As I walk through this wicked world
Searchin' for light in the darkness of insanity
I ask myself, "Is all hope lost?
Is there only pain and hatred and misery?"
And each time I feel like this inside
There's one thing I wanna know
What's so funny 'bout peace, love and understanding?
The latest battle in the Culture Wars.
It’s not over pronouns, or whether Posie Parker prefers tomato juice served in a glass, or tipped over her head. It’s not about who can play in a sports team, or even which bathroom they can use.
This time it’s about Drag Queens reading stories to kids in a library.
I love that our libraries and community centres offer children the magic of storytelling with fun activities like dressing up - what’s not to like?
Course there’s always some bloke who thinks the person reading the books, and wearing the dress, might be liking it a bit too much.
Don’t get him wrong, our bloke’s open minded, in fact he once took part in a rugby club skit that involved a lot of tucking away of apparatuses, which was hilarious. He’s just not sure that kids should see that sort of thing - might give them ideas.
But that bloke isn’t really the problem, he’ll come around in the end. On the other hand some people simply hate. Their heads are full of imagined perversion and inappropriateness, often put there by someone who rather likes dressing up too.
Difference being, he’s pretending to be something he’s not…
I’m not sure if the horny devil is supposed to represent Pope Brian, angry at what he’s reading. I’d ask him but sadly I’m now blocked. Although before he blocked me I did reply - it’s possible these two things are related.
I guess the self appointed Apostle isn’t one for turning the other cheek.
But Brian Tamaki, the third worst Bishop in all of Aotearoa (Chris’ dad John, founder of the Taxpayers’ Union, and disgruntled sausage roll customer, came second), isn’t just opposed to Drag Queens reading books to kids.
He wants them banned from public places, just like gangs. You know those blokes in leathers who ride around on motorbikes intimidating people - sound familiar Brian?
“It’s time to clean up and confront this scourge in our society, the scourge of transgender ideology”, said the religious entrepreneur. This fisherman of flocking fools.
OK Drunk Uncle Winnie, forget about the Labour party. If Tamaki’s describing human beings as a “scourge”, I think we’ve found your Nazis right here!
There’s an article in the Herald, and Daily Post, about a storytelling session happening in my old home town on Thursday. Cardinal Tamaki and his gang of disciples will be there to try and spoil things. In a way that I imagine many children, and perhaps some adults, will find intimidating and upsetting.
A Rainbow Storytime session in Rotorua facing calls for protest and counter-action has seen councillors clash after one questioned its “appropriateness” for children.
Rotorua Lakes Councillor Robert Lee said councillors had been emailed by a grandmother “deeply concerned” about promotional material she believed was “harmful to children”.
He said he would “not support that event going ahead” and asked how councillors could “influence” the decision.
Council community and district development group manager Jean-Paul Gaston said people could choose to go or not. “There is nothing about sexuality or gender in the presentation.”
I can’t say I liked the sound of this Cr Lee much. He’s an elected public official, not a pseudo christian charlatan duping the damaged and bewildered. Should a city councillor be in the business of trying to close down an event based on such an email?
An email from a grandmother that for all we know might’ve been Brian Tamaki in a dress. Now I’m not saying it was, I’m merely saying there’s no conclusive proof either way.
Councillor Fisher Wang later posted on social media he had “seen some very horrible comments directed towards this [event] like, ‘filth’, ‘gross’, ‘disgusting’, ‘corrupt’ … a movement which the councillor [seated] to my right [Lee] supports”.
“It does really sadden me when I see words like that used to describe other people in our community who are themselves. That’s all it is.”
He said he believed people had a responsibility to “call out” “horrible comments” and stand up for LGBT people facing hurdles.
Before we check out Cr Lee a bit more let’s meet Erika and Coco Flash, the storytellers for the event. Here they are appearing on Breakfast a few years ago.
I took a look at Cr Lee’s Facebook page and the first post was of the Herald article on the event, asking who was going.
There was one reply which said: “When is the Long Term Plan coming out? Surely our councillors have bigger issues to represent the community on than this? What's Rotorua's 3 Waters future? How do we keep rates affordable yet provide for all of the community's needs? Can we lift it up please elected reps?”
Quite, it’s almost as if all this culture war nonsense was just a distraction to keep us from asking about the important stuff.
So where are the strong, and who are the trusted?
And where is the harmony, sweet harmony?
'Cause each time I feel it slippin' away
Just makes me wanna cry
What's so funny 'bout peace, love and understanding?
Other than that Robert Lee looks much like many local government representatives in provincial New Zealand. He’s passionately anti fluoridation, anti Three Waters, anti co-governance, see’s no issue with ACT’s Treaty Principles Bill, and he’s a bit of a Reality Checked-out Radio guy.
In other words, the last person you or I would choose to be anywhere near decision making. Yet people like Robert are deemed electable by enough voters to put them in power.
Robert also had another post about the library event, saying the following:
Do you remember when libraries used to be for borrowing books? These days you can also use computers with an internet connection, or play chess with the chess club, or just chill and hang out in a safe, family friendly environment while you wait for a bus.
Well, next Thursday at 10:30 am you could go to our local library and watch a couple of drag queens read a story to children.
Here's one of the performers: "Erica Flash" strutting his / her stuff.
So who's bringing their children along? I'm not.
The clip Robert included in his post of “Erica Flash" strutting his / her stuff”, wasn’t of a book reading, or anything to do with libraries. It was a video you might expect of a Drag Queen as an adult. It wasn’t explicit or overly rude, but there was enough innuendo and suggestion that some might consider it unsuitable for children.
Which is fine, because Robert - they’re coming to read books to kids, not provide entertainment appropriate for adults. You weirdo.
Speaking of weird. I note that in his post Robert said he won’t be bringing his kids along, and yet in the Herald article he’s quoted as saying that “he would attend so he could comment after the event”.
So who’s the one you’d be worried about? The Drag Queens reading a story to children, or the middle aged guy who has turned up, without kids, to observe?
Maybe kids might be a bit less afraid than some adults…
Drag Queens reading books in libraries have one goal - and that’s acceptance.
The more we talk honestly about different kinds of people, and that those differences are ok, the less prejudice we’ll have in society. It seems to me that the only people who are opposed to this are those peddling prejudice, rather than understanding.
When my generation were kids we watched Sesame Street or Play School. They deliberately showed us a diverse range of people with different jobs, races, and family situations to foster understanding. I think most people would agree that was a good thing. This is just the same.
Don’t worry, I’m not going to start into “who are the people in your neighbourhood”, but yeah, that.
Some kids may learn something from the storytelling. In the future they might not be so quick to join in name calling, or directing hate at people that live differently than they do.
Others will just see it as just someone wearing a dress reading a book. Next week it might be a pirate, or someone dressed up as Peppa Pig.
But to some kids I imagine it will be a godsend. To see someone talking openly about something they might be feeling uncertain about. Honestly, and with a bit of fun.
As Erika & Coco Flash put it on their flyer it’s “Stories for children about diversity, being inclusive, celebrating differences, and kindness.”
You’ve got to wonder about people who get angry over children taking part in that.
I've added the newsletter under Cr Lee's Facebook post about the event, with the suggestion that he be a bit more open minded.
Well said Nick! I'm so tired of pseudo-Conservative, pseudo-religious con-men (or women) using politics and religion to justify their hate-filled prejudices.