of grifted money is going to save his black soul from it's demise - her clock is ticking seemingly faster, observing (reluctantly!) his shambling dementia ridden body - he currently looks like he's just a couple of McDonald's "meals" away! .. speed the day. The other cause for hope is just how unpopular that shape shifting lizard Vance is ... it's all like watching the fall of Rome, interesting if deeply unsettling times ... as I keep telling my American peers and friends "this too shall pass" ... hopefully there'll be a hugely positive reset politically in America including powerful and effective laws to prevent this shitshow from ever happening again.
Love this comment and it's oh so true!
🤗 I was about to reply something similar, but your word choices are much better! I have been wrong before about the US & what it's voters will do, but indeed the Republican supporters seem uniquely tied to Trump, so 🤞🤞🤞 when he is not (nominally) in charge they won't be sycophants to whatever replaces him 🤔
Just so Cindy, and thanks. I feel strongly also that trump is actually a useful idiot to the real power driving the current GOP - malevolent operatives like Miller and the rest of the Project 25 cabal, the MAGA base is the only reason the orange cockwomble is tolerated and not rolled by these awful men.
Hopefully Trump's health will finish his Presidency
Jeremy here….
I think I would prefer the lack of health to do the job Pauline 🙂
That's what I meant
Apparently his doctor says he’s in perfect health. If I was his doctor I’d probably say that too. I’d be too afraid not to😬
He's probably on all sorts of drugs after living a life of debauchery 😂🤣😂
It’s Jeremy pretending to be me again 😆
This weekend has been one hell of a ride. Not only in the US, but across the globe. Have just watched the John Stewart clip. Yep, right on the money.
Threats, protests, riots, murder, seemingly everywhere you look.
Sadly, all of these,( bar the justifiable protest by authors causing the cancellation of the Writers Festival in Adelaide), have a connection to “the land of the free and home of the brave”
I sent the letter attached to the Herald on Friday, still waiting for it to be published. ( I’m beginning to think I’ve been black listed by them, not much luck lately). It’s so sad that people have to die in their thousands, whichever country they may inhabit, to enable Trump to live his version of the American dream. His greed for power and wealth knows no bounds. It was frightening to hear him say it will be his morality that stops anything inappropriate from happening, or words to that effect.Plenty of leeway there, I’d imagine.
Letter below
Johnathon E Ross will be known for ever as the man who shot Renee Nicole Good in Minnesota yesterday, as she was trying to get out of the way of other ICE agents trying to drag her out of her car.
He should also be forever known as the man who killed the last vestiges of America’s claim to be “Home of the brave, land of the free”. The actions of those put in charge of kidnapping, incarcerating and deporting those deemed to be “domestic terrorists”, even from their own homes, and dragging people off the streets as well, shows that no home is safe and no freedom of speech or expression is tolerated by an increasingly authoritarian regime. I can only imagine that Renee Good’s marriage to a woman rather than a man, qualified her as someone dangerous to society so she was fair game for a trigger happy officer who held a grudge from a previous event.
I have no doubt he will be acquitted of any crime, but probably praised as a “true patriot”. America is a very sick country now with no cure in sight. May God, who they apparently worship, (according to the Trump Bible), help them before it’s too late.
That Jon Stewart video is brilliant. Everyone should watch it. But it is everywhere. I mean the hate. Brian Tamaki's little brainwashed group, or in Australia, after Bondi, where Pauline Hanson (yes her) is now polling equal to the coalition (ie the opposition) with a definite push for Albo to go from the mob. In the UK, the ramped up fear of immigration by Farage, and here, in our little country an old dude cranking up the anti immigration lines he has used time and time again in his 40 years of selling everyone out. The man of course is Winston, who is also strangely our Foreign Minister, who can't bring himself to say more than "NZ is concerned". I wish we had a Jon Stewart show here in Aotearoa. We need more truth tellers. But in the meantime, thank you Nick and all of you who do the hard yards trying to get some sane discussion out there.
I think you are correct, a lot of the world violence gradually worsened when that UTTER NUT CASE TRUMP was president the first time..
Brilliant as usual Nick
Hi Nick,
Thanks for your work. The Bondi incident was awful in a whole range of ways. In terms of the writers week I think the ban of Randa Abdel-Fattah has lead back to the confusion between between being legitimately anti Zionist genocide and being anti semitic.
I fear (sense) that Netanyahu is using the 'cover' of Venezuela, Greenland etc to continue (speed-up even) his actions to take over Gaza & West Bank. I feel some of the Jewish diaspora are not willing to see how his actions fuel negative feelings towards all Jewish people not just those zionists who perpetrate Palestinian genocide.
The world scene has so many 'theatres' of action it is hard to keep your 'minds eye' on and make sense of t them all. Thanks for your assistance Nick.
Funny pen down for a moment.
I have written at length about Destiny Church ( see Facebook posts under Willy McGechie ) and today is no exception.
I've been threatened, abused, been called 'a cripple , a spastic, and worse.
well that's not very Christian of them is it ! Sticks and stones Dame Brian, sticks and stones.
Let's get factual shall we ?
Both Tamaki's were charged with fraud in the early 2000's for occupying the house of a man and refusing to leave, even though he owned and resided in said property.
