Friday 29 August 2008

I thought we were beyond this sort of stuff

The Winston Peters fiasco seems to be bringing out the hysterical inner child in some bloggers who generally like us to think that They Know Better.

Idiot/Savant has been calling (1) for Peters to sacked be since Wednesday, prior to the SFO decision to investigate him. Peters' resignation was highly desireable, for many reasons, but at that stage it was premature to say that Peters is "lying, corrupt" (2) simply on the strength of one person's (disputed) word, and should be sacked on that is a slip in judgement by a blogger who is usually measured in his/her opinions.

Much more predictable was the reaction of DFP on Kiwiblog. Attempts at impartiality were soon forgotten in a blitz of posts potraying Clark's failure to dismiss Peters in February as proof of her corrupt power crazed megalomania. This in spite of John Armstrong pointing out, on National Radio, that it is usual practice to accept a member's word.

He even made frequent reference to 'the Empire'and 'Helengrad' (3), which is silly stuff I thought serious bloggers had grown out of. 'Helengrad' is not only childish, but casts the right in a rather unflattering light. After all, if Clark's government are the Soviets defending Stalingrad, who does that make National and the right?
1 - "Peters Must be Sacked," posted by Idiot/Savant on No Right Turn, 27th of August, 2008.(http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2008/08/peters-must-be-sacked.html)
2 - ibid.
3 - "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Helengrad's End," posted by David Farrar on kiwiblog, 29th of August, 2008. One silly post in a day might be excused as excitement, but twice is decidedly childish. (
http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2008/08/the_empire_strikes_back-2.html
and
http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2008/08/helengrads_end.html)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

You mean names like Slippery Key, Don Key or, your favorite, Johnnie Flip-Flop?

Pat

lurgee said...

Fair point, almost.

I think there is a difference between mocking John Key's inability to hold a policy position for more than five minutes, and comparing them to Soviet fanatics.

You could hardly accuse the Clarkite government of being socialist, far less Stalinist. Key, on the other hand, needs to pony up with some policies, and not keep mouthing empty homilies. Who is he Bill Clinton?

I'm pretty even handed in my mockery - I referred to Phil Gof f in some pretty unpleasant terms recently. But the nefarious forces of rightiedom (there I go again) are much more single minded.

Also, I thought up Johnnie FLip-Flop all by my self, and I'm rather hoping it will catch on. Proud parenthood, and all that.

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