[Or; The Kids Are Alright]
I have little time for the economic policies of the National Party.
Could someone please explain the fiscal responsibility of borrowing to give tax cuts, which will cause inflationary pressures on interest rates and thus any money they are borrowing to give to you, will be taken by some multinational bank through higher interest rates – yeah that’s intelligent vote buying.
But aside from that, the main reason I really dislike the National Party is their gay abandon at belittling people they don’t like. They go out of their way to stick their noses into what basically isn’t any of their bloody business.
Case in point, national hoodie day. This was a day designed for the youth of NZ, to challenge the stereotypes associated with being young in NZ. And what the hell did national do, did they congratulate the people for taking initiative and turning aspects of NZ youth culture into a positive thing. Don’t be so bloody stupid sunshine, they did the bloody opposite, and who should it come from, none other than the National spokesperson on education – typical.
So right off the bat, we have their education spokesperson having a go a the youth of NZ, this is going to be a bloody long 3 years, not yet in power and they don’t give a stuff about the youth of NZ.
Allan Peachey (former Principal at some pretty ‘Kiwi’ schools), broke out into what could only be described as a tirade based on stereotypes and misinformed fears, thus perpetuating the myths about youth in NZ. I mean what was the idiot thinking in even having a dig at National Hoodie day in the first place, but with comments like “people have no interest in celebrating the kind of behaviour associated with gangs of young people who wear hoodies”. he went in boots and all. I’m 40 later this month and have a bloody expensive Huffer Hoodie, and the only gang I belong to is that rag bag lot of amateur footballers ever Saturday afternoon.
Considering that the Hoodie was the original garb of those original gangstas the Monks, and has been paraded along the boardwalks of the fashion houses of Dior, Hilfinger and Armani, I’d hardly call the hoodie the emblem of the gangster (try something a little more obvious like the Purple Bandanna). But this outburst by Peachey seemed to hit a nerve with the scrooge like folk of the right, ripping into the government for promoting this, a “waste of tax payers money” was the common call. But this is my point exactly.
According to the miserly right, the youth of NZ are responsible for so much crime and ill feeling in the community, that they must be distrusted as a group off hand. I mean if you are on the right it’s all too easy to paint all with the same tar brush of mistrust and disdain. Really, did Peachey need to poke his stuffy middle class, middle aged white nose into this and belittle such an inoffensive initiative? I mean if it’s good enough for;
Archbishop David Moxon Archbishop of the Anglican Dioceses,
Brian Turner President of the Methodist Church of NZ,
Chris Hooper CEO of Scouting New Zealand,
Patricia Grace Fiction writer,
Chey Ataria Pro Skater, Creative Director of ABC Huffer,
John Schwaelger NZ rugby player,
Tamati Ellison NZ rugby player,
Frank Bunce Ex-All Black,
Hon Nanaia Mahuta Minister of Youth Affairs,
Paula Bennett National Party MP,
Sue Bradford Green Party MP,
John Harrington Director of the National Youth Workers Network,
Te Awanui ‘Awa’ Reeder Nesian Mystik (musician),
Rhombus Musicians,
Taika Waititi Director, Academy Award nominee,
Nandor Tanczos Green Party MP,
Hone Harawira Maori Party MP,
Russell Brown Media commentator,
Nicky Wagner National Party MP and youth spokesperson,
among others to wear a hoodie for the sake of breaking down stereotypes about youth, along with countless people around the country including myself, it’s good enough for this stuffy old fart to shut up. Nice to see that not all in National hate the youth of NZ, good on them.
But back to Peachey. From a position of great privilege (former principal of Auckland’s Rangitoto College )and power, to belittle something that is going to benefit and promote the youth of NZ, is just one hell of an arrogant and stupid thing to do. Still Peachey wasn’t the only idiot in Parliament to add their worthless two cents worth. Ron Mark the ‘hero’ of the day (stopped a man from bleeding to death, still that what you can do if you were a solider in the Sultan of Oman’s Special Forces), added to the stinging criticism with the claim that this was “promoting black American gang culture”. Hmmm Hugo Boss hoodie coming in at about $450NZD is hardly street gang wear is it – tosser. But can’t they see the irony of their stupidity. With comments about putting the fear of god into the elderly off to the corner shop for their morning paper, they are perpetuating the idea that people wearing hoodies are intrinsically evil and must be distrusted.
Blimey with enemies like these in Parliament, the youth of NZ need all the bloody help they can get. I’d like to point out that the Timaru Herald ran a fantastic Editorial pointing out this issue, and again illustrating the stupidity of those who open their mouths just to be heard.
Concerned of Linwood 