Yesterday was an awful day for America, even with their tragic and crowded history of second amendment rights meet defenseless school children this was bloody grim.
Around the world people shook their heads asking “why?”, “will this be enough to actually do something?”, “is this the time to talk about gun control?”, many decent Americans no doubt feeling the same, or even worse, to see such horrors visited upon their land yet again.
Despite the appallingly predictable results, and sheer insanity, of combining the right to bare industrial scale killing machines with a flagrant disregard for treating the mentally ill we all knew what was next. The same talking heads as always, the lobbyists, expressing heartfelt condolences, but being clear this is not something to be addressed by restricting guns.
No, we got the regular crap arguments, “if you ban them one place they’ll buy them some place else”, “if he didn’t use a gun he’d use a truck – shall we ban those too?” Etc, etc you know their religious attachment to the second amendment is sacrosanct, you know the arguments, you’ve seen the Jim Jefferies bit on guns which will no doubt have spiked in views yet again.
What a contrast after this it was to see, as Stephen Colbert respectfully refers to her, Prime Minister Ardern. It must be eye opening for the good folks in that country to see a politician who is genuine, principled, and actually willing to do more to address guns than direct strong words to camera with a sad face, and offer thoughts and prayers.
There she was a week after having Covid, in the big Apple on the global stage being charismatic and down to earth. Humble and brave - imagine going on national television in the US on the day of a terrible mass murder at a school and calmly and respectfully saying this is what we did - doing nothing was not an option, whilst also showing great empathy for those impacted by the tragic events.
To see our Prime Minister, our Jacinda, on that stage standing for decency and compassion was no doubt moving to many of us, but what did the rest of the population think? Perhaps those holding second amendment loyalties bizarrely right here.
What about the most important forum of public opinion, the NZ Herald comments section on Facebook? What positive views on the world do you think your fellow citizens are espousing at this moment in regards to our wonderful leader? Do you think they’re positive? Do you? Do you really?
Well I read them so you didn’t have to - and they’re not. Oh, and if anyone turn ups here again complaining that I repeated the public comment they made using their real name – you’re joking right?
Come on trolls you should be using a fake account to convey the free speech you claim to care so much about, expressing your opinion in an anonymous way because you don’t want to be associated with the repugnant things you’re saying – nothing says free speech like that.
Lets start off gently with Nina Russell of Tokoroa: “This is what she has been building towards, celebrity status at the cost of our country”. An interesting perspective there Nina, it does seem awfully convenient that these tragic events took place right when she was in New York.
Dave Rennie, I had been wondering what the old Chiefs cocah would make of this, said: “Meanwhile : as the leader of the Communist Labour Party, I am heading to the capitalist University of Harvard to collect my honorary doctorate in recognition for the destruction of a country in under five years.”
This was a bit more concerning, I looked out the window – country didn’t seem to have been destroyed, I guess that’ll be my rose tinted glasses not picking up the torrents of blood flowing down the road. Hmm perhaps stick to the rugby Dave – if that is your real name.
Jacqueline Dollard opined: “She destroyed people’s businesses & livelihoods good to see she’s having such a good time promoting herself on US television” - I was seeing a theme.
Carol McCann: “Do not be fooled by her all she does is lie” Which was at least to the point, and who would want to argue with Carol who has listed her educational experience as “studied at Slotomania – Slot Machines”?
Dianne Hamilton-Walker: “Cringe is right, I am sure we are paying for her holiday and did the so called boyfriend go as well.” I wondered how long it would be before the Clarke fans turned up.
And they were there, Neil Karan saying “This is what she went to do in US. Shame on you Jacinda while NZ is going through scary moments with gun shooting all around. Wonder if your home D partner was allowed to fly as well”
Speaking of the old classics, the greatest hits, Peter Thomas added “Just a horse head” – genius.
Philip Constable, former pupil at the “school of hard knocks” who was clearly in a coma when John Key paid to read the top ten list on the Late Show, offered: “I can’t remember ever seeing a prime minister / president of any other country on a talk show. She seems to love the lime light and attention.”
Ryan Trim, who claims to work for Fonterra, turned career guidance councillor suggesting “Keep her on as the new white house cleaner”, naw I’m sure Ryan would say the same if the PM was a man, aren’t you?
Maurice Thompson: “nobody would want meet her”, sadly for Maurice nobody liked his comment.
Roger Hermansen: “boy oh boy didnt we have a lot of make up on for this wonderful performance”, I’m unclear whether Roger had fully made himself up to watch the performance, hence the use of the word ‘we’, in which case fair play, or if he’d recently been holidaying on the surface of the sun – either way he had a very rosy gammon complexion.
Justin Banks, apparently at some point at a minimum enrolled at Greymouth High School, said sarcastically "I'm so intelligent I used to cook fish and chips now I run a country".
Justin knows that when Christopher Luxon worked at MacDonalds it showed initiative and hard work, but because Jacinda worked at a Fish and Chip shop that meant the idea she could run a country was laughable. Great logic Justin, have you considered a paid role speaking for the NRA?
