Island Life by David Slack

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Island Life: Browned to perfection

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  • Stephen Judd,

    And 100% male...

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report

  • Juha Saarinen,

    OIC... I completely misunderstood Turia. So she's Russelling up support for the Browning, and not the browning, of NZ. With you now.

    It's good to see that she's not racist because ""No, we aren't playing the race card, because we are not talking about Asian immigration."

    Wonder if non-White Westerners would still be welcome under Turia's ethnically dictated immigration policy?

    Since Nov 2006 • 529 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    I recently discovered that I am in fact one-sixteenth curmudgeon. It was a humbling experience.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Don Christie,

    I thought this was a pretty good response to the anti-Asian "new immigrants bad" but "my wife's from Singapore" line put about by Brash and Franks a while ago.

    The squeals of anguish now that folks like my own good self are being targeted are a wonder to behold. Trouble is, no one seems to see the irony. Is it because white folk are less likely to be Muslims (in some minds at least)?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report

  • Don Christie,

    I recently discovered that I am in fact one-sixteenth curmudgeon.

    Only 1/16th?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1645 posts Report

  • Jason Lea,

    With summer almost at an end I can't see any browning of NZ

    Christchurch • Since Nov 2006 • 30 posts Report

  • Josh Addison,

    "Do you have any curmudgeon in you? Want some?"

    Doesn't really work as well...

    Onehunga, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 298 posts Report

  • Che Tibby,

    Only 1/16th? [curmudgeon]

    it's not about the quantum, its whether you genuinely feel like a curmudgeon, and others agree you are one.

    the back of an envelope • Since Nov 2006 • 2042 posts Report

  • Juha Saarinen,

    Most cur or mostly mudgeon though? I think we should be told. Hmm, I'll probably go straight to a non-denominational hell for this, but I looked up the definition of curmudgeon on die.net:

    Source: WordNet (r) 1.7

    curmudgeon
    n : a crusty irascible cantankerous old person full of stubborn ideas

    Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

    Curmudgeon \Cur*mudg"eon\ (k?r-m?j"?n), n. [OE. cornmudgin,
    where -mudgin is prob. from OF. muchier, mucier, F. musser to
    hide; of uncertain origin; cf. OE. muchares skulking thieves,
    E. miche, micher.]
    An avaricious, grasping fellow; a miser; a niggard; a churl.

    A gray-headed curmudgeon of a negro. --W. Irving.

    Since Nov 2006 • 529 posts Report

  • Gary Hutchings,

    was that Peter Brown or Pita Paraone :)

    wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 108 posts Report

  • Leigh Kennaway,

    But how accurate are those 'country of origin' figures for indicating the persons ethnicity anyway?

    I regularly attend the citizenship ceremonies at the Ak Town Hall, and we get a lot of 'British' people in particular, who are black Zimbabweans, Hong Kong Chinese, mixed-race South African etc - but who have a British passport, and have often spent some time living in other countries on the way here, often gathering partners and children of yet another ethnicity on the way.

    We're not a melting pot having unadulterated brown/yellow/white/black mixed up here; that has already happened many times over in hundreds of other countries around the world. They've all come here because they value NZ and what it has to offer, and we've accepted them because of the learning, skills, trades, wealth and so forth that they may have to offer us.

    Western Bays • Since Feb 2007 • 79 posts Report

  • Lyndon Hood,

    I predict that demographic changes will see more New Zealanders reconnecting with their curmudgeon heritage.

    Does anyone know where I can get lessons in the language?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1115 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    I predict that demographic changes will see more New Zealanders reconnecting with their curmudgeon heritage. Does anyone know where I can get lessons in the language?

    Ageing journalists are generally regarded as having the best grasp of it. I personally owe everything to Tom Frewen.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Gee, David, I do blame someone who should know better - and unlike 99.999% of immigration cranks and racist windbags out there is co-leadier of a party in a position to torpedo any desperately needed reform of a severely dysfuntional Immigration Service and an incoherent legislative and policy framework.

    In short, I'll treat Turia with the same contempt I've poured on Winston Peters for the last two decades.It would also be 'bold' to suggest all Maori who are homosexual, infertile or use contraception, intellectually disabled, born with genetic defects etc. should be put down in a 'culturally appropriate' manner because they're contributing sweet f.a. to the racial gene pool. It would also be demented and creepy on almost every level imaginable.

