No Kings
Aggression, inhumanity, hypocrisy, and lies vs peace and decency.
No hatred, no violence
No starvation and no greed
And no kings, no kings
No kings
No lies and no bullets
No bombs and no need
For kings, no kings
No kings
Song: Jesse Welles.
Morena, all, as I begin writing, the missiles are flying, and it doesn’t matter which side is right or wrong to the people they will land on.
Some might be evil buggers, terrorists or freedom fighters, depending on your point of view, but most won’t.
Scientists who work for the state on a nuclear programme to achieve parity with their neighbours have been killed, no trial, just execution. Perhaps you think that's right, but probably not; however, many will.
President Trump now claims he was in on the plan all along, even though when it began, he appeared more of a stunned mullet than usual.
In a scene reminiscent of George Bush being told about the attacks on the World Trade Centre during a school visit, when he just kept reading the picture book to the children as his brain whirred over considering, “the mad bastards are doing this.”
Please note that I didn’t draw the picture above to resemble Trump; it’s just what came up when I searched, wondering what a stunned mullet looks like.
Given the missiles are flying, I might come back to that one at the end. Time for some local news from your ever-so-efficient libertarians, who say if you want to fall down the stairs at work, that’s on you, have a Panadol and get back to it.
ACT to increase workplace injuries.
You might have seen the following headline this week as our Minister for diminishing worker safety tells employers not to sweat the small stuff, and focus on the deadly stuff that might end up as headlines:
ACC warns Brooke van Velden: Your reforms will cost us more in payouts
“Proposed changes to health and safety laws would likely see an increase in musculoskeletal injuries as well as slips, trips, and falls, warns ACC, meaning it would have to fork out more to pay for treatments.
Ministers are being warned that watering down workplace health and safety laws will likely cost ACC more because it’ll result in more injuries, and therefore more payouts to cover the cost of treatments.”
Can you imagine if a left-wing government made changes resulting in our accident insurer saying there would be more injuries and payouts?
Those on the right would jump up and down in outrage, but given that it’s them doing it, this is all okay and normal. What do you say, Brooke?
Safety within reason. Brooke should sit down and explain that to Anna Osborne, who lost her husband, Milton, at Pike River.
Anna is now an advocate for workers’ rights and workplace safety, and said of the changes:
“Another Pike River will happen if these laws get watered down. I'm telling you that, seriously another Pike will happen. That’s sobering, isn’t it? But I hate the thought of others losing their lives at work.
How many other people have to die at work in New Zealand before we actually get that we need tougher laws, not dumbed down laws? I just think it's really dangerous what she's doing.”
How are we not listening to these people?
Rather than ignoring them, we should be running changes by them first. Wouldn’t you feel better about worker safety changes being approved by the wonderful women of Pike River rather than by Brooke “I was only following orders” van Velden?
Silencing the left.
You may have noticed lately that some of our so-called free speech advocates are going to great lengths to silence views with which they disagree.
ACT and Hobson’s Pledge are both trying to close down Māori broadcasters or local government from saying what they think, because public money means thou shalt not criticise the right. Meanwhile, right-wing politicians, paid for on the public purse, are quite happily politicking and spreading misinformation on our dime.
In case you’re not following ACT, whose MPs are paid for by the taxpayer and spend much of their time pushing anti-Māori propaganda, demand that it is unacceptable for the Hastings council to share views on how well Māori wards are working.
There’s a word for that, I’d go with hypocrisy, but I’m sure you think of a few colourful terms to describe the bare-faced cheek of a party that advocates for free speech, closing down other organisations for sharing views just as they do.
Should those in the public sector be allowed to speak?
I don’t think we should differentiate between the public and private sectors. If people in the private sector can say whatever they want, then I reckon people in the public sector should be able to do so too.
The narrative from the right is that public servants or state broadcasters should be seen and not heard, whereas those in the private sector can do whatever the hell they like. However, their claims about public funding making things different are bogus - who do they think funds the private sector?
It’s us, the consumers - the public.
The difference being ACT/Hobson’s Pledge/the Taxpayers’ Union will bully and cajole those in the public sector into silence while the CEO of a bank, entirely funded by us, can spout the most blatantly self interested bullshit any time they like, with no repercussions.
