Today was of course ANZAC Day which saw lots of people get up in the early hours to attend dawn services. I missed the services this year to watch Sri Lanka slaughter NZ in the Cricket World Cup semi finals. Over the last few years there seems to have been a growing interest in remembering our war-dead and the deeds of our forefathers (as Americans would call them!).
However this year the Wellington Dawn Services was disrupted by idiot protestors who reportedly blew a horn through the speeches and one set fire to a New Zealand flag. Naturally like most extremist protests they had mixed messages as to what they were protesting, and were frankly ill-informed.
The protest was organised by rent-a-protest group Peace Action Wellington (that nutty American woman leads them) and a new group Radical Youth (how very). They were protesting (and I quote) "New Zealand's War Machine" and how they had "invaded" Afghanistan, Timor Leste (East Timor) and the Solomon Islands and also protesting that "Sedition" should be removed as a criminal offence.
Firstly, Timor Leste only exists as a nation because of the work New Zealand and Australia put in, and the force we sent there - it would still be part of Indonesia if we hadn't gotten involved FFS. Secondly the other two "invasions" by our "War Machine" are actually UN sanctioned Peacekeeping missions - aimed at reconstructing the two nations. Retards. What should NZ have done instead? Left the Solomons in turmoil? Just stand on the sidelines like Switzerland turning a blind eye to injustices?
What pisses me off more though is their timing. Frankly I don't care if people want to protest anything and everything the government does (or doesn't do). But how dare you use a solemn occasion like a dawn service to pull off some lame stunt like they did. The New Zealand forces in both World Wars made the ultimate sacrifice for us and to act like such ignorant fools in front of veterans make me sick.
If you want a laugh - go and read about our vicious "War Machine" on their daft site here
Dare I say it - Farrar actually had quite a good idea - locking the leader of Peace Action Wellington in a room with Fred Phelps (the extreme right-wing US "Rev" who goes around protesting the funerals of US servicemen - as the US army now allows gays - so all servicemen deserve to die). Farrar's right - what's the difference? Phelps aptly named website is here - godhatesfags.com
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3 comments:
but Andrew, surely you realise the war was just a "glorification of war and militarism"!... What a load of shit! I say we export the bastards to Iraq, make them blow their horns over there.
I think Valerie Morse is Canadian but am not definite.
Blame Canada?
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