    Can we please have a free, frank, fact-based and (most of all) SERIOUS political and public policy debate about immigration - if nothing else, the novelty value would be considerable.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    It would also be 'bold' to suggest all Maori who are homosexual, infertile or use contraception, intellectually disabled, born with genetic defects etc. should be put down in a 'culturally appropriate' manner because they're contributing sweet f.a. to the racial gene pool. It would also be demented and creepy on almost every level imaginable.

    Craig, it'd be quite good fun to see you in a public debate with Ms Turia ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Tze Ming Mok,

    Can we please have a free, frank, fact-based and (most of all) SERIOUS political and public policy debate about immigration - if nothing else, the novelty value would be considerable.

    Good luck dude. Even here, you'll have a better chance with waffles.

    SarfBank, Lunnin' • Since Nov 2006 • 154 posts Report

  • andrew llewellyn,

    Does anyone know where I can get lessons in the language?

    Dig up any old footage of Sir Ed Hillary or Colin Meads.

    Since Nov 2006 • 2075 posts Report

  • Neil Morrison,

    A Brownian motion could also be used to mix things up.

    Since Nov 2006 • 932 posts Report

  • Juha Saarinen,

    "A Brownian motion"

    Errm, can we pass on that please?

    Since Nov 2006 • 529 posts Report

  • Tze Ming Mok,

    Also, yes, her comments sounded totally moronic. It's interesting though, that when I make a critical point about how immigration policy has been reoriented towards 'traditional source' migration by raising English language requirements specifically in order to decrease 'Asian' or 'nontraditional' immigration and its associated *political* risks, everyone here tends to get my point, and no-one dares quote non-comparative statistics. Sure, take your permanent residency figures for this year if you like, but get back to me with a comparative table since 1999, then we'll talk.

    But sure, I'm losing my patience - this is yet another blurt that makes almost zero sense. Yet again, it's a total shame that the actual policy call has come off sounding completely ignorant of how the relevant policy (immigration and *settlement* in this case) is a) made, b) applied, and c) could actually be improved. However, is still important for 'my' camp to read between the lines and see she is attempting to 'clarify' her last comment about immigration, and making a specifically inclusive comment embracing all people of colour as potential allies (actually a good thing). I don't understand why this had to be said while at the same time nonsensically cutting out all people from other 'Western' countries (not all white, and even if they are...) as potential enemies.

    For now, the white folk are offended once more, but I guess I'm off the hook as 'honorary brown'. My actual decapitalised brown comrades will be well amused.

    SarfBank, Lunnin' • Since Nov 2006 • 154 posts Report

  • Tze Ming Mok,

    And to test my reply to Craig, we'll see how many comments follow that are just jokes about 'brown' substances, compared with "serious political and public policy debate"...

    SarfBank, Lunnin' • Since Nov 2006 • 154 posts Report

  • Lyndon Hood,

    In short, I'll treat Turia with the same contempt I've poured on Winston Peters for the last two decades.

    Well said. Personally, I'm with Don wondering about the people who are clearly more outraged at this than whatever Winston's last effort would have been. Surely restricting-immigration-to-preserve-our-culture can get called exactly the same names either way?

    Of course, we're used to Winston, and Tariana's seems to somehow not match the facts even worse than his.

    Anyway

    And 100% male...

    ...apart from all the Brownies.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1115 posts Report

  • BenWilson,

    I don't know why we need an immigration policy *at all*. It can never be anything but racist. If people want to come here, let them.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    Of course, we're used to Winston, and Tariana's seems to somehow not match the facts even worse than his.

    I think that at some point Winston fatigue set in for most people. And Turia's stuff is kinda worse, because she actually implies skin colour as a criterion for entry. Brrrr ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    And to test my reply to Craig, we'll see how many comments follow that are just jokes about 'brown' substances, compared with "serious political and public policy debate"...

    To be honest, it's hard to take this sort of thing seriously enough to debate it as public policy. We managed umpteen heartfelt and serious posts about Sue Bradford's bill, but for this ... satire seems a quite reasonable response.

    I did link to NRT and Blogging It Real being seriously indignant in my post this morning.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

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