We’re muzzling the smart people, where idiots like rich lister Nick Mowbray are free to spray their poorly thought-through neoliberal diarrhoea and buy favour via political donations, all they like.
Who are you more worried about? A senior official in the public sector whistleblowing on unsatisfactory issues, or a billionaire, Elon Musk wannabe, who funds political parties, and signals via tweet what he wants them to do?
Writing Labour’s Manifesto.
Meanwhile, as ACT were telling RNZ they couldn’t speak positively about Te Pāti Māori…
And the Hastings Council was forbidden from talking positively about Māori wards, even as ACT campaigns against them. National grew tired of waiting for Labour to release its policies and, in a typical burst of dishonesty, decided to make up policies for them.
And by them I mean the gullible fools who they will pump this propaganda at and who will believe the lies and vote accordingly. Don’t you just love democracy?
I couldn’t help but laugh at the accusation in the attack ad that Labour would result in higher ACC levies. This in the same week that ACC warned that the government’s changes would lead to higher injury costs.
Allan said, “One expects lies from NACT as they campaign with misinformation and distortions.”
We know they lie about what they’ll do, such as claiming there would be 500 more police or that most people would receive $250 extra per fortnight. But, is it reasonable to outright lie about another party’s policies, using their logo?
Again, they wouldn’t do it if they didn’t think they could trick gullible people into believing it.
Paul pointed out that, actually, “Taxing the rich is a great idea.” He’s not wrong; if we applied a 15% one-off tax to those on the rich list, that would cover all the money National and ACT have taken from working women to give tax cuts to those doing well.
Julia said it well, “I'm tired of this ‘tax and spend line’ (which Reagan liked to trot out) like that's such a bad thing. I expect the government to tax fairly and spend wisely, that's their damned job!”
Damn straight. We all know that more has to be spent on things like healthcare, and it has to be paid for. Even the fatted calves lining up for 20% off their new hardware at Fieldays need expensive medication when the Round Up does what it does and causes cancer.
No Kings.
In America this Saturday, coinciding with the military parade for Trump’s birthday and his authoritarian overreach in California, millions of Americans are going to take to the streets to protest against their President behaving like a King.
I very much hope the marches are peaceful. That slowly, the American public, who supported Trump, sees that their neighbours, standing non-violently in the face of authoritarianism, are quite the contrast to the would-be dictator rolling tanks through the streets to celebrate him, as if it were Red Square.
Because of all the videos I’ve seen, of ICE throwing people in the back of vans like a kidnapping rather than law enforcements, of a US Senator thrown to the ground and arrested for daring to ask a question, it was this clip, harking back to the peaceful protests of the 60s, that I found most powerful:
As I’m drawing to an end, a look at things in Israel…
It’s hard to feel much sympathy for that nation as they come under attack. Having unilaterally attacked Iran for seeking the same weapons they have.
Having spent the last two years showing us their version of retaliation, murdering between 50 and 100 Palestinians as reprisals for every single Israeli killed by Hamas, and showing no sign of stopping.
Yet, when you see the images of the blasts in Tel Aviv, minor as they might be compared to those in Gaza or Tehran, there can be no joy in that small revenge. Attacking civilians is barbaric, no matter who is doing it.
Take care, my friends. These are challenging times, but many good people are standing up against what is happening, because what else do you do?
No more Kings, and no more violence. As you probably know, I’m not a religious person, but I can’t think of any other way to end today than by saying, 'Pray for Peace’.
Ngā mihi,
Nick.
This is the bit where I ask something of you, and it’s simply this: if you can afford $8 per month or $80 per year, which is $2 per week, then I would be very grateful if you would consider becoming a paid subscriber to Nick’s Kōrero at this discounted rate:
To end today, Jesse Welles released this video last night, and it couldn’t say it better.
I'm filled with dread for my children's future with all the dreadful things happening in the world and also if this abhorrent govt get back in. It's hard not to feel depressed!
When Key was pm someone kept a running tally of the lies he told, with citations.
It would be a useful tool again.
As for crooke van v. If only one person didn't go home from work this week then statistically 2 people won't go home next week. We are twice as bad as aus and three times worse than UK.
Maybe a black bordered running tally of deaths and serious work injuries would make people realise the tragedy this is