Let’s not be too hard on Justin, I’m sure he isn’t pro-McDonalds, probably just anti-women.
Lisa Pemberton stood up for the sisterhood by saying “Ew what is she wearing”, and Tashina Ormsby Kerr added “Well her make up looks great for a change. Americans must have done it”.
Sue Cook, hashtag fan of West Auckland: “Dedicated to lockdowns, control, still has Kiwis wearing masks because the flu is coming …only interested in fulfilling her UN dream post #unqualified #letstaxthis #letsspendmore”
Ah the eternal dream of the Jacinda haters, if they just believe it hard enough she will disappear off for a job at the UN as they have been predicting since she became PM.
Ian Rauner, ex pupil of Kaipara College, added “It's a self promotion tour for her new job at the IMF or UN once she is booted out next election!”
Karina Townsend: “She would HAVE LOVED this coz don't get Love from her own people no more!”
They walk among us, and that folks is just the Herald, I didn’t even dare check the fire hose of hatred that would have been on full blast on the Newstalk ZB page.
Speaking of ZB we of course had the village idiot of the New Zealand press corps, and to be fair he has some competition for the role, Jason Walls asking the PM how it felt to drive in a cavalcade. Jason is a special boy indeed and heir to Barry Soper’s throne as reporter most likely to make you say WTAF?
Think about how watching that interview made you feel as a kiwi. It made me feel tremendously proud of our PM and pleased for America to see it is possible to elect a leader who is genuinely motivated by caring about the lives of others.
Juxtaposed against a country still ruled almost entirely by old white men in the pockets of the NRA, politicians who won’t even deliver what the vast majority of Americans want - back ground checks at a minimum, let alone take an actual leadership position on such an important issue.
Now think how you’d feel if it was Christopher Luxon on that stage instead blathering buzzwords and packaged sincerity while grinning like the Cheshire Cat thinking “look at me John, on the Late Show doing more than reading the top 10 and not having to pay for it”. Enjoy that fantasy Chris, somehow I don’t think you’ll be invited for free.
Can you imagine Colbert – “Ladies and Gentlemen on this tragic day in our nation please welcome the Prime Minister of Hobbiton Christopher Luxon who will tell us how he used to be a CEO and that fundamentally the people of New Zealand send thoughts and prayers”.
He then yanks a lever like on the Graham Norton show, or as a pantomime villain would have, sending the guest chair tumbling backwards with the occupant disappearing down into the ground presumably on a one way ticket all the way back to middle earth. The crowd cheers and most NZers watching from afar feel a sense of relief.
Some of you might say – yeah but that nice smiley chap said he, and he alone, can sort out law and order, the cost of living, and the economy.
To which I would say, yeah nah – he’s not going to do those things, what he will do is expand the rights of gun owners and sellers as part of a coalition with the ultra pro-gun ACT party – did he mention that to you? Didn’t think so.
We have a leader to be proud of just as we are thanks very much.
Yet again - we don’t know how lucky we are…
Well some of us do.
I am very proud of our Prime Minister. I watched her interview on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert- he clearly has a lot of respect for her.And he should.! She is an intelligent , progressive Prime Minister who does her very best to serve the people of this country. I also watched her speech at Harvard University, and the wonderful reception she got from the graduating students. Her speech was excellent- very apt and relates directly to the right wing media in this country, both mainstream ,and others like Telegram, and Counterspin.and the trolls and haters who think they can post any nasty lies, and not be held accountable. How awesome that she was pictured standing next to feminist icon Gloris Steinem, who had shown strong appreciation of Ardern's speech. Now she is off to meet President Biden at the White House in the Oval office. This is a coupe for Jacinda, but especially for Aotearoa/New Zealand. Not only will she meet President Biden, and discuss important issues with him, but she has also been invited to meet with Kamala Harris, the Vice-President separately. Excellent work Prime Minister.!
Nick thank you . I went on Hosking's Facebook and replied at few of those : antivaxxers , far right white supremacists Neo Nazi brain washed by Murdoch ( News Corp owns ZB and NZ Herald so you get Fox news kind of reports), I abccuse them of being gullible as they follow foreign interests and give them Statistics numbers to prove economy is booming and laugh at them fir believing a shock jock as Hosking. If more people will complain to authorities and yo Facebook those will stop as we've seen with the Young Nats bloggers . Luxon hired Trump, Boris and Scomo media advisers . I've seen it last election in act . All Luxon does us spread lies and some people believe him. This has to stop now. They are trying to do character assassination to the PM running in same time our work chance to be someone and not lap dog to Australia. Mediaworks, Discovery are USA owned. Its seems we have as well our own billionaires like Hart plus American NZ prepers ( Thiel one example with a bunker in SIsland) who are paying huge amounts in Act and National coffers . Luxon sounds like Trump: pay attention.