They then tried to have him evicted.
In 2011, Bishop On High Tamaki was voted 'The least trusted person in NZ' by Readers Digest.
And again in 2012, 15, 18.
On 6 different occasions after endorsing men as Pastors and youth Pastors , they were found to have sexually abused minors .
But Destiny stood by their men ( until various charges were laid and they disowned and dropped them altogether.)
Queen Brian claims the church is 5,000 strong nationwide and growing.
The last Census NZ had Destiny at 1,400 members and decreasing.
Destiny preys on urban Maori, who are encouraged to join up and find quote' purpose and fulfillment spreading God's words'...and by 'donating' anywhere up to 10 to 20 % of their income.
Most recently, the hate fueled haka based Anti-Sikh protests that 'the whole nation would see and be ready for', drew a massive 25 people, made up largely of 12-16 year old boys, and irate groups of the pissed off Sikh community.
Bigger Queen St marches with members wearing intimidating black patches and chanting anti-sematic bullshit, are in fact ring ins to boost numbers and bully people.
I WAS SHOWN THE FIGURES !
And the 3 houses, several boats, Hummers, Lexus vehicles ( the list goes on and on )
all for their lord and savior JESUS CHRIST, AS IN 'JESUS CHRIST I CAN'T BELIEVE WE'VE AVOIDED PAYING TAX FOR SO LONG !
Well Mein Fuhrer Tamaki, the tenuous tax exemption status you claim is being looked into as we speak.
As I wrote earlier' 'Brian Tamaki Estuary, you're a liar, a cheat, a false prophet that wants Muslims, ,Jews, dirty filthy homosexuals and just about every other faith banned.
You're just a man that dreams of secretly taking it up the chuffer.
AMEN, OR MORE IMPORTANTLY, AHHHH, Men.
Has he had all his assets taken off him someone told me this but I wasn't sure.
Not as yet Pauline, but we live n hope lol. He is however under investigation by the IRD.
Yes Nena, what a time it was then, hope, exitement, future
Nothing left of that ....
It was a simpler time, although the Cold War was very present and the risk of nuclear annihilation loomed. Still, none of those leaders were crazy enough to push the button.
Another great piece, and thanks for alerting us to the Jon Stewart clip. I often watch him but had somehow missed that one.
Like everyone else, the anti-Sikh marches are appalling. I wondered whether the apostle was actually breaking any hate speech laws, and thanks to Mr Google, the following comes up:
What does NOT usually meet the threshold
Based on NZ case law and prosecutorial practice, the following by themselves are unlikely to be unlawful:
• Peaceful marches or protests
• Expressing dislike, fear, or opposition to a group
• Criticism of religion, ideology, or culture
• Political or social advocacy, even if offensive
• Statements framed as opinion rather than incitement
NZ courts strongly protect:
• Freedom of expression (NZ Bill of Rights Act 1990)
• Even speech that is “offensive, shocking, or disturbing”
When marches could cross into unlawful hate speech
An anti-Sikh march could constitute hate speech if the evidence shows:
✔ Targeting a protected group
• Sikhs framed as an ethnic group (not just religious beliefs)
✔ Use of “threatening, abusive, or insulting” language
Examples that raise legal risk:
• Dehumanising language
• Calls for exclusion, removal, or punishment
• Portraying Sikhs as inherently dangerous or inferior
✔ Hostility or contempt
• Encouraging hatred or social exclusion
• Not merely criticism or protest
✔ Context and cumulative effect
Courts consider:
• Chanting, placards, speeches
• Tone and repetition
• Size and visibility of the march
• Likely impact on the targeted community
It appears the law is vague and I would be very happy to contribute via a crowd fund to test this in court. Are there any lawyers out there who are prepared to assist?
Any basis to the rumours that Israel requested that the Writers’ Festival (Board) rescind the invitation?
Sadly, I suspect some would prefer the whole thing cancelled rather than see a Palestinian speak.
I was not surprised but annoyed that Winston has already made a derogatory statement about the RB woman standing up for the FB guy in the USA. Gawd that old shit is in the Trump teams back pocket.
Agreed. How dare he tell her to "Stay in her lane." I would be very interested to know of her respnse.
Commentary from those I regularly follow in the USA suggest that any attack on Iran by Trump, and by implication Israel, will have devastating consequences not only for Trump/Israel but for the whole Middle East. A great pity that Trump was elected on his promise of peace and has since endeavoured to start conflict everywhere not least in his own country. Seems our spokespeople are with Luxton working from home.
Thanks Nick, especially for the Jon Stewart clip, and the music:). As Mark Ruffalo so eloquently said, it is time to make a stand. However, I fear for those in the US who do! My main takeaway from your post today (and there are a few), is a quote from Jon: 'Lazy Susan of vengeful whims' which is so redolent of David Seymour, Brooke van Velden, Shane Jones, Simeon...and the entire CoC's nasty, vindictive policies and the way they talk to and about people. Also...I have just seen the NZPFU post about being spied upon by FENZ, utilising Auckland CCTV...with other managers and organisations present??? The FENZ Board, Brook van Velden and Simeon should resign post haste!