Which Witch?
Hobson's Pledge targets Tania Waikato.
I'm not beat up by this yet
You can't tell me to regret
Been in the dark since the day we met
Fire, help me to forget
Songwriters: Florence Welch / Isabella Summers.
They hates her, precious, hates her. That smart lady who has stood resolutely against all they believe. They must fight back.
And so it was that Hobson’s Pledge members shrank in fright at the arrival of someone articulate who made them seem like pathetic old racists. “We must lash out,” they hissed in their halls and their chat rooms, “take her down a peg or two.”
Here is their attack, and there’s so much to unpack here:
If that wasn’t bad enough, they posted it with the message:
Former Te Pāti Māori lawyer. Vocal opponent to the Treaty Principles Bill and Regulatory Standards Bill. Witch-Hunter General of schools that haven't declared allegiance to the Treaty. Odds-on favourite to be the first MP to resign in disgrace next term.
My first thought was, “It’s pretty lame.” I know your bucket of deplorables are old hands at attacks on left-wing female politicians. What happened?
Did you get a bit nervous after the example of Macron in France and cowards who lurk in the background spewing poisonous lies about women actually being punished?
By Bucket of Deplorables, I don’t only mean the shrivelled members of Hobson’s Pledge, although that hat fits not too far above very high waist bands, but a group of organisations that are essentially the same people singing from the same song sheet. The TaxPayers’ Union, Hobson’s Pledge, ACT, the Platform, women haters, racists, and tax avoiders.
So let’s take a look at their accusations, from the “dodgy” Greens, to threats of violence, and accusations of acting like a Witch-Hunter General.
I remember the movie Witchfinder General from when I was a kid; it was pretty ghastly. Ironically, the part of Witch-Hunter is being played here by Hobson’s Pledge with their fear and accusations towards women, although I can imagine Vincent Price, who was the lead in that movie, among their number, as one of their younger members.
“Vocal opponent to the Treaty Principles Bill and Regulatory Standards Bill” is one accusation that they level.
It’s a bit of a worry if these guys consider that a crime, as practically the whole country was critical of those bills. Even including the political parties that supported the first one under duress, and who now say they’ll repeal the second one.
As for the “dodgy” Greens. I wonder who they mean.
Do they mean Benjamin Doyle, who, ill-advisedly, left a social media page in place, but was guilty of no crime? That would be a bit ironic, considering the President of the party they all supported is now doing time for being an actual paedophile.
Or maybe they mean Julie Anne Genter, who dared to shake some paper in the direction of Matt Doocey to try to get him to take his portfolio seriously? She certainly looks quite terrifying in her most recent Facebook post:
Again, if you want to compare apples, how about we look at old bed-leg Sam, who genuinely assaulted people and yet whose review has never seen the light of day?
They’re pretty scary, those Greens. Hobson’s Pledge is not the first group of sad old men to feel threatened by their policies of equity, inclusion, and environment.
But it’s hard to take seriously Tania’s comment that “I know it’s going to be hard not to punch David Seymour.”
I’m sure the majority of people reading that can relate, and if you were to hold a survey of the most punchable face in Aotearoa, I think Seymour would win in a canter. But that doesn’t mean people would actually do it. In fact, the only MP I recall being punched in the face was, ironically, former Greens co-leader James Shaw.
I miss this bloke, he’s a bloody good man:
I’ve met David Seymour, and I didn’t punch him in the face; I shook his hand - it’s what you do in a civilised society. But that doesn’t mean I wasn’t thinking, damn this guy needs a good hard kick in the nuts the whole time.
As for this claim that by asking schools if they will continue with the existing curriculum, despite Hobson’s Pledge pushing so hard to have Māori aspects removed, that Tania is a “Witch Hunter,” that is simply absurd.
It also inadvertently doesn’t say much for Erica Stanford, who is pushing their anti-Māori policies; does that make her the witch of their little fantasy?
Owning it.
Hold on though. Not so quickly, Erica. It seems that Tania is happy to take the title and run with it. This was her post in response:
Just like to send a MASSIVE shout out to Hobsons Pledge for making me go viral on every platform while I was out paragliding and having one of the best days of my entire life!
Really appreciate you kicking my campaign off with a bang and for the new title of “Witch-hunter general” - I reckon that could be our next t-shirt drop, aye fams
Definitely adding that one to my CV
Tell me that you’re intimidated by how many people are going to vote for me next election, without telling me.
What do you think, Don Brash? Does she seem intimidated to you?
Here are some of the comments that people made on my page about the post:
Dee: “Love her, a very fierce, intelligent and humorous wahine!”
Mandy: “What a disgraceful coven of nasty, sour people they are. Just a bunch of racists.”
Wendy: “Poor misogynistic fools. Cups of concrete on the menu at the weekend. Tania is worrying them in January. I can only imagine how pathetic and terrified they will be later in the year.”
As for the comments on the post from the White Knights of the Pledge, I think they misread the room, as there was an avalanche of people supporting Tania and ripping into the pathetic people who made the post.
I’ll give the last word to Tania, who wrote the following open letter in response:
Gratitude and generosity in the face of hatred and mockery, no wonder those pledgers are feeling threatened.
Have a good Thursday, folks. Kindness and integrity will always overcome the goblins who lurk in the dark.
Ngā mihi,
Nick.
To end today, here’s Florence + the Machine with Which Witch.
“Dear Dickie, Don, and Iki” 😂
What a fabulous response to their 🤮
You go girl!! 💕
Perhaps we need to start a list of people who would happily punch David Seymour. Remember that slogan from a few years ago - punch a nazi today....